Homemade Mayonnaise: Technique, Troubleshooting, Storage

[andiesenji]

You can find "mixers" just like this - some made for and with the Wesson name and instructions for preparing mayonnaise.

Pampered chef pump mixer

This happens to be a modern copy of the old "Mayo mixer" or the "Whixit" which was popular in the 50s.

I'll post a photo of the pink and black one I have (50s colors) and a photo of one of the old Wesson mixers.

Tomorrow, after I have dusted them off a bit.

These work quite well and with very little effort.

This is not the Wesson - it is in a high cupboard and I no longer do stepladders.

Note the molded words that say what this does with "Mayonnaise Miser" at the bottom.

Edited March 28, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[deltadoc]

Immersion blender is the key. Never made good mayonnaise in a blender or by hand in a bowl or a food processor.

I like using EVOO, even though some say its too heavy in taste, and a mixture of vinegar and fresh lemon juice, along with the yolks and dijon, and S&P.

doc

[Pielle]

Immersion blender is the key.  Never made good mayonnaise in a blender or by hand in a bowl or a food processor.

I like using EVOO, even though some say its too heavy in taste, and a mixture of vinegar and fresh lemon juice, along with the yolks and dijon, and S&P.

doc

←

EVOO is good depending on the application. I go 100% EVOO if I make a mayo for a salad (ceasar mainly), I also go heavy on the lemon juice in this case. I also use EVOO in my tartare mayonaise. For dipping fries and for sandwiches, I would rather go for a high percentage of canola oil and put more dijon and less lemon. I seldom use vinegar and usualy go 100% lemon juice.

[menon1971]

You can find "mixers" just like this - some made for and with the Wesson name and instructions for preparing mayonnaise.

Pampered chef pump mixer

This happens to be a modern copy of the old "Mayo mixer"  or the "Whixit"  which was popular in the 50s.

I'll post a photo of the pink and black one I have (50s colors) and a photo of one of the old Wesson mixers.

Tomorrow, after I have dusted them off a bit.

These work quite well and with very little effort.

This is not the Wesson - it is in a high cupboard and I no longer do stepladders.

Note the molded words that say what this does with "Mayonnaise Miser" at the bottom.

←

Those are too cool! Especially the one on the right.

[andiesenji]

As soon as I can get the Wesson one down, I will get a photo of it also. It is in much better condition and has the original recipes with it.

I have some other "malt mixers" of this type and they all do a great job at whipping cream and making mayonnaise - one is hard plastic, also made in the 50s, but with a metal plunger. I used to take that one camping, back in the day, for beating eggs for omelets, making pancake batter - and making mayonnaise fresh every day. We could keep fresh eggs (purchased in Bishop, twice a week) in a hanging evaporative cooler - a canvas thingy, with nylon mesh "shelves" that could be hung in a tree. It had a water resevoir at the top that dripped down the sides of the canvas "box" and the evaporation cooled whatever was inside to about 25 - 30 degrees below the ambient temperature. It only works in low humidity and it is very dry in the high Sierras.

[andiesenji]

Here is the real, original Wesson Oil mayonnaise mixer, pristine, never been used.

Along with the brochure and recipe card that came with it.

Note! It states it produces mayonnaise in 90 seconds!! Not bad for a hand-powered mixer.

Note, there is a cupped depression in the top of the mixer that slowly feeds the oil into the mixer while one is operating it.

Edited April 8, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[The Hersch]

That's really cool, but sugar has no place in mayonnaise. Egg white either. I assume this interesting little device would work with the classic mayonnaise ingredients?

[Rebecca263]

My daughter has made mayonnaise a few times with whole eggs. It happens. And, if you like um, what is it called, Miracle Whip, you will like the sugar addition. Personally, it's not my thing. But, I also leave out the mustard, oftentimes. I'm just WILD like that, you know!

Edited April 9, 2007 by Rebecca263 (log)

[andiesenji]

That's really cool, but sugar has no place in mayonnaise. Egg white either. I assume this interesting little device would work with the classic mayonnaise ingredients?

←

What egg white?

It was very common to use whole eggs in mayonnaise back in those days.

Actually, the egg white will actually take up oil more readily and the mixture emulsifies easier if a whole egg is used.

The end result is just not quite as rich as when just the yolks are used.

The volume will be proportionally greater because of the way the egg white forms into bubbles, thus increasing the surface area exponetially. It will also have a lighter mouth feel.

I have a great many old cookbooks - just flipping through three, I found 3 recipes for mayo with whole eggs, 2 recipes, using yolks only, both with the subtitle "in the French style" ...

I also remember a commercial for a famous product that was described as "Whole Egg Mayonnaise"

One of my magazines has an ad inside the front cover for Meridian Organic Whole Egg Mayonnaise.

So it is not unheard-of.

Edited April 9, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[divalasvegas]

Okay, I'll be attempting to make blender mayo tomorrow--later today really considering the hour. Anyway, I really like Hellmann's mayo and would like to make something that tastes like it or even better of course. The ingredients I have on hand are: plain vegetable oil, eggs, dry mustard, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, fresh lemons. I've checked out several recipes both here and on the internet and the amount/type of ingredients seem to be all over the place. For instance, for one to one and quarter cup of mayo I've seen recipes call for 1/4 tsp., 1/2 tsp., or even 1 tsp. of dry mustard. For blender mayo I've seen use egg yolk only or use a whole egg, or anywhere from 1 tsp. to 2 tbs. of lemon juice. A couple of recipes even suggest adding a tiny amount of sugar like 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. but I've never heard of using sugar in mayo. However, it may be present in commercial mayo.

Any and all suggestions are welcome to help me get the best results.

Forgot to add that some of the recipes suggest using white vinegar instead of lemon juice, but never both. I have just regular white vinegar on hand, not white wine vinegar btw.

Edited for additional comments/queries and for saying "eye" yolk instead of egg yolk which would be a whole 'nother thing and possibly attract the suspicions of the local authorities.

Edited April 9, 2007 by divalasvegas (log)

[Corinna Dunne]

My rule of thumb is to use a whole egg with a blender, and egg yolks when using a hand held whisk. In both cases the oil needs to be added gradually, but there is more room for error with the blender approach. And yes, mustard is great for adding to the stability of the emulsion.

The yolk only mayonnaise is more traditional and gives a richer, thicker result, lovely and wobbly! Although I love EVOO, I find it too overpowering for a mayonnaise.

If you add garlic at the beginning, you will have aioli (the French name for garlic mayonnaise), which is great for crutidees/dipping sticks of raw vegetables.

Let us know how you get on!

[divalasvegas]

My rule of thumb is to use a whole egg with a blender, and egg yolks when using a hand held whisk.  In both cases the oil needs to be added gradually, but there is more room for error with the blender approach.  And yes, mustard is great for adding to the stability of the emulsion.

The yolk only mayonnaise is more traditional and gives a richer, thicker result, lovely and wobbly! Although I love EVOO, I find it too overpowering for a mayonnaise.

If you add garlic at the beginning, you will have aioli (the French name for garlic mayonnaise), which is great for crutidees/dipping sticks of raw vegetables.

Let us know how you get on!

←

Thanks for your advice and tips Corinna. This is the recipe I've settled on though I intend to increase the amount of dry mustard, paprika, and cayenne called for. The source is Astray Recipes.

1 large Egg

1 tablespoon Vinegar

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Dry Mustard

⅛ teaspoon Paprika

1 dash Cayenne Pepper

1 cup Salad Oil

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Put the egg, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, paprika, and cayenne in a blender container, blending until well mixed. With the blender RUNNING SLOWLY, gradually pour half of the salad oil into the blender container. (When necessary, stop the blender and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.) Add the lemon juice to the mixture in the blender and slowly pour the remainder of the salad oil into the blender container, with the blender running slowly. Makes about 1 1/4 cups. Recipe By : From: Marjorie Scofield

I'll definitely report back with my results, good, bad or ugly.

[alanamoana]

Jon,

Note that the eGullet course suggest well chilled ingredients.  If there is a secret it is that emulsion are easier to develop at LOW temperatures.  (I always put vniaigrettes into the freezer before adding an oil emlulsion.)  All of the commercial mayo's use extremely cold ingredients for a reason.

The other well known secret is the importance of beginning the emulsion successfully with the very first few drops of oil.  Once the emulsion develop, you can move a little faster.

Tim

←

Keep the ingredients cold  and wisk the oil very, very slowly at first.

Thats the secret.

Regarding emulsions take the simple hot dog type sausage the secret of which is keeping all the ingredients very cold in fact just above freezing. prior to mixing.

I also think its easier whisking by hand, medical reasons exempt Marlene.

Norman Walsh

←

from Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking", page 634:

All of the ingredients for making mayonnaise should be at room temperature; warmth sppeds the transfer of emulsifiers from the yolk particles to the oil droplet surfaces

emphasis mine.

Edited April 9, 2007 by alanamoana (log)

[Mayhaw Man]

Here is the real, original Wesson Oil  mayonnaise mixer, pristine, never been used.

Along with the brochure and recipe card that came with it.

Note!  It states it produces mayonnaise in 90 seconds!!  Not bad for a hand-powered mixer.

Note, there is a cupped depression in the top of the mixer that slowly feeds the oil into the mixer while one is operating it.

This is Martha Foose and her mom giving a quick mayo lesson during the (shameless eGullet sponsor plug alert) Viking World of Flavor Tour of the Mississippi Delta last year. They made several types of mayo during the demo (as did the tourists who got to make some for themselves after the lesson) on the backporch of "the big house" at Pluto Plantation

in the Mississippi Delta last year. It was a fun demo and everyone came away with the feeling that making mayo in one of those old Wesson mayo plunger devices is dead easy and highly efficient. I had owned one for years and it had served as nothing more than an interesting tchotcke on a shelf in the kitchen. I use it all of the time now. Making flavored mayo is fun to do and not a little satisfying, though doing it on someone's back porch in the middle of the catfish ponds, cotton fields, and pecan orchards made it just a bit more entertaining than it might have been otherwise.

[The Hersch]

That's really cool, but sugar has no place in mayonnaise. Egg white either. I assume this interesting little device would work with the classic mayonnaise ingredients?

←

What egg white?

It was very common to use whole eggs in mayonnaise back in those days.

←

Actually, I'm aware that "mayonnaise" is often made with whole eggs--practically all the commercial stuff is made that way, and with sugar to boot. The French sauce mayonnaise, though, has neither egg whites (from whole eggs) nor sugar. It seems to me that if you want a sauce that incorporates these non-classical ingredients, you might as well just buy a jar of Hellman's (Best Foods west of the Rockies).

I'm curious, though about blender mayonnaise. I've seen many recipes that call for egg yolks, but add that you should use whole eggs if you're making mayonnaise in a blender. Why is that? I don't see why using a blender would necessitate using the white of the egg. And if there's something about the action of the blender that prevents a successful emulsion with yolks only, does that apply to your nifty mayonnaise mixer as well?

(Notable commercial exceptions to the inclusion of sugar: Duke, available in the southeast US, and Trader Joe's private label, available where there are Trader Joe's stores.)

[andiesenji]

First of all, I am not an expert, I just have practical experience, quite a few years of it, but my methods are not the be-all and end-all of mayonnaise production.

I learned to make mayonnaise (back in the dark ages) with a pinch of sugar - that was just the way it was done because it seemed to work better - and we used whole eggs.

We also used chilled ingredients - I have to admit that it was not chilled as in a refrigerator, because eggs were not kept in the fridge, they were kept in a room that held a spring-fed cistern that was pretty chilly, even in the middle of summer.

And then there is the question of room temperature...

"Room temperature" can vary considerably - my kitchen, without air conditioning, can easily reach triple digits in summer. A friend who lived in a house in Yorkshire, England for a year, said she often wore her longies and a sweater, even in summer. She sent me an email during August, requesting I not complain about the 100-degree temps here, because she was sitting in her kitchen at two in the afternoon and it had yet to get to 15 degrees Celsius = 59 degrees Fahrenheit.

I will continue to make mine the way I have been doing successfully for close to 60 years. If room temp works for you, by all means do it that way. Your kitchen - your choice.

It is possible that the sugar adds a bit of friction - I don't think there is any argument that sugar does have an effect on casein - it has been proved in laboratory studies that sugar has an enzymatic action on the casein in egg yolks, as well as in milk, that makes the casein more "gluey" so to speak.

Painters using egg tempera paint on resistant surfaces, learned that a tiny pinch of sugar increased its adhesivness.

Anyway, who cares what works, as long as it works for you.

I don't think in most cases there is enough sugar to actually affect the taste all that much.

You also have to also think about the times that these old recipes were formulated.

In the 1930s and during WWII, eggs were expensive. They were used sparingly unless one lived on a farm or had a few chickens.

It would have been considered incredibly wasteful to use just the yolk of an egg and there wasn't much one could do with the white of just one egg. (who knew from egg white omelets back then?)

So that is one social reason.

In the UK they did without mayonnaise for years during and after WWII because eggs were scarce, non-existant or rationed. They had lots of recipes for mayonnaise substitutes, most of which would have horrified any ordinary French homemaker.

Regarding the bit about blender mayonnaise.

First of all, the volume of a single egg yolk is not great enough to actually blend easily before adding the oil, and egg yolks can be tricky - too much heat - produced by the rapid speed of the blender blades, can actually "cook" the yolks before they begin to emulsify.

Having had this experience first hand, when making a batch of lemon curd, I know whereof I speak. I had lumps, suspiciously similar to scrambled eggs, which I fortunately noticed prior to using the beaten yolks. Straining them revealed some congealed stuff. Never made that mistake again. (That Vita-Mix is a very powerful blender!)

In any event, there are probably thousands of ways to produce mayonnaise. I like these old hand mixers, the little electric "mixettes" as well as the big mixers.

I've even seen a batch whipped up with a whisk made of strips of bamboo, during a visit to Hawaii many years ago.

[andiesenji]

I am glad you are getting some use out of yours, Brooks.

I have seen many of the "generic" ones - no instructions on the glass - listed as "malted-milk mixer"

Here is another one, with the full panoply of recipe cards.

Wesson oil mayo mixer!

Edited April 10, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[The Hersch]

Regarding the bit about blender mayonnaise. 

First of all, the volume of a single egg yolk is not great enough to actually blend easily before adding the oil, and egg yolks can be tricky - too much heat - produced by the rapid speed of the blender blades, can actually "cook" the yolks before they begin to emulsify.

That makes sense! I don't remember ever seeing an explanation for the blender-mayonnaise-requires-whole-eggs rule before. On the other hand, most mayonnaise recipes are for more than one egg yolk, but the cooking thing I think must be the real reason.

I don't think in most cases there is enough sugar to actually affect the taste all that much.

There certainly is in Hellman's, Kraft, etc. That stuff is sweet. And awful.

[divalasvegas]

Well I finally did it and the results were: AMAZING AND DELICIOUS! All props to the creator of this recipe (posted above), Marjorie Scofield. I did use the whole egg called for but I increased the salt from 1/2 tsp. to 3/4 tsp., the dry mustard from 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp, and the paprika from 1/8 to 1/4 tsp., leaving everything else the same. As you can see this recipe doesn't call for the addition of sugar and with the results I achieved, I can't imagine why any recipe would need it. Also, all ingredients were room temperature.

I thought it wasn't going to work at first since I'd never made blender mayonnaise and while adding the first half of the oil it seemed to stay pretty thin forever. But after adding the lemon juice and while pouring the remaining half of the oil it I could hear the sound of the ingredients changing and it went from thin to thick rather quickly.

I can honestly say to anyone still having trouble making their own mayo this recipe is totally idiot-proof, YOU CANNOT FAIL WITH THIS ONE.

I know this is no big deal to those of you who've been making your own mayo for years, and there are plenty of things I make from scratch all the time. However, I would see so many complaints about it separating/breaking or being thin and runny so I figured just buy Hellmann's and be done with it. But lately I'd been feeling a little betrayed by my old tried and true since they decreased the amount of mayo per jar from 32 oz. to 30 oz. and kept the same price!

Thanks to you all for your help and tips. I wanted to make something like Hellmann's and I did: like Hellmann's on monster anabolic steroids!

[Simon Patrice]

Does anyone know how long homemade mayo can keep? I've been getting tired of buying commercial mayo but since I don't use that much of it I don't want to make some and waste half of it. So are we talking a couple of days, weeks...

Thanks!

[Qwerty]

I wouldn't keep it around for longer than a few days. Odds are though, you'll know if it's OK to use or not.

Only reason is becuase of the eggs in it. I mean, how long would you keep a couple of cracked eggs sitting in a bowl in your fridge for?

[divalasvegas]

From what I've read here--check the eGCI course information--is that homemade mayo lasts about 7-10 days. Not a very long time, but most of the recipes I've seen yield about one cup of mayo which I have no problem using up in a week's time.

Also, I just wanted to add that in my excitement to post about my success, I made remarks about not using sugar. I want to be clear that I'm not besmirching anyone who has a recipe that calls for a bit of sugar; actually I didn't really read those remarks until after I posted.

Now that I'm no longer a homemade mayo virgin, I have got to get ahold of some of those really cool looking mayo mixers like andiesenji has shared here. And andie your advice is so dead on about the whole egg; no way would an egg yolk alone have worked so well in the blender mayo recipe.

[tim]

Jon,

Note that the eGullet course suggest well chilled ingredients.  If there is a secret it is that emulsion are easier to develop at LOW temperatures.  (I always put vniaigrettes into the freezer before adding an oil emlulsion.)  All of the commercial mayo's use extremely cold ingredients for a reason.

The other well known secret is the importance of beginning the emulsion successfully with the very first few drops of oil.  Once the emulsion develop, you can move a little faster.

Tim

←

Keep the ingredients cold  and wisk the oil very, very slowly at first.

Thats the secret.

Regarding emulsions take the simple hot dog type sausage the secret of which is keeping all the ingredients very cold in fact just above freezing. prior to mixing.

I also think its easier whisking by hand, medical reasons exempt Marlene.

Norman Walsh

←

from Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking", page 634:

All of the ingredients for making mayonnaise should be at room temperature; warmth speeds the transfer of emulsifiers from the yolk particles to the oil droplet surfaces

emphasis mine.

←

Alana,

Different experts offer different opinions, of course.

From Cook's Illustrated, July, 1998:

"Several food scientists with whom we checked offered theories regarding the effect of chilling on emulsions. Dr. Bruce Watkins, Associate professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Purdue University, mentioned that chilling changes the behavior or some of the components in the egg yolk. For instance, lipoproteins gel at lower temperatures, and triglycerides, which are crystalline in structure, grow larger and more stable. Both of these factors might well contribute stability and body to the emulsion. Dr. Watkins also mentioned that these substances become less hydrophobic as temperatures decrease, which means they are less resistant to water. Their increased willingness to accept water would also add to the stability of an emulsion."

"Dr. Kenneth Hall, Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut, added that chilling slows down molecular activity, which, in effect, makes ingredients thicker. The thicker the ingredients are to begin with, the thicker and more stable the resulting emulsion will be."

And I thought McGee put me to sleep with too much information.

Tim

[Corinna Dunne]

To be honest, I can never remember whether ingredients should be chilled or ambient for making mayonnaise. I keep my eggs in the fridge, so they are always cold. In reality, I think the key is to add the oil slowly, particularly if you are using just the yolks and a whisk. I've made mayonnaise with a fork in the past, it just takes a bit longer. I think that purists make it in a pestle and mortar!

[andiesenji]

When I took a class in French cooking, from a Chef Gregoire, he was adamant about using it up within 2-3 days. However, I noticed that the larger batches that were prepared for the restaurant were placed in a tall narrow glass jar and then topped with oil, which was poured off just prior to use.

He explained that it is important to keep the air away from the surface and that at home we should use a glass jar with (preferably) a glass lid with a good seal, as little "head room" as possible, and store the jar upside down. If no glass lid, then cover the top with plastic wrap and screw the lid on tightly over the plastic. He was admant that it should not be stored where it could come in contact with metal.

Incidentally, I began storing all my condiments, jams, jellies, and etc., this way and the method has proven to be very effective in delaying the onset of rancidity, mold and crystallization in sugary things. Oxygen is a big factor in converting and aging certain ingredients, keep it at bay and this type of food stuff lasts much longer.