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bellamart

LOOKING for: Anyone have a foolproof recipe for mayonnaise?

bellamart
15 years ago

Is there anyone out there that can help me before I have a total meltdown???!!! My first attempt at making mayonnaise was over the summer. First time it curdled. Next, I checked umpteen websites and found out everything had to be room temp. and a steady stream of oil for it to work. Ok great - I gave it another shot and viola!! Homemade mayonnaise and it tasted great (if I do say so myself!).

So now, a few months later, I decide to make mayonnaise again. Did everything the same as the last time and yet, it curdled. Damn!! Ok, saved that one for my hair seeing as it is pretty dry and in need of a treatment. No big deal, I suppose. My next attempt, it curdled AGAIN!!! I checked numerous websites again and tried to fix it as they make it sound soooo easy to be able to salvage it, but it still didn't work.

Somebody please have mercy on me and tell me what am I doing wrong?? I hate wasting eggs and oil!!!!

Comments (9)

  • shambo
    15 years ago

    How are you mixing in the oil? I make homemade mayonnaise in my blender. I let the egg & flavorings run for at least 30 seconds before adding the oil through the little hole in the top. I dribble the oil in slowly, in a thin & steady stream, a little at a time. So far, I've never had any trouble with it curdling. I've also used my food processor but prefer the blender.

    To avoid problems with salmonella associated with raw eggs, I use Eggbeaters or pasteurized eggs. I've also successfully used powdered egg whites and will eventually experiment with dried whole eggs too. The Eggbeaters recipe I've used is found on the online site listed below.

    Here's a typical blender mayonnaise recipe:

    Easy Blender Mayonnaise RecipeZaar #185064

    Ingredients should be at room temperature.

    10 min : 10 min prep

    Makes 1 1/2 cups

    1 egg, raw
    1 teaspoon mustard powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons white sugar or 1 teaspoon white sugar
    1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 dash cayenne pepper
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
    1 cup vegetable oil, divided
    1 lemon, juice of (juice only) or 3 tablespoons white vinegar

    1. crack egg (discard shell), mustard powder, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper, and olive oil (or other oil) in a blender and blend on high until well combined.
    2. remove cover or through the additions opening slowly add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil.
    3. then add the juice of one lemon (or the vinegar).
    4. once the mixture is well combined, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
    5. the mixture should be well mixed and thick. It will be thinner then you find it at the store but it will thicken further when it is cooled in the fridge.
    6. Store in the refrigerator in a clean jar.
    7. Keeps for about one week.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Eggbeaters Mayo Recipe

  • bellamart
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi,
    Thanks for quick response. I made mine in my blender. Recipe as follows:

    1 egg
    ½ teaspoon dry mustard
    ½ teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
    1½ cups olive or other oil

    Put the egg, seasonings and ¼ cup oil in the blender and whirl until well mixed (20 to 30 seconds).
    Pour in the rest of the oil in a steady stream. Stop as soon as the emulsion is smoothly blended.

    As good as the Eggbeaters sound - I don't think it would work for me, because I'm trying to use hormone-free dairy and meats. I use Eggland's Best Eggs and that is the reason for trying to make homemade mayonnaise. I just can't for the life of me figure out what I am doing wrong. The only thing that sounds different in your recipe is that you add the lemon juice after its combined. Do you think that might have something to do with it? Do you use the whole egg or just the yolk? It seemed like it was starting to emulsify in the beginning, then as I slowly started adding the rest of the oil is when it broke down. I just don't understand??

  • shambo
    15 years ago

    Actually, when I'm using pasteurized eggs, I use a blender mayo recipe that's almost exactly like yours. I've never added the lemon juice last. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the oil isn't dribbling in slowly enough. That might overwhelm the egg mixture's ability to emulsify the oil. Also, if I notice that the oil isn't emulsifying properly, I'll turn off the blender & use a spatula to mix things up better. Then I'll turn the blender back on and continue pouring in the oil.

    When I use eggs, I use a whole egg. It's funny how everyone has different things they're trying to achieve with their cooking. I've got to be careful about sodium content because of my husband's congestive heart failure. That's why I wanted homemade mayo. His health is compromised so I've also got to be careful about salmonella too. So that's why I've experimented with Eggbeaters, dried egg whites, & dried eggs.

  • ginger_st_thomas
    15 years ago

    I've never had this one fail. I use a food processor & only the yolks.
    MAYONNAISE (1 1/2 cups)
    2 egg yolks
    Salt to taste
    2 tsp Dijon mustard
    1 1/4 cups vegetable or olive oil
    2 tsp or more vinegar or lemon juice
    Pepper to taste

    Place the yolks in the container of a processor. Add the salt & mustard & pulse the processor for just a second.
    With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream. Add the remaining ingredients, processing just enough to blend.~~Craig Claiborne

  • bellamart
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks again, I appreciate your responses.
    I can't tell you how frustrating it is. It's so easy to make yet I can't understand why I'm having problems now. Has anyone else ever messed it up or am I the only dummy? I know practice makes perfect, but I can't afford to keep running to the store to buy more eggs and oil with every attempt, especially since the ones I use are more expensive to begin with.

    Yes, I guess it's possible I didn't let it dribble enough. I did at first, maybe that's why it started to emulsify. I was under the impression that once it starts to emulsify, you can add the oil a little bit faster. But I wouldn't say I poured it in after that, just let it come out in a thin stream. I don't know... maybe it wasn't thin enough??

    I also thought you had to keep your appliance running the whole time because if you stopped pouring, then started pouring again, you would end up with oil and sediment?

    One more question, I read on another site you cannot use EVOO because it's too strong, only regular OO. I did use half EVOO and half Canola for the first batch and did 1 cup Canola and 1/2 cup EVOO for the second batch and neither one came out. I know when I made it over the summer I did half and half , but I don't remember if it was EVOO or not. Do you think that had something to do with it?

  • shambo
    15 years ago

    I think the caution against extra virgin olive oil has more to do with taste than anything else. EVOO has a much stronger flavor and can be overpowering to some. I know that sometimes EVOO congeals when refrigerated, so maybe that is a factor too.

    Ginger's recipe looks like a classic food processor recipe too. You can stop the processor or blender for a few seconds to add more ingredients or incorporate oil that is not combining well.

    Is your problem that the oil is separating & not incorporating near the end? Your recipe seems to have about 1/4 cup more oil than most other recipes I've seen. Perhaps your lone egg cannot emulsify so much oil. Once you've achieved a good emulsion, you could just stop adding oil. Maybe try it with 1 to 1-1/4 cups rather than the 1-1/2 cups of oil.

  • bellamart
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    It seems to start out fine in the beginning. The emulsion appears to be right. Even as I start pouring in the oil, it's okay, then it suddenly goes haywire.
    You're right, shambo. I didn't even notice that Ginger's recipe has a little less oil than mine. Perhaps that is the problem after all. Although, I did make some mayo a few months ago and it turned out great. Nice and creamy... I just can't figure out why it would come out fine once and the next - a big waste?
    I guess I will try it again with 1/4 cup less oil and see if that helps. If anything, it will be a little less fat and calories which is always a good thing, right? lol
    One more question, when you put your egg and seasonings in, is it better to blend that first, then slowly add the oil or blend the egg with a little bit of oil first?

  • shambo
    15 years ago

    Sometimes it's just hit & miss. I know that every once in a while even the most trustworthy recipe doesn't seem to come out right.

    A lot of mayo recipes call for combining about 1/4 cup of the oil with the egg(s) and seasonings. Other recipes have all the oil added at one time. I think the main thing is to make sure the egg(s) have been blended thoroughly, at least 30 seconds in either a blender or food processor before attempting to add the majority of the oil. If you combine a bit of oil & the egg(s) mixture, be sure to let the machine run long enough so everything is well blended before adding the remaining oil.

    Hope it works for you.

  • bellamart
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Great! I guess I'll give it another "whirl"!! (As soon as I get to the store!) Thanks so much for all your help, shambo!!
    Many blessings to you and your hubby, too!
    Bella

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