Bacon Fat Mayonnaise With Egg Yolks for Full GAPS

This egg-yolk bacon fat mayonnaise uses two yolks, one cup of rendered fat from homemade salt-only bacon, and natural salt. The whites stay out. Whisk the liquid fat into the yolks gradually until it forms a cohesive, creamy condiment.

It is soft when freshly mixed and firms as the bacon fat chills. Have the prepared fat liquid but only slightly warm before starting. Lemon, plain white vinegar, Dijon, and pepper are optional flavorings, with their amounts listed in the card.

Jump to the Recipe

Raw egg yolks or whole eggs are part of our family’s daily GAPS milkshake routine. The part of the egg matters when you follow a different recipe, though. For this mayonnaise, separate two eggs and use their yolks. Clear amounts make it easier when more than one person helps in the kitchen and a recipe gets read quickly between other jobs.

Two Yolks and a Measured Cup of Fat

Put two fresh, room-temperature egg yolks in the mixing bowl. Keep the whites out of the mixture. The separate whole-egg bacon fat mayonnaise uses a different egg portion, so choose the post for the batch you want to make.

Measure one cup of actual rendered bacon fat while it is liquid. This is not a measure of raw pork, cooked bacon pieces, or the original package weight. Bacon releases different amounts of fat from batch to batch.

Use fat collected while cooking the finished homemade salt-only bacon. Separate the fat from meat pieces before measuring. A fine stainless-steel strainer can remove small bits while the fat is still fluid.

If the collected fat has set, warm it gently just until it pours. Then let it cool to slight warmth before mixing with the yolks. Steaming or sizzling fat is too hot for this preparation.

Keep the Starting Mixture Even

Whisk the yolks with the natural salt you are using until smooth. The measured salt is one-quarter teaspoon, but it can be omitted if the bacon fat is already particularly salty.

If using optional lemon juice, vinegar, or Dijon, whisk those into the yolks before adding the fat. The mustard should not remain as a separate patch on the bottom of the bowl.

The yolks begin yellow or orange, depending on the eggs. They should be one smooth mixture before the fat goes in. Do not expect the starting color to match a finished jar of pale mayonnaise.

Make It With a Bowl and Whisk

Set a glass bowl on a damp folded towel so it stays in place. Use a stainless-steel whisk and put the measured liquid fat in a jug with a narrow pouring spout. That setup lets you control the first small additions.

Plan about fifteen minutes for hand mixing and transfer, with the bacon fat already prepared. The preparation is guided by the texture in the bowl rather than a fixed blender cycle.

Begin With Drops of Fat

Whisk briskly while adding the first fat a few drops at a time. Work each addition into the yolks before adding more. Keep whisking around the lower sides of the bowl so everything is mixing, not just the center.

Watch the color lighten and the mixture become creamier. A clear fat streak should disappear as it is worked in. Stay with small additions until the mixture is holding together.

Add the Rest Slowly

Continue with a thin, slow stream of the remaining fat while whisking. The full measured cup belongs in the batch. A successful first few additions are not a reason to pour the rest in quickly.

If clear fat starts collecting at the edge, pause the addition and keep whisking before continuing more slowly. The texture should stay cohesive as the amount in the bowl grows.

The finished mayonnaise should leave a soft track when you pull the whisk or a spoon through it. Its shade may be cream to pale gold. What matters is an even mixture without a separate clear layer of fat.

Cover and Chill

Transfer the finished mayonnaise to a clean wide-mouth glass container and refrigerate promptly. It can be used while freshly mixed and still soft, but the stored jar belongs in the refrigerator.

As the bacon fat chills, the mayonnaise becomes firm. That is a feature of the fat used here. It will not stay as loose straight from the refrigerator as a mayonnaise made with a liquid oil.

Optional Tang and Seasoning

One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice gives the mayonnaise a citrus tang. One tablespoon of plain white vinegar is another option. You can use either or both at those amounts.

One teaspoon of plain Dijon adds mustard flavor. Choose one without added sugar, starch, or other non-GAPS ingredients. Black pepper is to taste.

These choices season the same two-yolk and one-cup-fat batch. The plain version gets its flavor from the bacon fat, yolks, and salt. Adding an optional acid does not make the finished mayonnaise shelf-stable.

Where It Fits on GAPS

This is a Full GAPS condiment after its ingredients have been introduced. Dr. Natasha’s 2020 book uses raw egg in homemade mayonnaise and includes bacon made with salt only. Keep the homemade bacon preparation with the fat you collect.

The plain base contains animal foods and natural salt. The optional lemon, vinegar, mustard, and pepper add plant ingredients. For a No-Plant GAPS sequence, leave those out and use only foods already introduced within that sequence.

The presence of raw yolks does not make this the same preparation as early Intro yolk added to soup or meat stock. That serving role has its own gradual introduction. This post keeps the yolks in a separate rendered-fat condiment.

The plain recipe contains no dairy. Keep butter or ghee out of the bacon cooking pan if you need the collected fat to retain that dairy-free ingredient profile.

Use Soft Portions From the Jar

Use a small spoonful beside a meal or measure it into a recipe that calls for mayonnaise. Bacon fat brings a savory flavor of its own, so it will taste different from an olive-oil or avocado-oil mayonnaise.

Take out only the portion you want to serve and let it soften briefly if needed. Stir that portion before spreading it or mixing it with food. Keep the rest of the jar covered and cold.

Use refrigerated mayonnaise within five days and take portions with a clean spoon. Do not heat the whole finished jar on the stove to make it fluid again.

If you need an egg-free option, the separate lemon avocado dressing has a different set of ingredients. Use that recipe for an egg-free meal instead of simply removing the two yolks from this mayonnaise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Add the Whites Later?

No. This formula uses two yolks without the whites. Use the separate whole-egg version when that is the egg portion you want.

Why Is It Firm After Chilling?

The bacon fat solidifies when cold. Soften a serving portion briefly rather than expecting the refrigerated jar to behave like a liquid-oil mayonnaise.

Can I Skip Straining the Fat?

Separate the fat from meat pieces before measuring. Small bacon bits change the smooth texture and take up part of a cup intended to measure fat.

Can I Double the Batch?

Use the card’s 2× setting for four yolks and two cups of fat, with the measured seasonings doubled too. Use enough bowl room or make separate batches. The first fat additions still need to be small.

Equipment for a Small Batch

Use a glass mixing bowl, stainless-steel whisk, damp towel, narrow-spouted measuring jug, measuring spoons, and a covered glass container. Have a fine stainless-steel strainer ready if there are small meat pieces in the collected fat.

The planned Sauces, Dressings & Condiments Cookbook and Jar & Freezer Labels are part of the WFLI catalog. For this refrigerated mayonnaise, label the jar’s date and make a batch you can use within the five-day window.