Jazz Up Your Mayo This Fall With A Spoonful Of Cranberry Sauce

Finding uses for Thanksgiving leftovers can be either a delicious treat or a frustrating struggle. After such a big feast, inevitably there's plenty of food left to use up — and sometimes, repurposing requires getting creative. Using the turkey carcass for stock or making those leftover mashed potatoes into gnocchi is one thing, but what about that bowl of cranberry sauce? This tangy-sweet sauce makes a great mix-in for mayonnaise, transforming the creamy condiment into a tasty bright-pink topping for your post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Mixing equal parts cranberry sauce (either the canned or the homemade kind will do) with your favorite mayonnaise and a touch of pepper brings a pop of fruity acidity to an already delectable spread. Just as a squeeze of lemon can cut through the fattiness of mayo and brighten it up, adding greater depth of flavor, so too can the puckery tartness of cranberries enhance its taste. This dynamic combination will add the perfect amount of punch to whatever you choose to spread it on.

Arguably the best application for this cranberry sauce and mayo fusion is spread onto a sandwich piled high with turkey and stuffing. Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches have long been a day-after treat around the holidays; though the exact origins of this concoction were never documented, recipes for the dish date back to the 1950s. However, cranberries and turkey have been paired together for much longer than that; cranberries grow natively to North America and were enjoyed by Native Americans alongside game fowl such as turkey and goose long before the first Thanksgiving.

In some leftover sandwich recipes, cranberry sauce is spread directly onto the bread with no mayo in sight. Adding mayo to the mix helps with the sauce's spreadability, as well as bringing in a bit of welcome extra fat (especially if you plan on using white meat in the sandwich). The deep savoriness of the turkey and stuffing are offset by the intense tartness and sweetness of cranberry sauce, resulting in a more deliciously complex sandwich.

While turkey sandwiches are the most obvious application for cranberry mayo, they are far from the only place you can use this delicious condiment. Anywhere that would merit a little spread of tart, tangy zip in your meal, this sweet and sour sauce will shine. 

One great application for cranberry mayo is on a burger. Both traditional beef burgers and poultry-based patties like chicken or turkey pair well with a dollop; the mayo stands up against the stronger flavors of the meat and brings in brightness and sweetness.

Brie also pairs particularly well with cranberry. Use a little of the blended mayo on a buttery brie grilled cheese for added flavor and richness. Or, conversely, use some brie to elevate your leftover turkey sandwich another notch.

Cranberry mayo also makes a great dip. Try scooping it up with sweet potato fries or chips. The sweet and tangy combination works beautifully together.