Homemade Mayonnaise: Technique, Troubleshooting, Storage

[G-rat]

So the other day I poached some artichokes in olive oil. I saved the oil, which was awesomely redolent of artichokes and have been using it to make vinaigrettes that taste wonderful. Today I thought I might make some mayo with it. Started with one egg yolk, lemon, white pepper and salt. Whisked them together and beat the egg yolk, not too hard but got all of the lemon white pepper and salt mixed well into the yolk. Then I started adding the olive oil. It had been in the fridge and was cold but I added small drops at time and beat forever, then another drop, then another drop, doing it really slow because the oil was cold. It never emulsified. It looked like vinaigrette. I kept adding oil and kept beating...nothing. I added another yolk because at this point the proportions were off. (probably my biggest mistake).

I then put it in the food processor. Same thing.

Then I put it in the blender on high for 5 minutes...nothing...still looked like vinaigrette.

After I turned the blender off it looked like it had curdled so I put one more yolk in a bowl and starting adding the curdled misture in a small stream...vinagrette. What is wrong? Thoughts?

[mtigges]

I never make mayo without some dijon (or at least mustard powder) ... shouldn't be necessary, but the extra lecithin is not going to hurt. And it tastes good.

[Dave the Cook]

G-rat, was it extra-virgin olive oil? It's notoriously unstable in emulsions; heating it for a long might not have helped. To check, heat some new oil without poaching anything, then try to make a mayo with it. If it works, then the artichokes become the prime suspects.

ETA: no, mustard shouldn't be necessary (though I agree a little is tasty). McGee famously demonstrated that a single egg yolk can emulsify gallons of oil.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Dave the Cook (log)

[paulraphael]

you probably just didn't have enough water in the mix. The quantity of lemon you added didn't provide enough. You had a bunch of oil, and a thousand times the emulsifying power you needed. Just not enough water. That oil needs to be emulsified into something. A couple of tablespoons of water based liquid, including the lemon juice, would likely be enough.

Edited May 31, 2010 by paulraphael (log)

[Dave the Cook]

If that was correct, G-rat would have gotten an emulsion at some point before breaking. (S)he said that never happened. But it would help if we could take a look at the recipe.

[ChickenStu]

Let the oil come to room temperature next time, cold emulsions aren't as stable as warm/ room temp.

Temperatures for poaching in oil arent likely high enough to damage the fat to the point that it wouldnt emulsify.

[Lisa Shock]

It always works better if everything is at the same temperature. Also, you may not have beaten the yolk & lemon together long enough. You really need to get the water dispersed very well before adding any oil.

[jsmeeker]

I've never tried to make a mayo with a cold oil that has been previously heated. Always just with room temp canola or veg. oil fresh out of the bottle. As was pointed out, remember that you are forcing oil and water to mix. Not oil and egg yolk. the egg is just there to help things along. (and to bring some flavor and richness and color to the party)

[Indirect Heat]

If it didn't emulsify, and you kept adding drops of oil, that's where you failed. Each drop needs to emulsify before you add more. Even with a food processor, you won't get it to emulsify if there's too much oil in there. The moment it looks like a vinaigrette, and you continue adding oil, that's where you fail.

As to the reason for failure? Probably that the oil was cold. Bring everything to room temperature, should work fine.

[ray goud]

you probably just didn't have enough water in the mix. The quantity of lemon you added didn't provide enough. You had a bunch of oil, and a thousand times the emulsifying power you needed. Just not enough water. That oil needs to be emulsified into something. A couple of tablespoons of water based liquid, including the lemon juice, would likely be enough.

This is THE perfect reason for the failure! Nothing else makes as much sense as this. McGee, previously cited, also explains this, as does Alton Brown.

Ray

[G-rat]

Guys -

Thanks for all the helpful comments...if you were here right now you would see me blushing....what an idiot I was in a rush and trying to make some mayo in a flash and having made it from a recipe numerous times thought I remembered everything. Well not enough lemon and forgetting a touch of vinegar equals...not enough water to actually emulsify the oil into. Thanks all...

[judiu]

Guys -

Thanks for all the helpful comments...if you were here right now you would see me blushing....what an idiot I was in a rush and trying to make some mayo in a flash and having made it from a recipe numerous times thought I remembered everything. Well not enough lemon and forgetting a touch of vinegar equals...not enough water to actually emulsify the oil into. Thanks all...

G-Rat, if that's the worst of your cooking problems, consider yourself Blessed!

[Pam Brunning]

It is easy to forget basics - everything at room temperature. Mustard is a good idea as well not only for flavour but the starch will help to stop it breaking as with a little starch in a creme anglaise.

Edited June 3, 2010 by Pam Brunning (log)

[mrsadm]

"Mayonnaise cannot be made if a thunderstorm threatens"

I never heard that one before!

Blender Mayo

[Edward J]

Maybe.....

Before and during thunderstorms there is a lot of ozone in the air, and this does wreak havoc with quite a few things.

[lesliec]

World's Easiest Aioli

In the tall plastic cylinder that (probably) came with your stick blender, place one peeled clove of garlic, one egg, a pinch or two of salt and a good slosh (I didn't measure it - maybe 50-100ml?) of olive (or other, according to taste) oil. Insert the blender with the blade (not the whisk) fitted. Turn on to high speed. Wait maybe five seconds. Serve!

It really is about that fast and makes a wonderfully smooth, stable emulsion. I use my eggs straight from the fridge. The first time I tried this I got a little carried away with my garlic quantity, but adding another egg and blending again a few days later calmed the flavour down. I see no reason why the technique wouldn't work for mayonnaise, with the omission of the garlic and the addition of one or two other ingredients like mustard. Reports are welcomed.

I can't comment on the influence of thunderstorms ... we don't get enough of them, dammit.

[David Ross]

I'm so glad we're back discussing mayonnaise! This is the perfect time to have your best homemade mayonnaise recipe at the ready. It's perfect for slathering, (literally), on hot dog and hamburger buns, turning into lobster salad and into a lobster club sandwich. It's delicious in all manner of Summer salads-tuna, chicken, egg, potato and mixed into your favorite deviled egg recipe.

I'm quite fond of my mayonnaise recipe, but I'm also particular about the oil. Some may not agree with me, but for my tastes I only use extra-virgin Greek olive oil when I make mayonnaise. I prefer what I find is the spicy, herbal and peppery taste of Greek olive oil. Some say it's a bit overpowering, almost metallic tasting for mayonnaise, but I like the bold taste of Greek olive oil--and it gives the mayonnaise a rich, deep yellow color.

I use a Cusinart food processor and it makes perfect mayonnaise every time. Here is my basic recipe:

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Fresh ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups Greek olive oil

Pulse the eggs, salt, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne and black pepper until combined. Then slowly start to add the olive oil in a steady stream until the mayonnaise starts to emulsify and thicken. You may not need to use the full 1 1/2 cups of olive oil. Refrigerate the mayonnaise until ready to use.

As you can see, homemade mayonnaise is not your "Best Foods" white, creamy, smooth out of the Supermarket deluxe. It is thick. It is yellow. It is delicious.

[nickrey]

If money is no object, you could do what Heston Blumenthal reported in his Big Fat Duck cookbook.

On visiting Peter Barham and discussing mayonnaise, Peter pulled out ultrasound gun and applied it to oil and egg in a beaker. The vibrations broke up the oil perfectly into little droplets creating mayonnaise in a flash.

[nakji]

On visiting Peter Barham and discussing mayonnaise, Peter pulled out ultrasound gun and applied it to oil and egg in a beaker. The vibrations broke up the oil perfectly into little droplets creating mayonnaise in a flash.

Cool.

I'm so glad we're back discussing mayonnaise! This is the perfect time to have your best homemade mayonnaise recipe at the ready. It's perfect for slathering, (literally), on hot dog and hamburger buns, turning into lobster salad and into a lobster club sandwich. It's delicious in all manner of Summer salads-tuna, chicken, egg, potato and mixed into your favorite deviled egg recipe.

David, what do you use yours for?

[Pam Brunning]

Just put the eggs out to warm up to make a batch of our favourite mayonnaise for salads etc. Six eggs 2 litres sunflower oil wine vinegar salt and fresh ground pepper. I make it in a Robot Coupe it lasts us abour two weeks this time of year. We find olive oil much too strong for general use it overpowers a lot of flavours.

[adey73]

Has anyone ever successfully recreated Kewpie?

(it gets more expense by the day in the UK)

[David Ross]

I originally created my recipe for mayonnaise to work it into my potato salad recipe. You can see my rendition of potato salad here, but I also use it as a spread for sandwiches, in deviled eggs and a spread on hamburger buns.

[bmwrtmike]

I am interested to know if someone has made mayo using just lecithin and no eggs to make the emulsion. I know some people that don't do eggs, and want to try this. Any ideas on where to start? and would I need something else, maybe mustard? Also would I use the lecithin granules or the liquid? this would also make it safer no?

Thanks,

Mike

Edited June 29, 2010 by bmwrtmike (log)

[nakji]

Has anyone ever successfully recreated Kewpie?

(it gets more expense by the day in the UK)

Rice vinegar and msg? Aren't those the secret ingredients?

[adey73]

Is Soya oil used instead of EVOO?