Mayo-Ketchup Is Practically The Official Condiment Of Puerto Rico
There is something about the unique flavor of mayo-ketchup that feels like home to Boricuas, or those born in Puerto Rico. As it becomes more popular, the mixture has grown to become associated heavily with "La Isla del Encanto" or "The Island of Enchantment." Puerto Ricans put it on pretty much everything, whether it's tostones (fried green plantains), alcapurrias (meat fritters), or empanadillas (savory turnovers). The ingredients to make mayo-ketchup are simple enough with ketchup, mayonnaise, and garlic as a base, but every family and restaurant has their own special twist. Some recipes also mix in Adobo seasoning, lemon juice, cilantro, or honey. The best mayo-ketchup sauces are homemade so that you can fully taste the freshness of the added ingredients.
At first taste, some people compare the flavor of mayo-ketchup to McDonald's Big Mac sauce, In-N-Out's Animal-style sauce, or Thousand Island dressing. However, Puerto Ricans don't typically add pickles or relish to their sauce, although it is frequently put on burgers. Mayo-ketchup is a light pink color, but not as bright as TikTok's viral Pink Sauce that took social media by storm recently.
Puerto Ricans fight to keep mayo ketchup identity
As major brands look to draw in customers and raise revenues amid a foodie-focused culture, mayo-ketchup caught the eye of Heinz. The popularity of specialty condiments at the grocery store posed a threat to the sales of plain old mayo, so Heinz decided to package and mass produce the mixture, calling it Mayochup. It's sold along with a number of other unique combination flavors, including Mayocue (mayo-barbecue), Mayomust (mayo-mustard), and Mayoracha (mayo-Sriracha). But some felt that Heinz was committing cultural appropriation when the brand decided to sell Mayochup in 2018. Frustrated Puerto Ricans took to Twitter to complain about it, with one user reminding Heinz that Puerto Ricans "invented it ages ago" (via Jacksonville.com). They took issue with the company attempting to introduce the sauce to the general public, as if it originated with Heinz.
@chefjellys 👏🏼MAYO KETCHUP IS THE BEST CONDIMENT👏🏼 🇵🇷 #mayokectchup #ketchup #mayo #puertorico #puertoricanfood #boricua #foodie #pr #mayaguez #sanjuan
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TikTok user @chefjellys shared their love of mayo-ketchup in a video, enjoying the mixture with foods from around Puerto Rico. The strong flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine match the sweet and flavorful taste of each bite of mayo-ketchup, which is why it's so closely associated with Puerto Rican culture and food, despite other countries having similar sauces.