House Mayo/Butter (Bơ) for Vietnamese Sandwich Bánh Mì
No Vietnamese sandwich, or bánh mì, is complete without its rich yellow smear of Vietnamese-style mayo, Sốt Bơ Trứng.
- ½ cup vegetable oil (see notes below)
- 1 large shallot (peel and slice into wedges)
- 2 large cloves garlic (peel and lightly smash)
- 3 egg yolks (room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon rendered pork/chicken fat (optional)
- Add shallots and garlic to room temperature oil then heat on medium-high. Once shallots and garlic are golden, strain the oil. Save the fried aromatics for another dish or enjoy them like crunchy potato chips like I do. Allow the oil to cool completely to room temperature before making the mayo.
- until smooth and pale yellow.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil. Aim for a thin stream and whisk continuously to incorporate the oil as you go. I like to use a squeeze bottle but you can also use anything with a small spout/lip for easy pouring. You can also scoop spoonful of oil at at time. If using rendered pork/chicken, heat it until melted and pourable, then slowly drizzle it into the mixture while whisking.
- with salt. You can use the mayo immediately for your banh mi or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Use within 3 days for best results.
Follow my recipe below for an easy, creamy Vietnamese-style mayo each and every time.
This recipe makes about ¾ cup mayo.
To make Sốt Bơ Trứng, gather the following ingredients and equipment:
Eggs: We are using raw chicken egg yolks. Because we are using raw yolks, make sure to get pasteurized eggs to reduce the risk of salmonella. Bring them to room-temperature for a smooth emulsification.
Neutral Oil: I’m using vegetable oil, but you can other neutral oils, such as canola oil or peanut oil.
Shallot and garlic: We will fry up these aromatics to flavor the neutral oil. Make sure the oil has completely cooled to room temperature before making the mayo.
Salt: I’m using fine ground sea salt to season the mayo.
Whisk: You can make the mayo by hand with a whisk but it goes a lot faster if you use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment. No need to use all two whisk attachments since we are making a small portion. Simply remove the other whisk. If you are doing this by hand, it will take about 15 minutes. If you are using a hand mixer, it should take no more than 5 minutes.
Whisk the Eggs: Add egg yolks to a small bowl. Whisk the yolks until smooth and pale yellow.
Emulsify: Slowly drizzle in the oil. Aim for a thin stream and whisk continuously to incorporate the oil as you go. I like to use a squeeze bottle but you can also use anything with a small spout/lip for easy pouring. You can also scoop spoonful of oil at at time.
Season: Once all the oil has been successfully incorporated and you have a thick mixture, season with salt.
Chill and Storage: You can use the mayo immediately for banh mi or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Use within 3 days for best results.
