Alton Brown Says This Is the Best Mayo to Buy

Alton Brown is a no nonsense kind of guy. He’s not the type to follow trends. He doesn’t care about hype. He would never have clicked into an article like this (no shame and thank you for doing so). So when he talks up a product, you can rest assured that it’s not because he’s buying into any mania. He simply thinks it’s the best. And when it comes to mayonnaise, he has a strong opinion on the best.

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Alton Brown only uses Duke’s mayonnaise

While Alton is all about homemade mayo (if you haven’t tried it, please do, it’s easy to make and so good), he admits that he does stock his pantry with one brand of jarred mayo: Duke’s. How do we know this? Alton wrote about it in a headnote on his recipe for “Party Mayonnaise.” Yes, he intros his homemade mayonnaise recipe with a recommendation for store-bought mayo.

In the recipe he writes, “I admit that as much as I love homemade mayo, I do still buy it in jars and will continue to as long as Duke’s Mayonnaise is made. This Carolina classic has plenty of vinegar in it, and that gives it the zing I crave.”

This isn’t the only time Alton calls out Duke’s on his site. He specifically lists Duke’s as an ingredient in his recipe for “Gimme Some Skin,” which is essentially a chicken skin sandwich. I will be eating that very soon. And then taking a very long nap.

We agree Duke’s is good but it isn’t the best

We’ve tasted a whole lot of mayonnaises (it’s literally our job). And we currently believe Duke’s is the third best mayonnaise, after our favorite sriracha mayo (Heinz Mayoracha) and the number one best mayo: Hellmann’s. We like how eggy it is, how rich and decadent it is. But here’s the thing, Hellmann’s is specifically not that citrusy or vinegary, which is exactly what Alton likes about Duke’s. Our solution? Be like Ina Garten and choose both—plus a bottle of Kewpie for good measure.

About the Author

Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients. Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now). Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test! Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.