This $3 Duke’s Sauce Is Even Better Than Its Legendary Mayonnaise

I am, proudly, a condiment queen. I’m constantly filling my cart and stocking my pantry with sauces, spreads, relishes, and other accoutrements that will be that perfect touch on a dish. For me, half the fun of eating a meal is dipping it in something delicious. 

So when Duke’s Mayonnaise (a brand I adore and occasionally do recipe development for) introduced its Bayou Remoulade, a kicked-up version of the classic seafood sauce, I was (pardon the pun) immediately hooked. It’s the perfect sauce for all my summer seafood needs, of which there are many.

Think of remoulade as tartar sauce’s cooler French cousin. There are lots of similarities between the two — both are cold, creamy sauces that typically include a mayonnaise base with something pickle-y, like relish or chopped cornichons. But remoulade (or what we called remi when I worked as a chef) goes a step further, with the addition of a little spice, which can be from paprika or even curry powder. 

In the U.S., remoulade is especially popular in the creole cuisine of Louisiana, so it makes sense that Duke’s would want to highlight this culinary region with a remi that harnesses the quintessential Louisiana flavors of garlic, lemon, and hot sauce. It’s like a Cajun seafood boil and a classic remoulade came together to make something delicious. 

My first stop after picking up a bottle of Duke’s Bayou Remoulade was a platter of fried seafood, and the kicked up remi did not disappoint. The subtle heat cuts through the fried food, and the little pop of lemon adds just the right amount of tang. I added the Bayou Remoulade to a Po’ Boy and was rewarded with a fantastic lunch. Of course, I had to dip a french fry or two in there to see if that would be as good as I imagined — it was!

If you’ve got fried seafood, you’ve got an opportunity for Bayou Remoulade. It’s especially perfect on popcorn shrimp, and, though it’s not traditional, I love it with fish and chips, for both the fish AND the chips. It also adds a nice kick to crab cakes — just blend it right into the mix. 

That’s sort of the low-hanging fruit when it comes to remi usage, but I encourage you to try this sauce on burgers, chicken strips, and other places where you might ordinarily slather a bit of mayonnaise. And for some amped-up flavor, this remoulade works really well to add intrigue to fish dips and tuna salad.

Buy: Duke’s Bayou Remoulade, $2.50 (on sale!) for 10 ounces at Kroger

What sauce are you adding to everything? Tell us about it in the comments below.