Homemade Mayonnaise: Technique, Troubleshooting, Storage

[turkeybone]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise. In a serving kitchen environment, you can only use pasteurized eggs, and with the labor and possibilities of failure, I think it's much easier to add your own flavorings to prepared mayo (you all know the brand).

Now if you want to make aoili with olive oil or something, thats different. Using special or flavored oils straight up in a mayonnaise is not really a fun and delicious idea... its best to mix them, and then you have to worry about mixing them, and then you have to buy two oils, and this and that.. but if you want to make some chipotle remoulade, get your can, toss in that adobo, and spend your time and effort making some really crispy delicious fried foods to eat with it.

[Kevin Weeks]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise.

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As a rule I agree with you, even when simply cooking at home. Also, homemade mayo is only at it's best for a week at most. So unless you have something particular in mind that will use it up in that time it's not worth it.

Nevertheless, I think flavored mayos -- even though they can be made with commercial stuff -- are better when made from scratch. So I make mayo perhaps three times a year.

Kevin

[turkeybone]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise.

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Nevertheless, I think flavored mayos -- even though they can be made with commercial stuff -- are better when made from scratch. So I make mayo perhaps three times a year.

Kevin

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I agree with that as far as home-made, and I do enjoy making mayo (just to make sure I still know how, heh) -- I was in the mindset of a professional kitchen, where there is more emphasis on shelf life and consistency, and of course time and labor costs to consider.

[kutsu]

Both myself and my partner cannot stand Hellmans or any other commerical mayo. When we make it ourselves, we cant stop eating it. Hellmans mayo for instance, tastes very vinigery almost and very fake. Aoili is also pretty fantastic.

[Clerkenwellian]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise. In a serving kitchen environment, you can only use pasteurized eggs, and with the labor and possibilities of failure, I think it's much easier to add your own flavorings to prepared mayo (you all know the brand).

Now if you want to make aoili with olive oil or something, thats different. Using special or flavored oils straight up in a mayonnaise is not really a fun and delicious idea... its best to mix them, and then you have to worry about mixing them, and then you have to buy two oils, and this and that.. but if you want to make some chipotle remoulade, get your can, toss in that adobo, and spend your time and effort making some really crispy delicious fried foods to eat with it.

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I don't agree - if you use a decent handheld blender with an emulsifying disc then success is guaranteed and it takes a couple of minutes max. You won't get as good a result as whisking by hand, but it's miles better than anything you can get out of a jar. (Although I agree that if you're serving to the very old, very young or someone with a weak immune system then using raw egg presents a problem)

[jsolomon]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise.

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I can see your point, but here's how I look at it. Homemade mayo is very similar to homemade cookies. I don't always have them around, but it's nice every now and again. Take my family, for instance. We grow a reasonable garden: tomatoes and lettuce are definitely in it. We bake our own bread. We cure and smoke our own bacon. Why shouldn't we, then, complete the circle and make our own mayo for our BLT's? Special treats call for special work.

But, do I have Hellman's and Miracle Whip (bite your fingers, Jinmyo) in my fridge. There are just times when only one or the other (or the homemade) will do.

Additionally, I'm not very frightened of salmonella. I pay attention to basic kitchen sanitation. I am not crazy about disinfection, nor am I lackadaisical about cross-contamination. Also, I trust my lemons to kill salmonella. Hell, no one blinks an eye about letting their brioche ferment on the open counter, and that's got plenty of egg in it (but yeasts are acid producers).

Besides, in 30 years, I've had salmonella once. It broke me off, to be sure, but I believe the risk is quite low in the modern, clean kitchen (and yes, soap and water is sufficient in any arid place).

[Shalmanese]

Whats all this about mayo being all fragile and prone to breaking? I make my mayo by hand every time and I've become increasinly more cavalier with how much oil I've added and it's never ever broken.

[jayt90]

When home made, there is such a great variety of changes and additions you can make, it may not be same every time; or at least, never the same as Hellmann's.

While I've made a few that I would not repeat, in general I like the variety of the flavouring options available to me.

I always start with yolks and oil, and when finished (thick enough to support a fork), I add the flavourings.

[Corinna Dunne]

There is absolutely no comparison on taste... homemade wins hands down, even with my children. And even though it doesn't take that long to make, there are definitely times when Hellman's wins on convenience (eg for quick sandwiches); but never for anything special like homemade hamburgers, fishcakes, dips etc. And definitely never for aioli.

Regarding shelf life, it is not a problem we encounter because it gets gorged up pretty quickly. I don't agree that lemon juice can kill anything harmful like salmonella, and would never serve homemade mayonnaise to someone pregnant, young babies/toddlers or the elderly.

[DanaT]

Well I'd like to thank everybody who offered their tips and hints here. Thanks to egullet, I just made my first successful batch of homemade mayonnaise. Now I just gotta get something better than this thawed out frozen crab leg to go with it.

The secret turned out I think of having everything at room temperature, beating the egg yolk first, and keeping the balance of oil and liquid added.

I took some pics but will have to post them later. Thanks all!

[sabg]

i tried twice yesterday...i used the alfred portale recipe...2 yolks 2 cups of oil...v v thin....did it again with less ab d still not right...i used an immersion blender...any ideas...i want homemade saffron mayo

[Dave the Cook]

Have you looked at the eGCI courses and discussions here and here?

[Megan Blocker]

i tried twice yesterday...i used the alfred portale recipe...2 yolks 2 cups of oil...v v thin....did it again with less ab d still not right...i used an immersion blender...any ideas...i want homemade saffron mayo

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Offhand, sounds like too much oil to me...

Amanda Hesser had a great recipe in "Cooking For Mr. Latte," though not specifically for mayo...I'll try to find it in my records and link it up here!

Here's a link to my adaptation of the recipe. It should give you a better idea of proportion...this one has always worked for me!

Edited July 1, 2005 by Megan Blocker (log)

[bradyjr]

An egg yolk can emusify 100-150ml of oil (3.5-5 oz.). The mayo should get thicker as you add the oil, so if you are adding that much oil and having it be thin, then you are having a problem starting the emulsion. It helps to start the emulsion by adding about a tsp of Dijon mustard to the egg yolks before adding the oil. Other than that, start with a little drizzle of oil and make sure that the emulsion is going before drizzling in the rest of the oil.

I personally whisk my mayos by hand, then prefer a mixer like a Kitchen Aid with a whisk attachment as a second choice for large batches.

Regards,

Chef James

[kellytree]

the word in Belgium is if you have your period you cant make mayo- maybe thats the problem?

there is also some issues with the moon being in the wrong state.

[sabg]

the word in Belgium is if you have your period you cant make mayo- maybe thats the problem?

there is also some issues with the moon being in the wrong state.

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well, my husband would probably say i can never make mayo.....i found the problem, i was using the immersion wand and it was not getting to the bottom of the yolk and oil...did it by hand following the egullet recipe with a little less oil and it is great (iadded some saffron) i dont think i will eat store bot again

[sabg]

Have you looked at the eGCI courses and discussions here and here?

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thanks much, worked great by hand and i am now on to ketchup

[schneich]

An egg yolk can emusify 100-150ml of oil (3.5-5 oz.). 

sorry but thats bull! one single yolk can emusify many gallons of oil!

the problem with mayonnaise is most of the time that you add too much oil at once, by doing so you make it virtually impossible to get the water in oil emulsion going, where the tiny waterdroplets are coated by oil, bound together by the yolks lecithin which works as an emulsifier. when you start you must use very little oil, later when a stable emulsion is formed you can pour globs of oil in. to make the initial bonding easier you want to use a little lemon juice, since changin the PH again makes emulsification easier. if your mayo breaks there just isnt enough water to be bound with oil hence the oil globs together and forms the oil puddles, to save it just add a few more drops of orange juice or so and whisk it a little more...

cheers

t.

[andiesenji]

When I make small batches I always whisk by hand, I just like to be able to "feel" the consistency of the mixture.

I feel that adding too much oil too quickly is the main reason for failure when you first begin making mayo. If you have trouble controlling the amount you add, there are various ways to do it. Get one of the condiment squeeze bottles with a small opening and measure the oil into it and use that in your minor hand while whisking with your major hand - use something on the counter to keep the bowl from slipping, although now there are bowls with rubber on the bottom that are perfect for this but some people use a wet towel, twisted into a rope shape and coiled around the bottom of a bowl.

There are some old-fashioned egg beaters, hand-cranked, that were actually made specifically for making mayonnaise and similar emulsified sauces. Unlike the usual beaters, these were variations of a flat disc with peforations or flanges, that fit close against the bottom of a bowl or container. There were also the pump type that had a sort of propeller that spun around and were used in a narrow jar, some even had a chamber at the top to hold the oil and allow it to drizzle gradually into the bottom.

This is one that emulsifies the mixture by forcing it through the holes in the two discs.

You can occasionally find these on ebay (brand name Whixit)

Edited July 1, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[bradyjr]

An egg yolk can emusify 100-150ml of oil (3.5-5 oz.). 

sorry but thats bull! one single yolk can emusify many gallons of oil!

t.

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My apologies, I meant if you wanted a mayo that had nice consistency and good taste. But thank you for the chemistry lesson.

Edited July 2, 2005 by bradyjr (log)

[WhiteTruffleGirl]

I don't use any recipe for mayo, just the formula of one egg yolk to one cup of oil, with acid (usually lemon) and salt. Mustard does help the elmusification come together easier, but if you're looking to make any of the derivatives of this mother sauce, it's best that you get accustomed to making it without. I make it about once every couple of weeks for home use, and always hand whisk. I find it's just easier to achieve the desired consistency if you whisk it by hand. I usually find that I need to add a few drops of water about half way through to lighten it.

It's frequently easier for people to learn how to hand whisk this when using a ratio of two eggs yolks to two cups of oil. Egg yolks are like little balloons...they have to inflated slowly.

btw...grinding your saffron and salt together creates a flavor profile that is beyond the separate additions of salt and saffron. Hightly recommend it.

[Corinna Dunne]

This is a recent thread on making homemade mayonnaise which I think you will find very helpful:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=68299&hl=

It discusses ratios, hand whisks v blenders and also has a fascinating 'chemistry lesson' on how much oil an egg yolk really can take!

[Megan Blocker]

i dont think i will eat store bot again

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Amen! Nothing like homemade mayo.

[sabg]

I know this is going to stir some folks up, but I don't think its worth making your own mayonnaise.

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I can see your point, but here's how I look at it. Homemade mayo is very similar to homemade cookies. I don't always have them around, but it's nice every now and again. Take my family, for instance. We grow a reasonable garden: tomatoes and lettuce are definitely in it. We bake our own bread. We cure and smoke our own bacon. Why shouldn't we, then, complete the circle and make our own mayo for our BLT's? Special treats call for special work.

But, do I have Hellman's and Miracle Whip (bite your fingers, Jinmyo) in my fridge. There are just times when only one or the other (or the homemade) will do.

Additionally, I'm not very frightened of salmonella. I pay attention to basic kitchen sanitation. I am not crazy about disinfection, nor am I lackadaisical about cross-contamination. Also, I trust my lemons to kill salmonella. Hell, no one blinks an eye about letting their brioche ferment on the open counter, and that's got plenty of egg in it (but yeasts are acid producers).

Besides, in 30 years, I've had salmonella once. It broke me off, to be sure, but I believe the risk is quite low in the modern, clean kitchen (and yes, soap and water is sufficient in any arid place).

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OMG fresh baked bread, homemade mayo, garden tomazto, need to hear about curing the bacon...is it long and difficult?...pls say no

[Dave the Cook]

I don't agree that lemon juice can kill anything harmful like salmonella, and would never serve homemade mayonnaise to someone pregnant, young babies/toddlers or the elderly.

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The second part of your statement is sensible, but the first isn't. There's no controversy over the survivability of salmonella in an environment with a ph of <4.0, (lemon juice is typically pH 2.4 to 2.6; mayonnaise is ~ 4.0). It's at least as, if not more, likely that you would contract salmonellosis (or an e. Coli infection) from raw fruits and vegetables, anyway.