Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe and Video | Ten Acre Baker (2024)

FAQs

What causes homemade mayo to not thicken? ›

However, even if you follow the measurements of the recipe to a tee, if you accidentally add the oil too quickly while whisking the emulsion won't form properly and you'll end up with an oily clear liquid instead of a thick white cream. To fix this, add in another raw egg yolk and start whisking the mixture together.

If you add too much oil before it has had a chance to emulsify, the mix will split, with pools of oil forming on top. If this happens, try gently whisking in two teaspoons of boiling water, which can kickstart the emulsification.

Use a neutral, refined oil for mayonnaise, such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, “light” olive oil, or blended oil (a mix of olive and vegetable oils). Do not use unrefined, extra-virgin olive oil, which has a strong flavor and may cause mayonnaise to separate, alone.

So, if you have added too much oil, the remedy is simple: place a small amount of your broken mayonnaise in a clean bowl and add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. As the mixture improves, gradually add the rest of the broken mayonnaise and alternate with a few drops of liquid, until your mayonnaise looks better.

When blended too long, the emulsion that brought the spread together is more likely to break, either from overprocessing or overheating. Follow this tip: To keep the emulsion from breaking and the mayo from separating, process just until the ingredients are combined and emulsified.

A foodservice exclusive! Hellmann's Extra Heavy Mayonnaise is made by adding extra egg yolks to our trade-secret Real Mayonnaise recipe. This thicker, more eggy mayonnaise inspires passion and loyalty among professional chefs. Thicker, extra-curdy viscosity holds through demanding binding and browning.

Add acid. Tart, bracing acid, be it vinegar or lemon juice, is the thing that keeps mayo from being disgusting.

The Best Mayonnaise According to Chefs

As expected, there was some division among the chefs I spoke to, but most of them called out one brand as the top dog: Duke's Mayonnaise.

Mayonnaise usually contains the following ingredients: oil, emulsifier (egg yolk prescribed in some countries), vinegar (as pH regulator and as flavor), spices, flavors (sugar, salt, mustard…) and stabilizers (thickeners for mayonnaise with <70% oil only).

Why does mayonnaise need vinegar? ›

After you've whisked the yolks, add a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice. The acid helps stabilize the emulsion by allowing the egg yolks to absorb more fat, making it much easier to make mayonnaise.

Unopened containers of store-bought mayo will keep in the pantry until the sell-by date, and opened mayonnaise will keep for about 2 months in the refrigerator. If mayonnaise has visible mold, an off-smell, or an unnatural hue, toss it immediately.

Whisking a portion of a broken or failed mayonnaise mixture with a little water until it's emulsified and then transferring it to the food processor with the remaining broken mixture will make things right.

If your mayonnaise is watery, that means it has not emulsified properly.

Once your delicious homemade mayo is ready, make sure to put it in the fridge where it will thicken up a bit further and stay preserved. Homemade mayo doesn't have the added preservatives that the store-bought version has, so it is important to keep it in the fridge as much as possible.

Important: If mayonnaise doesn't thicken: 1- Start the process by using a small amount of the thin or broken mayonnaise and emulsify with the remaining oil. 2- Add alternately the remaining mixture that has not thicken and oil. 3- Use more oil than the recipe calls for if necessary.

Why is my Mayonnaise watery (Hellmanns Separation) Sometimes when jars or bottles have not been used for a while there may be some liquid that appears on the surface of the product. If this does happen, please shake your bottle well, or stir your mayonnaise well before using.