The Basics of Mayonnaise

Reading that mayonnaise is simple to prepare at home can seem like a lie to inexperienced cooks. But after you do it correctly the first time, possibly even on your first try, you’ll realize it’s not as easy as it seems. After that, you’ll have a sauce to work with that is a thousand times superior to what the grocery store has to offer.

Mayonnaise is made with raw eggs but you can also use pasteurized eggs. 

What makes a good Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a type of emulsion in which oil is mixed vigorously with water, eggs, vinegar, or lemon juice to create a thick, light-yellow cream. The flavors are balanced by a few simple ingredients. Really, that’s all there is to it.

.When you add the oil too quickly or, less frequently, when you add too much oil, homemade mayos go bad. You might put the oil in a squeeze bottle or a liquid measuring cup with a spout to assist you add it in a slow, steady stream. Alternatively, add a few drops at a time using a teaspoon. If you’re using a food processor, be aware that many of them have a little hole in the feed tube that was designed just for this use; you put the oil in the tube, and it drips out. 

Due to its neutral flavor, grapeseed oil is my preferred choice for most uses, especially if I want to add additional flavorings. If you want a taste that is distinctly Mediterranean, which is frequently the case, especially with the Aioli variant, use olive oil. However, keep in mind that mayo produced with only olive oil tends to break more quickly; opt for a mixture of grapeseed and olive oil. A mayonnaise produced from grapeseed, corn, or for a more prominent flavor,peanut oil, complements Asian foods better. I use sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar for vinegar, although lime or even lemon juice would give your dish a more vibrant flavor. Based on how you intend to use the mayo, all of these choices should be made.

How to fix mayonnaise problems

Although this is a fairly tiny thing, if you’re being cautious, check to make sure your eggs and oil are roughly the same temperature because temperature variations can lead to some instability. And despite what you may have heard, it doesn’t matter which way you whisk.

If your mayonnaise doesn’t emulsify on the first try, put a fresh egg yolk and more mustard in the bowl or machine after you’ve transferred the egg-oil mixture to a measuring cup with a spout. Restart, adding a few drops of the broken mayonnaise at a time like you would oil. After adding all of that mixture, you can start blending in any remaining plain oil.