# Making Mayonnaise



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Not long ago I came across this blog entry: http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2008/05/yolk-lemon-juic.html

It's been years since I've made mayonnaise, and I don't use it very often. Can't recall when I last bought a jar - certainly more than a year ago.

Since I use it so infrequently, it might be worthwhile to make my own whenever I need it. So, does anyone have a good mayo recipe? Any tips to make the process easier, faster, better ... ?

shel


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Here's a blender mayo I make on occasion:

Chili Mayo

mjb.


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## lisbet (Dec 30, 2004)

Making mayonnaise with a food processor, blender, or stick blender is really a snap! I have put all of the ingredients together into a satinless steel cup container (came with my stick blender) and it made perfect mayonnaise!

I have even pureed olive salad and added it to the mayo ingredients. Was different and delicious!


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

What might actually be up your alley is making mayonnaise with a hand whisk. Much silkier texture, better mouth-feel too.

Of course you have to be careful about how you long you keep raw egg products, but you'll use your first-in-awhile mayonnaise pretty quickly. Make the most basic, mild evoo, egg, dash of mustard, dash of cayenne mayo and you can tweak it a few times over the week as aioli, chipotle, green-pepper/ horseradish/ mustard, mustard/ mayo for frites, remoulade, tartar sauce, and so on.

Just for a lark. 

BDL


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

My thought was to try whisking first in part because of the reasons you note (read about that elsewhere), and also because I've been whisking my vinaigrettes since our thread on creamier vinaigrettes, and found it to be easy. However, I'm sure there will be times that using a blender will be advantageous.

That's probaby correct, although I've no qualms about tossing unused product. Generally, I like my foods fresh :smiles:

Plan was to start with a basic recipe and build from there. In the past I used EVOO and another oil, egg yolk, lemon juice, and maybe a dash of mustard - real simple. Definitely want to try one with that wonderful
_Agridulce Pimenton de La Vera_. That ingredients can be added to the basic batch later for another use is good news. I am, however, having difficulty imagining how I'd use mayo twice in one week :lol:

Thanks!

shel


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Interesting and creative recipe. Thanks!

scb


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

You mean to say there was no slow drizzing of the oil involved in that technique?

scb


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

I've been doing blender mayo for a while, it has been years since I made a hand whisked batch. I'll have to try some this week, see if I still can do it.
It isn't that difficult, and blender or whisk, homemade is SO much better than store bought.

mjb.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

In the distant past, I often used a blend of oils for the mayo, an evoo and a neutral oil, one that contributed little or no flavor to the final product. I don't recall what that oil was. So, what oils might be nice to mix with a mild evoo and what might be good choices to use by itself? Thinking of safflower oil as one possibility. Canola? although that doesn't push my buttons very much - never been a big fan of canola oil. Any suggestions?

shel


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

I always make my own mayo and have for a long time. I live on a tight budget and cut corners at the grocery store any way I can, especially with grocery prices the way they are now.

I use a food processor to make mine; I poked a small hole in the cup that fits into the feed tube with an ice pick and pour my oil into the cup and just let it drizzle in though the hole coming back every so often to refill the cup with oil. It makes easy hands free mayo….I know I'm lazy.

I use this recipe, which I triple to get one quart of mayo.

MAYONNAISE

2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup oil
Salt to taste
Put the eggs, vinegar, lemon juice and dry mustard in the food processor and whip it for a second or two to mix it up good. With the processor running drizzle the oil into the eggs in a very thin stream until all the oil is in. Add a pinch of salt and taste it to see if it needs more. Some people like to spice their Mayo up a bit with cayenne.

Tip: Mayo keeps 4 weeks in the refrigerator as long as only CLEAN utensils are dipped in it. I put a "due" date on my jar just in case but I've never had it last that long.


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

I have used a mild olive oil before and it was REALLY good but I usually use plain old vegetable oil because it's the least expensive...but if price is not a factor I would definitely go with the mild olive oil.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks for the tips, Betty. I believe my food processor already has a small hole in cup ... I saved your recipe - two egg yolks seems almost decadant but I'm guessing it adds a lot to the final result, perhaps enhancing mouthfeel and flavor. The idea that the mayo may last longer than a few days is good to know. Most people say otherwise. I'll definitely look into that, although I recall reading something about using only clean utensils to extend the life of some refrigerated food products.

shel


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

I have chickens so I don't have to buy eggs and I'm usually looking for ways to use eggs up so anything that I can throw an extra egg or two in I do. 

My mom used to make mayo as well but she beat it by hand....I don't have the patience or the muscles that she had so I do it the easy way. 

She never even marked a date on the jar we just ate it until it was gone and no one ever got sick from it.


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## lisbet (Dec 30, 2004)

Thats correct, Shel.....I have a Cuisinarts stick blender. The stainless steel container that came with it resembles the beakers used in making milk shakes. Run the blender at high speed with the blade attachment, and use an up-and-down movement while mixing.

My recipe calls for 2 cups of oil, so I just start with 1 cup and add the second cup when the mix has begun to thicken. It will then thicken further to the consistancy that you require.

Also found out that if you are short on fresh egg yolks....hard boiled egg yolks work just as well!

Don't worry, your ingredients won't be wasted if it doesn't work for you. You can always treat it like a "broken mayonnaise" with the traditional method.

That's how I find things out....experiment a little, try this an' that.


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks, Lisbet ...

scb


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## lisbet (Dec 30, 2004)

You're more than welcome, Shel !! (Tol'ja it'd work )


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Finally got around to whisking up a batch of hand made, instead of blender made, mayo. I'd forgotten just how rich, smooth and silky mayo could be. Used up a fair bit of it to top some oven roasted green and white asparagas spears with garlic and sesame seeds.

Good stuff.

mjb.


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## lisbet (Dec 30, 2004)

Just found a couple of websites that may be of interest !

Recipe: Immersion blender mayonnaise - Los Angeles Times

homemade mayonnaise - Web - WebCrawler


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I love the smell of mayonnaise in the morning ... oh, wait a minute, wrong movie.

This morning I made my first batch of home made mayo in a couple of decades. I decided to keep it simple, using the best ingredients I could find and to whisk the emulsion by hand. I used an early press Bariani extra virgin olive oil because that's what I had on hand, and because this last harvest and pressing resulted in an intense and peppery oil. I mixed it with some safflower oil, about 1/3 olive and the rest safflower. For eggs I used some great, very fresh, eggs from pastured chickens, and taking a clue from Betty, used two yolks. I also added just a little lemon juice, maybe about a tablespoon. What I wanted to do was let the flavor of the egg yolks and olive oil shine through, and considering how flavorful the eggs and the olive oil were, I was hoping that would give enough flavor.

Using my new whisk, I set to work, first whisking the yolks until they were smooth and creamy looking, and then adding a scosh of lemon juice, whisk-whisk-whisk, more lemon juice, whisk-whisk-whisk and then slowly, almost drop by drop, added the oil mixture. After a while I added the balance of the lemon juice, whisking all the while, and then continued adding the oil. As the process progressed the oil was added in a slightly greater stream ... after some time (don't know how long) the mayonnaise reaced the consistancy I wanted, and it was time to taste it. All I can say is "Mmmm ..." The mayo had a nice eggy flavor, and the olive oil came through loud and clear. I probably could have gone with a little less OO, but the mixture wasn't overwhelming by any means. The Bariani is intense!

Overall, it was a great experience - really fun to use such good ingredients and make the emulsion by hand.


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/he...ml?ref=science

mjb.


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