~ How to: Make Homemade Mayonnaise ("Mayo") ~
A couple of days ago I showed you how to to make my recipe for ~ My Favorite Tartar Sauce (for Crab Cakes & Fish) ~, which can be found in Categories 8 & 20. In that post I mentioned that if you had the time or expertise to make mayonnaise from scratch, you could take that recipe to a truly decadent level by doing so. The truth be told, when I'm making that recipe, I don't always have the time to make and pre-chill homemade mayonnaise (and it should always be chilled for at least one hour before serving it), so, let me tell you when I do make the time to make it: when I make my #1 all-time favorite sandwich, the classic turkey club!
This triple-decker sandwich on homemade toasted brioche bread, slathered with made-from-scratch mayonnaise and layered with crispy bacon, my roasted rosemary turkey breast, sliced tomatoes, shaved onion and baby greens, is a sandwich to die for!
So, now that your mouth is watering: today I'm going to show you just how super quick and easy it is to make mayonnaise from scratch that is amazingly better than any you can buy at the store!
A bit about mayonnaise: It is a thick, rich and creamy dressing made from the emulsion of egg yolks, lemon juice (or vinegar) and vegetable oil. If egg yolks are not used, the product is called and marketed as salad dressing. In Europe, the recipe is essentially the same as the one I am about to share with you, but they use olive oil in place of vegetable oil. A bit of Dijon mustard is commonly added, which helps to stabilize the emulsion, along with a pinch of salt, pepper and occasionally sugar. Herbs and/or spices can be added at any point during the process, or you can use an oil or a vinegar that has been infused with herbs and/or spices. It is important to use an exact ratio of lemon juice (or vinegar) to oil, so, DO NOT GUESS and: get out your measuring cup and spoons before attempting this process. For best results, I, personally, also recommend having all of your ingredients and utensils at room temperature.
Making homemade mayonnaise is a basic and simple chemical process, but, if you don't play by the rules, you will not have success. For instance: if you throw all of the ingredients into a bowl, blender or food processor at the same time, you'll get an odd-textured, offensive mess. Another for instance: if your ratio of acid to oil is not precise, or you add your oil too quickly, you'll get what is called "breaking", meaning: no matter how much you whisk or mix, the oil and acid will remain separate. If your end result does not have the texture and creaminess of what you buy at the store (meaning if it is drizzly, drippy, or thin), you pretty much need to start over. If it is "broken", there is a trick I know to bring it back to its creamy consistency:
To revive a broken mayonnaise, even if you have made it in a food processor or blender, the best thing to do is: in a clean bowl, whisk together another egg yolk and a teaspoon of slightly warm water. Whisking constantly, whisk in the broken mayonnaise, followed by just enough of oil, 3-4 tablespoons, until is returns to its creamy, emulsified state.
No matter how you prepare mayonnaise, using a classic bowl and wire whisk, or, a modern food processsor or blender, the key is to add the oil, in a thin, steady stream, as slowly as you can manage, while whisking constantly. If you are planning to do this using the bowl and whisk method, plan to whisk like a bat out of hell and have a sore arm the next day. I will not be showing you this method of making mayonnaise!!!
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, meaning: ever so slightly less than 1 cup of oil, never slightly more
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature (the size of the eggs do matter) (discard the whites or use in another recipe)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (bottled concentrate is a compromise)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper, any kind you like (optional)
~ Step 1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the oil, in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
You can do this in a blender, which I used to do, but when I switched to the food processor, this recipe became foolproof!
~ Step 2. Place the top on the processor. Turn the motor on and let it run for 10-15 seconds.
The mixture will be very smooth and slightly frothy.
~ Step 3. With the motor running, in the slowest, steadiest stream you can manage, add the oil.
When all of the oil has been added turn the motor off.
~ Step 4. You now have made-from-scratch mayonnaise! How easy was that!
Using a large rubber spatula, transfer to a food storage container, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and for up to 1 week.
How to: Make Homemade Mayonnaise ("Mayo"): Recipe yields a little less than 1 1/2 cups.
Special Equipment List: food processor; 1-cup measuring container; measuring spoons; rubber spatula; 2-cup size food storage container w/lid
Cook's Note: Homemade mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you have an issue using regular egg yolks, feel free to substitute yolks from pasturized eggs.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2011)
it is a delicious looking homemade mayonnaise
Posted by: Sasha | 03/04/2021 at 04:23 AM