Mayo making failure

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chueh

Senior Cook
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
145
I was using the recipe with a whole egg, 3/4 c oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, and 1 teaspoon vinegar.

I followed the instruction and added the oil very slowly little by little at the beginning. I don't have a food processor, so I used an electric hand whisk. I watched plenty of videos and read instructions, and they all were done under 10 minutes, most of them under 4 minutes to be specific. Mine was not thicken at all...... WHat went wrong??
 
I've done this with a hand whisk. To insure it works, put a pint canning jar in the freezer first. A pint canning jar is about the exact right size for your recipe and to fit a hand whisk. Put your oil in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. When most everything is cold, add your egg and seasonings to the pint jar, whisk it for a moment, then start adding the oil with the whisk running. It will emulsify as you add the oil, continue to add until you've incorporated the entire 3/4ths cup of oil. Done.
 
I've done this with a hand whisk. To insure it works, put a pint canning jar in the freezer first. A pint canning jar is about the exact right size for your recipe and to fit a hand whisk. Put your oil in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. When most everything is cold, add your egg and seasonings to the pint jar, whisk it for a moment, then start adding the oil with the whisk running. It will emulsify as you add the oil, continue to add until you've incorporated the entire 3/4ths cup of oil. Done.

I also think that temperature might be the culprit. A cold egg and warm oil, perhaps?

CD
 
I make mayonnaise every couple of weeks. I don't really find temperature at all to be a factor. In fact it's very easy to make once you get the hang of it, but there is a definite learning curve.

Without a doubt, the most important thing I've found is that when you first begin adding the oil, it seems to work best if you add just a few drops at a time, whisk it, add a few drops more, whisk it, and repeat this pattern until it starts to thicken. Once that happens, you can go a little faster with the oil. It's just very important to get the base built first.

One other tip. I used to have trouble pouring the oil in a steady stream while whisking (I use a whisk attachment on my immersion blender), as it takes a lot of coordination. I found that putting the oil in a squeeze bottle makes the job easier.
 
I make mayonnaise every couple of weeks. I don't really find temperature at all to be a factor. In fact it's very easy to make once you get the hang of it, but there is a definite learning curve.

Without a doubt, the most important thing I've found is that when you first begin adding the oil, it seems to work best if you add just a few drops at a time, whisk it, add a few drops more, whisk it, and repeat this pattern until it starts to thicken. Once that happens, you can go a little faster with the oil. It's just very important to get the base built first.

One other tip. I used to have trouble pouring the oil in a steady stream while whisking (I use a whisk attachment on my immersion blender), as it takes a lot of coordination. I found that putting the oil in a squeeze bottle makes the job easier.

That squeeze bottle idea is a great one. It makes total sense to have to force oil out of a container rather than try to hold gravity back. You would certainly have much more control. Thanks!

CD
 
All the ingredients I used were all at room temperature. I guess I did not add oil slowly enough at the beginning; I kind of drizzled it by making a small stream. However, I saw a video in which the cook dumped everything all at once, yes, including the entire amount of oil. The mayo started thickening as soon as the immerser touched the ingredients, despite the fact that almost all the recipes call for oil to be added slowly with small amount!
 
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...However, I saw a video in which the cook dumped everything all at once, yes, including the entire amount of oil. The mayo started thickening as soon as the immerser touched the ingredients...
Yeah...I've tried that method. In my experience, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Whereas the method I use now always works. At least it does for me. Like I said, once you have that "base" started, it goes a lot faster.
 
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You also need to be sure your mixing bowl (or whatever) is clean and free of grease when you are first mixing your egg yolk and acid. Otherwise, you probably did add the oil too fast and, as mentioned, there is a definite learning curve. I still have a flop now and again and I've been making mayo/aioli for a long time. You can reuse the oil, just thoroughly clean out the mixing bowl (or whatever) and start with a fresh egg and acid.

Just to note, some food processors/blenders have a tiny little hole in the bottom of the insert that goes in the feeder tube. You can put oil in there and it will slowly drip through a drop at a time.
 
I use prepared Dijon mustard. Powdered might be an issue?
Honestly, it shouldn't matter. I've seen recipes that call for one or the other.

It's the chemical makeup of ground mustard seeds that gives it its emulsification properties. And prepared mustard is really nothing more than ground mustard seeds in a pickling medium.
 
I tried the second batch today, with all the tips you all suggested, with only a drop at a time and a hand whisk. BUT...still failed.... ouch!
 
Steve and others in the know; would the age of the eggs have anything to do with success or failure? The older the egg, the more water or liquid it contains. And we all know that water and oil do not mix.
 
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