Mayonnaise was first made in 1756 by Richelieu, a French chef. At a feast for the celebration of the victory of Duc over the British, mayonnaise was mistakenly made. A sauce made with cream and eggs were popular then and was supposed to be made. But since there was cream, olive oil was used instead.
What Is Mayonnaise?
Mayonnaise, sometimes referred to as mayo, is a creamy sauce made from egg yolks, oil, vinegar, or lemon juice and seasoning. It is similar to salad dressing, but they are not the same. Salad dressing is not made with egg yolk and it is sweeter to taste.
Mayonnaise is made by combining two liquids that normally won’t mix and is, therefore, an emulsion. Emulsification is done by adding one ingredient slowly to the other while rapidly mixing them at the same time.
The resultant mixture is an emulsion that has one of the ingredients dispersed and well suspended in the other.
Emulsions are quite unstable and tend to separate into their components when left to stand. To prevent this, an emulsifier must be used to serve as a binding agent. The emulsifier is capable of binding to both liquids which are immiscible.
The emulsifier binds to the liquids that form the emulsion together and prevent them from separating when they are left to stand.
The most common natural emulsifiers used in form emulsions are eggs and gelatin. Egg yolks contain lecithin which is an emulsifier of fats.
Mayonnaise is made from the combination of vinegar or lemon juice with oil. Eggs that contains lecithin, which is an emulsifier, is used to bind the ingredients. This will prevent them from separating into their initial components.
When mayonnaise is produced, the vinegar or lemon juice is mixed rapidly while oil is added little by little into it.
Adding the oil quickly or mixing the ingredients together slowly will prevent them from emulsifying. When the creamy mayonnaise is already formed, the quantity of oil added while mixing the ingredients can be slightly increased.
Other ingredients to be added to the mayonnaise can be added after the emulsion is already formed. Seasonings, spices, and herbs can be added depending on your taste or the purpose of making the mayonnaise.
Homemade mayonnaise is believed to taste and feel better than the commercial mayonnaise. This may be due to the quantity produced at a time and the high efficiency of the blenders or food processors used in its production.
All the ingredients used in the production of mayonnaise are raw and uncooked. Therefore, great care should be taken when selecting the ingredients to be used. The eggs must be fresh and free from bacteria, especially Salmonella.
While commercial mayonnaise can last up to half a year when stored in a refrigerator, homemade mayonnaise can only last about 4 days when stored in a refrigerator.
The standard emulsifier permitted for use in the manufacture of commercial mayonnaise is egg yolk. However, cellulose gel, food thickeners, and modified food starch can be used in the production of commercial reduced-fat mayonnaise.
Tips on Mayonnaise Production
- Choose very fresh eggs when making your mayonnaise. It does not only have a role to play on how long the mayonnaise will last, but it also affects the taste and overall flavor of your mayonnaise.
- If your mayonnaise is to be served to infants, convalescents, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weak immunity, fresh eggs should be avoided. Pasteurized eggs should be used instead. This will reduce their exposure to the bacteria, Salmonella.
- An old egg is not a great emulsifier as a fresh egg. This is because as an egg age, lecithin which is the emulsifying agent present in the yolk begins to break down. The use of an old egg might cause the produced mayonnaise to separate into their various components since the emulsifier is weak.
- Although lemon juice is the more preferred liquid used in the production of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar can also be used. You can mix both in different proportions to suit your taste. Remember to sieve the lemon juice properly so that the smoothness of your mayonnaise will not be compromised.
- Use an oil without an underlying flavor so that the taste and aroma of your mayonnaise will not be overshadowed by it.
- If the mayonnaise is to be stored in a refrigerator, use refined oil that won’t freeze at cold temperatures. If an unrefined oil is used, it could freeze up in storage and separate the emulsion of the mayonnaise when thawed.
- Since mayonnaise is made with raw eggs, store mayonnaise in a refrigerator immediately after producing it. This is done to reduce the incidence of food poisoning to the barest minimum.
- Storing your mayonnaise in an aluminum jar could affect the color. Use glass, plastic, or stainless-steel jar instead.
- If your mayonnaise appears broken after storage in a refrigerator, you can reconstitute it by working it together with a fresh egg yolk in a food processor.
How to Make Mayonnaise in A Food Processor
All the ingredients used in the production of mayonnaise should be at room temperature. If the eggs were refrigerated or frozen, they should be put in warm water before use or thawed completely.
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Procedure
1. Put the whole eggs, egg yolks, salt, mustard, white pepper, and lemon juice or vinegar into the bowl of a food processor.
2. Work these ingredients in the food processor until they are well mixed.
3. Start adding the olive oil in small quantities through the feed tube while the food processor is still working. Add about ½ of the oil to be used and process for 20 minutes.
4. When an emulsion is formed, add the remaining oil. Do not stop the food processor while adding the oil to the mixture.
5. When a creamy mixture is formed, put off the food processor and check the mayonnaise for taste and texture. Add more seasonings if necessary. If the mayonnaise is too thick, put on the food processor and add some lemon juice, vinegar, or warm water till the desired thickness is achieved.
6. Pour the mayonnaise into a jar and cover with a lid. Store in a refrigerator and use up within a week. The fresher the eggs used in the production of your mayonnaise is, the longer the mayonnaise will last.
Mayonnaise Varieties
1. Spice and Herb Mayonnaise
Aioli or Garlic Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pure olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
Dill Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Basil Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup of basil leaves
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Caper Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 2 tablespoon capers, ground
- 3 teaspoons shallots, minced
- ½ teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Black Pepper Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 teaspoons of black pepper, ground
- Salt to taste
Chive Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 3 tablespoon fresh chives, snipped
- 3 roasted garlic cloves, minced
- White pepper to taste
Pesto Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 2 tablespoon pesto
Green Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dill, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chervil, chopped
- Salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
Ranch Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 3 teaspoons of mustard
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chives, fresh
- 2 teaspoon thyme, fresh
- 1 tablespoon olives, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Chipotle Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 1 chipotle chili, finely chopped
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Hot Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons capers, chopped
- 2 teaspoon green relish
- 4 teaspoons green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon tabasco pepper sauce
- White pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Jalapeno Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 2 jalapenos, roasted and blended
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
Horseradish Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 2 tablespoons of horseradish
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
2. Cheese Mayonnaise
Parmesan Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, ground
- Salt to taste
Blue Cheese Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 4 tablespoons blue cheese, finely crumbled
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Cheddar Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 5 tablespoons smoked cheddar cheese, finely grated
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
3. Fruity Mayonnaise
Apple Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 4 tablespoons of caramelized apples, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Cranberry Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 5 tablespoons dried cranberries, finely chopped
Raspberry Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2½ tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 tablespoons raspberry
- Black pepper to taste
Pomegranate Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cups of pure olive oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
- 3 teaspoon mustard
- 3 teaspoons honey or sugar syrup
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- Salt to taste
Video: How To Make Mayonnaise In A Food Processor
This video explains how you make mayonnaise in a food processor.