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Sure, you can buy your mayonnaise in a big jar, but homemade mayo is a real treat. It’s so fresh and, while mayonnaise is mostly oil, it can be considered slightly healthier when made fresh, due to the fact that you get to use fresh ingredients. It will not contain preservatives which is always nice, though that means you will have to use it up in a few days. You can also choose your oil, which may seem like a small thing, but different oils have different properties and some people prefer certain oils. The taste of this mayonnaise is surprisingly close to that of major brands. If you didn’t know it was a batch of homemade mayo, and you tasted it, you would probably think that it is just Hellmann’s or Kraft. Still, I don’t know if it is just psychological but it seems to me to have just an extra little… something. It may just be because I make it myself and I know it is fresh, or maybe it is that little bit of love that all homemade foods possess. Whatever it is, I love to make it because when i do, I enjoy it more.

Making mayonnaise is extremely similar to making hollandaise sauce. Both sauces have a bad reputation of being difficult to make, and/or scary to make at home from scratch. I think that both sauces are incredibly easy to make and most of the fear, besides fear of difficulty, is that most people think that you have to use raw egg yolk. Raw egg yolks can be use to make either sauce, but in both cases, I cook the egg yolks. Therefor, have no fear, this recipe is safe and easy!

The recipe will yield about a cup and a half of mayonnaise, and it will last about a week in the refrigerator. So make this full batch if you intend on making a recipe, such as egg or potato salad in the next couple of days. Make half a batch if all you want is a little mayo to spread on sandwiches.

-Ingredients-

2 Egg Yolks

From large eggs.

1 cup of oil

You can use just about any kind of oil that you want to. It is best to use an oil with no flavour, but some people like to use extra virgin olive oil because of the health factor. Keep in mind if you do use EVOO there will be a pronounced olive flavour. Some people also use half EVOO and half of some other kind of oil that is flavourless. This way at least half of the fat content of the mayo is healthy EVOO and the flavour is only half as pronounced. Canola oil is a popular choice, but I hate canola oil. I usually use peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil.

Be ready to use up to a quarter cup more than the cup of oil I called for in the recipe. 1 cup is often enough but if, when you are making the mayonnaise it does not seem as thick as mayo should be, it means that it needs just a little more oil. As unintuitive as it may seem, the more oil you add, the thicker the mayonnaise will become, until, of course you go overboard and add far too much and the mayo breaks, but try not to let this possibility scare you. You won’t get to that point with this recipe.

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Some people use rice wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. This is perfectly acceptable. I happen to like the tang of the lemon juice more, so that is what I usually use. If you use lemon juice, you absolutely must use freshly squeezed lemon juice and not bottled lemon juice. Something about the bottled juice will make the mayonnaise taste bitter. I am not sure exactly what it is, but take my word for it. Fresh is best.

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

I know that this might seem like a strange ingredient to add to mayonnaise but store bought mayonnaise does actually contain a little mustard. Even if you do not like mustard you must add it. It is a vital ingredient. You will never get that zippy mayonnaisey flavour without it. You can use any kind of dijon you like. I am fond of the French’s dijon, so that is what I usually use.

By the way if you don’t like mustard, you are crazy.

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Measure it. This is the perfect amount.

-Method-

Separate the egg yolk from the white. Reserve the whites for another use. Put the egg yolks into a stainless steel bowl or small pot.

Juice a lemon and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the egg yolks.

Now you are going to cook the egg yolks. This technique is exactly like the one I use to make hollandaise sauce. Turn your stove on to medium low and hold the bowl or small pot over the burner. Do not set it onto the burner. You want indirect heat. Be sure to use a cloth or oven mitt if you are holding a stainless steel bowl over a burner. Alternatively you can use a double boiler for this process, but I find this way faster and less fussy.

Constantly whisk the egg yolk as it heats up slowly. Move the bowl off of the heat for a second from time to time to relieve some heat. You must cook the yolks very gently to prevent them from scrambling. It should only take a couple of minutes to cook the yolk sufficiently.

You will know the yolk is cooked thoroughly when it turns a lighter color and becomes very thick, to the point that it coats the bottom of the bowl and you will see a very small amount of steam rise from the bowl. The moment you start to see a few tiny wisps of steam take the bowl off of the heat. Continue to whisk constantly for a minute or two because the bowl will still be hot and whisking will prevent the eggs from overcooking.

Add to the cooked egg yolk, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mix well.

Now it is time to emulsify the oil into the egg yolk. This process is very simple. It only requires a little patience. Pour a very tiny amount of oil, less than a teaspoon, into the bowl and whisk quickly and thoroughly.

Make sure that it is completely combined with the other ingredients before continuing.

Add the same amount again. Do not get impatient and add more at a time. Patience is the key here. Add too much oil at a time and the mayonnaise will break.

Again whisk well until the oil is completely mixed.

Continue in this fashion until you have used up at least a quarter of the oil. Once you have emulsified that much oil you can slowly get braver and add a little more at a time. Eventually you can add a couple teaspoons at a time, but no more than that for the whole process.  Once all the oil is used you should have a creamy white mixture that is as thick as, well, mayonnaise.

If you do not think the mayonnaise is thick enough after you have used a full cup of oil you can add more, up to another quarter of a cup more, but stop at any point that you feel you have a good consistency. There is no need to adjust any seasonings if adding another quarter cup of oil or less. It does not greatly affect the balance of the ingredients. Remember, the more oil you add the thicker the mayonnaise will become. Some people like their mayonnaise a bit thinner and some thicker, I aim for about the consistency that store bought mayonnaise possesses.

Now the mayonnaise is done! Put it in a bowl or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Really it is often good for a bit longer, but a week is well within the safe zone.

Now how about some egg salad (recipe to come)? One of my favourite applications of mayonnaise! Om nom nom!

-Printable Version-