Finally – SUCCESS making homemade mayo!!!! (If you don’t find this topic as exciting as I do, be sure to check below for more links to posts from a while ago that you may not have seen…) So I’ve been working with this homemade mayonnaise recipe for a while – I’ve had many flops and they just didn’t have the flavor I wanted, but I kept experimenting and have finally DONE IT! (By the way, a video of exactly how to do this is included in my Real Food for Rookies class!)
This wasn’t an easy process. In one batch the eggs had a weird consistency. In a couple more batches it came out too thin. In others the olive oil tasted too strong. My poor neighbors – I kept asking them to taste-test. Jeanne turned out to be an especially great help in this quest for the perfect homemade mayo!
“Why not just open a jar?!”
This is what my family would ask me when they’d call and ask what I was doing. Besides the fact that I wanted to avoid the nasty GMO-laden canola or soybean oils (and other rotten ingredients), this recipe is actually good for you with the real egg yolks and also the addition of whey – this makes it a lacto-fermented / probiotic food! (Read more about that and about the healthier ingredients in homemade mayo at Ann Marie’s mayo post.)
Update: here’s the only jar of mayo I would recommend anyone buy if you’re not making it yourself!
I’m picky about how my mayo tastes…
I started with the recipe in Nourishing Traditions, but it was too thin and not quite the taste I was looking for… OK, fine, what I really mean is that it didn’t taste like Hellmann’s. Yes, Hellmann’s is full of crap ingredients, but I like the flavor.
Even though what I’ve finally mastered isn’t exactly the taste of Hellmann’s, it’s really pretty darn close – I honestly like mine a little better!
I even got the consistency right!
I couldn’t get myself to stand over that blender for a day and a half while I slowly poured the stinkin’ oil in drop by drop, so I just did a slow-ish stream, and used my Bosch blender with the hole in the top which slowed it down a little more. I was so excited that it finally came out with a nice whipped consistency!
Not only is it yummy just on a sandwich, but I also use it in things like deviled eggs, homemade ranch dressing, this yummy broccoli salad, chicken casserole, cole slaw, egg salad, chicken salad, etc.
“Why is it yellow?”
I don’t have a clue how to make this come out white in color, especially when I’m using my super nutritious orange farm fresh egg yolks, but I don’t really care now that the taste is so wonderful!
Kelly’s Easy Homemade Mayo (Tastes Pretty Close to Hellmann’s!)
- UPDATE: I just learned this from the movie, Julie & Julia! For good results, always warm the bowl you’re making mayo in first, before adding the eggs, so in this case, I will set the blender container into a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before beginning!
- ANOTHER UPDATE: Readers have shared in the comments that they’ve had great success using their stick blenders in a small jar and they say it goes much faster! I’ve tried it and LOVE this method instead of the original one below, so I don’t have to pour the oil in so slowly…
- Mix 3 egg yolks (preferably pastured eggs) in a blender for about a minute.
- Add 1/2 to 1 T. lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar (I prefer the lemon juice, but it definitely has a lemon twang to it, which I actually love the taste of. The vinegar has a twang, too, but not quite as noticeable, in my opinion. Use 1 T. for more flavor, or 1/2 T. if you want it very mild.)
- Blend another 30 seconds.
- Add 2 t. palm or coconut sugar & 1/2 t. sea salt
- Blend just enough to mix.
- Add 1c. expeller pressed sesame oil (refined) or a mild tasting olive oil – pour in as slow as you can, use the hole in the top of the blender if you have it. NOTE ADDED LATER: Recently I’m having trouble finding the refined sesame oil. (The unrefined has a too-strong taste for mayo, in my opinion.) So I’ve been using a mild tasting olive oil and it’s been great! (When I tried the no-flavor coconut oil, it separated after a night in the frig!) By the way, sesame oil is higher in omega 6, so NT says that some is OK, but not too much – you wouldn’t want this to be the only oil in your house.
- When you’ve mixed all the oil in, add 1 T. whey – make sure your whey is good – smell it and make sure it’s not “off” or it will ruin your whole batch. (Sometimes if my cheese hangs to drain for a long time my whey isn’t as tasty.) UPDATE: As I noted in the comments below (see #64), after a couple weeks in the frig the leftover mayo had a TOO fermented taste, so next I’m trying 1/2 T. whey instead.
- Leave out on the counter for 7 hours (it will keep longer this way), and then store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 1 c.
Did your mayo still FLOP? Try this method to salvage it!
I also finally perfected my homemade ranch dressing – I’m on a roll…now if I could only get my sourdough bread to work! I’m not giving up! UPDATE: here’s a sourdough recipe that is so easy!
Please try this mayo recipe and let me know what you think!? I wish you all lived nearby so you could help me with taste-testing, too – my neighbors are getting sick of me.
- You’ll love this Ancho-chile Lime Mayo!
- Christmas in June? What does a Christmas tour of our home have to do with Health & Nutrition? What does any of it have to do with size 7x underwear? Hint: it’s related to tweaking recipes…
- Have you seen these posts all about DIETING?
- Healthy Meals for Kids
- Our amazing anniversary dinner
- Read my original mayo post
{ 212 comments… read them below or add one }
I see what you did! You added sugar and used a different oil. INTERESTING! I still like doing half olive/half coconut oils. Next time I’ll do thirds w/sesame oil thrown into the mix. I was worried it would make it taste too nutty. But, why not experiment?
Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
FoodRenegade
Kristen,
Yes! A little bit of sugar was my “secret” ingredient! I looked on the Hellmann’s label and sure enough, it’s got high fructose corn syrup in it (one of the many junky ingredients), so I thought I’d try it.
I tried using all 3 and still didn’t care for the olive oil taste. Also, did yours with coc. oil separate when it got cold? Mine had a layer that hardened right on top – weird.
Kelly
Alright!!! I NEVER eat the junky mayo and have never found a good one that tasted good. And really miss that great mayo addition. So I am really looking forward to trying out this recipe. Thanks for all the ‘lab’ work, Kelly!
Blessings!
I am so excited to try this! I heard you were a Hellmann’s fan before, as was I, so I think we have similar expectations when it comes to mayo. Thanks so much for this!
Girl Gone Domestic
Congratulations on finally coming up with your perfect mayo! I never thought of adding a little sweetening, but I’ll try it. I was one of those who used to like Hellman’s mayo too
)) Thanks for sharing.
Sesame oil??? Hmmm, I made the oil blend in EFLF once and hated it, and I thought it was because of the sesame oil. But now that I think of it, I may have used toasted sesame oil. I’m guessing they taste totally different.
I was going to try Cheeseslave’s recipe and even bought some olive oil from Chaffin Orchards.
Decisions, decisions. Oh, I’ll try both, but which first??
Wow, I never would have thought to make my own mayo. And I bet you’re right, farm fresh egg yolks are so much darker, that probably is the reason for the yellow tint
Amanda
Whenever I have seen sesame oil, it’s pretty dark – that may contribute to the coloring as well. I was going to try making mayo today on my day off, but realize that I don’t have whey – but will be making yogurt & then yogurt cheese -so should have some soon!
I made Cheeseslave’s last week and it turned out fine, except once I put it in the fridge it lost all twang and just tasted like cold butter.
Motherhen68
Good morning reader friends!
Betsy, yes, I LOVE Chaffin’s olive oil (nice and mild), but just not in my mayo…
Jessie, my sesame oil is very light – maybe you also had the toasted kind like Betsy?
Kelly
Okay, since I was an official taste tester I have to “whey” in with my thoughts on Kelly’s mayo.
The first batch she had my husband and I taste was too heavy on the olive oil. Which is exactly what my attempts have tasted like.
At this point in the process Kelly, asked what brand mayo I was buying and I had to admit that after a few failed attempts at homemade mayo, I was back to buying Hellman’s.
The next batch that Kelly brought over had a very distinct lemon after taste. It was good, and would make great dressings, but it was too lemony for me for sandwiches. Kelly ran right back across the street and made a fresh batch with apple cider vinegar. That batch is the one I prefer. And now I am thinking I have no excuse not to try again– especially since the Hellman’s jar is almost empty!!
Good morning, Kelly!
Hey darlin’, where were you able to find palm sugar? I want to obtain palm/coconut sugar and wondered if we have any sources here in Michigan.
As always, keep up the *fantastic* work and I hope it isn’t too darned long until I see you again! And thanks for keeping me laughing when I read your posts (i.e. like when you called your son a “turd”–I laughed OUT LOUD!!)
Jeanne, thanks for all the taste-testing comments. Very helpful.
I too would like tips on buying palm sugar. We have plenty of Oriental markets around here which are likely sources. I looked at Amazon, too, and they carry it, but I didn’t see any mention of organic. It was a very quick look, mind you.
Is organic critical for palm sugar? Anything else we should look for or avoid? Brands?
Thanks!
Kelly, I have wasted way so many eggs and olive oil trying different mayo recipes but I will certainly give this one a try too. I think it’s because I am impatient with the drop by drop thing… ugh!
Ok I have Spectrum Naturals Expeller Pressed Sesame Oil (says refined for high heat) from Meijers. Will that work? It is a real light color.
Thanks,
Tammy
Yes! I haven’t had luck making a good batch on my own, so I may splurge and order the one you linked.
Soli
Hey Julie L.! Fun to hear from you girly! OK, palm sugar: I get it from our buying club. (“United” I think it’s called.) Also, you could call around to specialty markets, but I’ll bet it’s cheaper through the buying club.
Betsy, I bought the organic because they had it, but I don’t know how crucial it is with palm sugar…?
Tammy, yes, that’s what I buy from Meijer. Don’t worry about the drop by drop, just go as slow as you can.
Soli, try it one more time!
Kelly
I’ve been experimenting with a mayo recipe for some time now and today I achieved one that is great tasting and nice and fluffy. I too am a Hellman’s fan. I luv CCN oil and had no trouble with it separating but didn’t care for the taste in mayo (1/2 oil : 1/2 CCN oil). Now I will reveal how dumb I can be: when it called for whey, I used a TBSP dry, unflavored organic powder. I couldn’t figure out how it had fermenting properties, but today I figured out from reading the posts what type it was supposed to be!
My organic, unrefined olive oil was too strong tasting so I decided against that again and thought about using walnut oil. The problem was it was “toasted” and too strong tasting for mayo. I think a light plain walnut oil “might” work and will try it again later. I tried avocado oil once and didn’t like it either and it imparted a greenish hue that was rather weird. I finally gave up my “principles” and went to a light pure olive oil (Phillipe Berrio) and the taste was SO much better. I figured it was much better than the junk they put in commercial mayos even if it wasn’t organic and first press, etc.
My husband LOVES hot and spicy so I take half of the recipe (after it’s done) and add a red pepper paste, some smokey paprika, and about 1/2 tsp. smoke flavor. Just experiment with amounts you like but the idea is a “Chipotle Mayo” that is very expensive in stores and full of other junk. It is to die for and we both love it on sanwiches.
So here’s the recipe that worked for taste and texture:
2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
1 TBSP lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. agave nectar
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP whey powder
Mary, your recipe sounds good except I’d suggest a little bit of sugar instead of agave nectar (have you seen this post: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/04/sally-fallon-on-agave-nectar.html) and real whey instead of the powder (I don’t like protein or whey powders – too processed). I love the idea to put a little garlic powder in there!
Kelly
I have been trying to use more Xylitol and I put in a packet of that but then I was thinking the they good bacteria in the whey needs something to thrive on so I added 1/4 t of raw sugar. It turned out a bit sweeter (because of the 2 additions) so next time, just a touch of the raw sugar for me. I did half EVOO and half sesame and it is great. Wish cocount would work…I need to lose some weight.
this is great! i’ve tried the NT recipe before and it was plain awful. hellman’s is one of my last bad foods to get rid of. i am allergic to sesame though and i don’t want the CO to separate like yours did and the OO seems like it would be too strong. any other alternative suggestions? maybe 1/2 grapeseed and 1/2 OO?
Karen, bummer about your allergy! Ann Marie really likes hers with the OO, she uses Chaffin’s because it’s milder. You could try it and see what you think.
Kelly
Hi Kelly!
I tried making mayo this week and I failed. All I had was a regular wired whisk. I’m guessing you really need an electrical appliance so you have both of your hands free. I used a mix of sesame and olive oils, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, dijon, a bit of sugar and onion salt if I remember correctly.
It didn’t emulsify so I poured the mixture in a small saucepan with some butter and added some guar gum. I roasted some asparagus and poured this melange on top, kind of like a hollandaise…
I was just wondering what you normally do when your mayo conconctions fail.
OK, I have to ask…what does letting it sit on the counter for 7 hours actually DO to make it last longer? I make mine homemade, too, so I really want to know.
Kristen
Motherhen68 – what is wrong with cold butter?
Kelly – Looks good! I’m not really a fan of sugar added to mayo. I never liked Hellman’s much. I like a plain mayo I guess.
I think it would be OK to make this mayonnaise occasionally if your family does not eat a lot of mayo, but due to the high omega 6 factor, I would cut it with olive oil and/or coconut oil.
Mary Enig’s formula is 1/3 sesame oil, 1/3 coconut oil, and 1/3 olive oil. I am going to try that next time. Love to get more coconut oil!
CHEESESLAVE
Kelly -
You said “In one batch the eggs emulsified” — I think you meant to say that the sauce did not emulsify.
CHEESESLAVE
Erika -
There are 3 things that will prevent your mayonnaise from emulsifying: (1) Adding too much oil and not enough egg yolk (2) Adding the oil too fast (3) Cold ingredients, specifically the egg yolks.
It is a little easier to make mayo with a blender or food processor but you can use a whisk — you just need consistent (not necessarily fast, just constant motion) whisking and you need to add the oil very slowly. You also need to make sure your ingredients are not cold.
Here is what to do when your mayonnaise does not emulsify — you can save the batch. This works every time:
1. In a mixing bowl, add one egg yolk and whisk for a couple minutes. It is important that the egg yolk be ROOM TEMPERATURE. If it is cold, you will need to beat it longer. Easier just to use a room temp egg yolk.
2. Whisking continuously, add your broken batch of mayo one tablespoon at a time.
CHEESESLAVE
Bless your heart, I was hoping somebody would tell me what to do with this jar of yolky oil (oily yolks?) Ha! Setting out a yolk and planning to be more patient in the reclaiming than I was in the creating. Sigh.
Love the comment about “Why not just open a jar?” I hear that ALL THE TIME from my mom. “You know, honey, they sell that in stores now…” Yeah, sure, Mom, if you don’t mind eating industrial waste!
Local Nourishment
Local Nourishment – too funn!
Kelly, what exactly did your sesame oil say on the label? Was it refined, etc? I bought a little jar of that to try Mary Enig’s recipe but it’s just so sesame. I love sesame but not looking for that necessarily in an aoili or, say tarragon mayonnaise.
I can’t stand the mayo I’ve made using all olive oil either but haven’t bucked up to order Cheeseslave’s fav oil yet. Finances are getting a little tight around here with no real household paycheck.
Sustainable Eats
I will definitely try this recipe, Kelly. Thanks for all your hard work!
I made Cheeseslave’s recipe last weekend and it is beautiful! I love the rich consistency. Mine is also the dark yellow color – I assumed it was the egg yolks? Tastewise, it is a little heavy on the olive oil (but I didn’t have the Chaffin brand) and I did use a tiny little bit of the sesame oil. But, as I have tasted it several times over this past week it is growing on me every time! (training my palate?)
I would think that one thing that contributed to the consistency being so good was that my eggs were most definitely room temperature — I actually had forgotten I set them out and hours later found them on the back of the counter and had to hastily make mayo at 11:30 pm!
I am thinking of mixing it with my yogurt “sour cream” to make my chicken salad, but otherwise I think it will be delicious on everything I use mayonaise for. Can’t wait to try the new recipe!!
You are so very far ahead of me, but I’m chugging along. Just today {drumroll, please} I secured a source for raw milk! And it’s only 15 miles away! And it’s only $3.75 per gallon! I pick up my first two gallons on Tuesday.
So, any tips on transitioning from low fat store bought to raw dairy?!
Amy @ Finer Things
Another thing about Hellman’s…if I remember the ingredient list correctly, there is lemon juice AND vinegar in it. I use a bit of both, and it comes out great…no sugar, though. I have been using a mixture of olive oil and sunflower oil as Sally suggests in Nourishing Traditions. I am curious about that, because I know it’s not a great oil. I wonder if she’s making concessions for weaklings, (lol) but since it’s right there in print, I’ve been doing it. We really love it. I also use a dab of plain old yellow mustard in it, although I don’t think the Hellmans’ list includes mustard. I use one whole egg per 1 1/4 cups oil. And the best thing I have done is to use my stick blender. I made it in the food processor until a friend told me how well the stick blender works, and now I make it and store it in the same wide mouth quart jar. So good!
Hi Kelly,
You are so awesome for spending time to figure this out! Thanks! However, I am scared about eating raw eggs, and also about leaving them out in the “temperature danger zone” for 7 hours! Aren’t you worried you’re going to get a foodborne illness?
Okay, Kelly. I was thinking about making mayo again today so now is the time to give it a go. Thanks for the nudge and for making the “bad” batches so we can learn from your mistakes. I’m not worried about using raw eggs because we get ours one day old from our farmer who raises happy, outdoor, pastured hens. I know they are good and the whey will help keep things nice and fresh. I’ll be sure to let you know how my batch turns out!
Cathy Payne
Erika, I used my bombed versions for more deviled eggs, which my family loves.
Kristen, it’s something with the whey, it ferments a bit as it sits out for 7 hours and this helps it to keep longer. Ann Marie, you can probably explain this much better and I’m too tired to look it up.
Ann Marie, yes, I said the eggs emulsified, but that’s not the right word…they partially cooked or something. I blended them so long in one of my bad batches as I was trying to get it to thicken, that it had a TERRIBLE consistency. Nasty I tell ya.
I agree with what you said about not using all sesame oil if your family eats a lot of this, which we don’t (due to the high omega 6′s).
SE – yes it says it’s refined, it has a very mild taste.
Amy, woohoooooo on your raw milk! And my advice: ditch your low-fat as fast as you can and I’ll bet your family will switch over easier than you think. I’m amazed that whole raw milk tastes so much lighter than whole pasteurized milk.
Dienna,
Nope. I’m not worried a bit. We get our eggs from a safe source, and actually, eggs don’t even have to be refrigerated. Many people just leave them on the counter. Wild, huh?
Kelly
I know this is a really old post but I thought I’d mention that actually, eggs can be left on the counter ONLY if they have not been washed. Grocery store eggs should NOT be left out. Farm-fresh eggs are ok out. That’s important to know! We learned all about this while we were in Tanzania.
Say what on the eggs again? They don’t need to be refrigerated? Kelly you just blew my mind some more. I never knew that! Is it like breastmilk though where once you refrigerate it you have to keep it refrigerated after that?
Sustainable Eats
Sustainable Eats (almost called you Sustainable Eggs, lol),
I think I read that somewhere about “once refrigerated, always refrigerated”. I remembered it because I’m seriously stockpiling eggs and have more counter space than refrigerator. But my egg guy keeps his in a cooler. He’s sitting out in the Texas sun for hours, selling out of his pick-up truck, so I think that’s a good thing in the long run.
Kelly — My mayo w/olive oil & coconut oil doesn’t separate. I have NO idea what happened for you. Like Ann Marie said, as long as you’re using enough yolk at room temperature and adding the oil slowly, you shouldn’t have any problems. (Confessions: I’ve never made a bad batch of mayo. I may not have liked the flavor of some of my experiments, but I never had a bad texture.)
So, I made mayo today adding a bit of sucanat and a tiny bit of sesame oil added to my EVOO/CO blend because I realized the oil I buy is made from toasted sesame seeds. WOW was it good. I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to get my hands on some non-toasted, decent sesame oil to try splitting it into even thirds.
Thanks again,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
FoodRenegade
Okay, so I made Ann Marie’s recipe last week, and I don’t mind the olive oil taste (I always use Napa Valley’s organics line). The thing that was frustrating was that it came out runny (probably put the oil in too fast), and I realized I put in the whole egg (DOH!). But actually, as it has sat over the last week in the fridge, it is getting thicker. So maybe it’s okay after all. I am going to Kelly’s recipe next.
I just posted an incredible discovery I made about Omega 6s on one of Kelly’s other posts about grapeseed oil, so I’ll say this…you do need Omega 6s, but not just any old Omega 6s. If you cut them out completely, you’ll end up being deficient, just as I have now found myself. I’ve been a fanatic about cutting out Omega 6s, and as a result, have almost nothing in my house with Omega 6s except for raw almonds and raw almond butter. It’s not like we’ll be eating mayo every single day and in large quantities. So I’m going to add it back in with some organic sesame oil or sunflower oil – mayo is a great place to insert it! Thanks Kelly!
Raine Saunders
I am very excited to find your website. I have a Bosch, cook out of NT ALL THE TIME, and have a hobby farm in which we are raising chickens for some farm fresh yummy eggs. I look forward to keeping up with all the exciting things you are discovering.
About the mayo, I thought the recipe from NT was way too thin as well. Have you tried grapeseed oil? I like taste of the grapeseed oil better than olive but I have not mastered the texture thing yet. It is fun getting it just right though!
Nice to meet you!
Rachael M.
Kelly, You are my hero. I had company tonight and wanted to make some yummy potato salad. I decided to try your method because I’ve never gotten mayo to work before even with the stick blender and food processor and a hand whisk (that was alot of olive oil I wasted). Your blender method worked perfectly. You saved the day and my company (who also eats NT) loved the potato salad. Thank you, thank you.
TeamBettendorf
Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely try making mayo with sesame oil. So far, I was not able to find the recipe that uses good for you oils (instead of canola etc.) and tastes great. I find the taste of EVOO too overwhelming and I want my mayo to taste exactly like Hellmans. Now how do I do that?
However, after a lot of research on the Internet I found that the easiest and quickest way to make mayo is with a stick blender. I use Bamix but it will work with a regular stick blender as well. You just put all the ingredients together in a beaker or a rather tall and narrow jar and put the stick blender to the bottom. Turn it on at high speed and count to 10 without moving it. Then slowly start to move the blender up and down until the mixture is fully emulsified. It only takes about 30 seconds!!! Amazing!!! No long and painful whisking or need to add oil slowly. Another advantage is that you can make and store mayo in the same jar (no need to wash dishes) !!!
For those of you who haven’t tried this yet or are skeptical just watch this video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0fLT_k3_U
It really is this easy.
Another question: How long does the mayo with whey keep?
Is it possible to just add some yogurt instead of whey?
Your recipe looks great!
)
I’ve had fairly good luck with the Nourishing Traditions recipe — though I have to agree that the olive oil flavor is often much too strong. I’ll be interested to try it with the sesame oil! (and it does get thicker after overnight refridge… so even if mine is a bit thin sometimes, it always gets better
Haven’t tried it yet with a stick blender — but I’ll have to see if mine can work that magic!
lo
Kelly, I appreciate all you work for us!
My last batch of mayo was so stiff I could cut it with a knife and I used 3 egg yolks. I also used balsamic vinegar which made it a touch sweet like I think Hellmans tastes. The color is a bit darker because of this, but the flavor is mild and sweet. I used EVOO and sunflower. BTW, on the Discussing NT yahoo group, I learned to put a funnel in the hole in the lid of my blender and found it much easier to drizzle oil while things were splashing up from the bottom. I was not tempted to pour too fast, thus the very stiff mayo. I think the reason recipes say to whirl the yolks for a minute is to warm them up using the friction of the blender.
I’m not sure I’d have the patience to make my own mayo, but I’ll be back next week for the homemade ranch. There is nothing like a good ranch
I wish I could dedicate myself completely to this kind of cooking, but my life does not allow for it. I do make my own mayo now and then, I really prefer the taste and I know its better for you. I have even added an over ripe avacado to the mayo and made like an avacado dip or sandwich spead.
Brenda
I love mayonaise, so I went right out and bought sesame oil and tried the recipe. It was horrible, so I asked my brother who is a chef, and he said it was the oil I used. The sesame oil I purchased was organic and was very strong in flavour.
Usually I use organic extra virgin olive oil, and it has never made great mayonaise, but ok.
My brother said to ditch the extra virgin olive oil as they are always the first press, which means very very strong olive flavoured.
He gave me a bottle of olive oil that was extra mild (it wasn’t organic, but still good quality) – it was a very, very pale colour compared to the extra virgin olive oils I’ve used before.
So we made mayonaise (without any sugar, but with the lemon juice AND vinegar, dijon mustard etc) and it was the best tasting mayonaise I’ve ever had. Creamy, light holandaise almost, tasting. Very mild.
He says the key is not in added sugar or sesame oil, rather the KEY is in the oil and finding a very mild flavour oil.
So I’m definitely sticking with olive oil, just choosing the extra mild.
Hope this helps a bit.
I had great luck using the stick blender and it only took a couple minutes. Great body. But the oil does have a strong flavor. Has anyone tried avocado oil?
Cathy Payne
Oh, crap! I’ve been driving around this week hearing a rattle under the driver’s seat. I finally remembered to check today when I got to work – and it was the sesame oil bottle that I bought last SATURDAY! It’s been in the car in the south Texas heat for 5 days.
I guess I should throw it out and buy a new one, yes?
Can’t believe I didn’t notice it when I put the groceries away. I bought it just for making mayonnaise.
I got a great mayo recipe off of the discussingNT list. Someone recommended rice bran oil, which works really well.
Oh wow, guys, who would’ve thought that we’d get such a good conversation going all about mayo?!!! I love you my geeky foodie friends!
OK, gotta go back up to see about your questions……..
S.E., yep you read it right about eggs not needing to be refrigerated – however, I still keep mine in there! Google it and see what comes up.
Kristen, yeah, you never know what will happen in my kitchen. If a fluke is possible, it will happen here!
Rachael M. – I’m glad you found your way here, too! You may want to take a look at this about grapeseed oil: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/is-grapeseed-oil-a-good-choice-random-reader-question.html
Katie (Team Bettendorf), what a fun comment!! Glad you liked it!
Maria, great scoop on the stick blender – I’ve got one so I can’t wait to try it next time! Can’t remember how long whey keeps – it’s in Ann Marie’s post and I’m so sick of sitting at this computer, forgive me for not going to look it up right now………..
Callie, very interesting!
Betsy, I’m not sure if I’d toss it. Call the company and see what they say.
Thanks everyone!!
Kelly
Hey Kelly!
…And thanks for the recipe, it sounds delicious. I’ve never made mayo myself before, but I’ll try in a couple of days, as soon as I get around to buying the rest of the ingredients. I have some ancient bottle of canola, but I think I’ll take your word and get me some fresh sesame oil. (And I just bought a nice Italian-looking bottle of balm vinegar but I’m too cheap to get another one, I’ll just see how this works out.)
As a side note, I’m from Finland, and we don’t have ANY decent mayo in the stores here. A friend of mine introduced me to Hellmann’s, and that was it.
Now I want to make my own, although my friend’s pretty sure I’m going to screw it up. We’ll see…
I have a question, however. I always thought whey was fluid, right? I have never used it for anything, and now that I looked into it, they only seem to sell it in special athletes’ stores and it seems to come in powder (“whey protein” it says on the bag). What is this stuff? I’ve no idea where to get the real deal. Do I have to go to a dairy? Or, can it be left out of the concoction altogether?
Thanks again! I’ll check back later to report whether this all ended in a disaster or if my friend finally has to admit that I’m am the iron chef!
Finland out.
I’m so confused! I made two “perfect” batches but the oils in both were too strong. Then I tested some milder oils. used the same recipe, and it immediately curdled and turned into a liquid mess. Not sure what happened, but I’ve gone through 1/2 dozen precious, pastured eggs!
Cathy Payne
I am SO appreciating this “Homemade Mayo” conversation, learning so much from it! Thank you, everyone
Chef Aid, you are right to doubt the powdered whey as the ‘real deal’. The powdered stuff is NOT what you want. And we DO want it in the concoction.
I get my whey by dumping quality yogurt into a tea towel-lined collander set over a bowl, for several hours, at least. The liquid that drains through is whey. Then I tie up the tea towel (no sqeezing!) and hang it from a cupboard knob and let it continue to drip into the bowl, for about a day. Then I keep it in the fridge in a jar, stays good for months. (Got this method from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions.)
Some of my kids pour whey off their kefir. I’m curious to hear how others get their whey!
Blessings!
Chef Aid, yes whey is a liquid – the powdered stuff is fake junk. I have no idea where to buy it, though, because it’s so easy to make! (See the link in the post above.) No, you don’t have to use it, but it helps your mayo keep longer.
Cathy, what oils did you use each time? I totally agree that certain oils are just too overpowering. I also had a batch (or two) curdle – but I could still tell whether or not the taste was right. If you liked the taste of that batch, try again, but maybe just don’t blend as long. That’s what happened when mine curdled.
Ann, yes, that’s how I get my whey, too.
I made this last night!! And it’s delicious! I used just one tsp of sugar and 2 yolks, lemon juice and no mustard. I’m going to try Ann Marie’s version, too, and the thought of possibly wasting SIX eggs was too much. I used my stick blender and it took all of 30 seconds.
Carolyn, I’ve seen that version with rice bran oil and went looking for it, and couldn’t find any locally. I didn’t try on-line, though.
Now I can make chicken salad with my leftover chicken, and Food Renegade’s egg salad recipe that she posted yesterday. I’m so excited.
Just wanted to let you know that I tried your mayo and I love it, I’ve made it several times now—but I’m just getting around to letting you know how great it is! I subbed coconut oil–in it’s liquid state and used my immersion blender (which btw, is the best way to make mayo as far as I’m concerned–just throw everything together and blend!)–It was great! Thanks for sharing! -Sarah
I am seriously pumped to try this. What do you do with the leftover egg whites though? Thanks for entering the Make it from Scratch Carnival!
Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship
Betsy & Sarah, thanks for the great feedback!
Katie, sometimes I just toss them (I know, that’s wasteful), otherwise you can add them to your scrambled eggs – although I’m more likely to add extra yolks instead of extra whites! Others may have better ideas. Oh, I also remember Mom making a meringue for pies out of egg whites…
Kelly
Coconut Macaroons!
Sustainable Eats
Ok, I just bought me a bargain stick blender for 10 euros and had a go. (And like someone earlier in this thread, I also accidentally bought sesame oil that was made from toasted seeds, and it’s definitely no good for this purpose. But I gave it a try anyway.)
But it didn’t work out.
I think I used a jar that was too big, so the layer of eggs on the bottom was so thin that the blender’s blade couldn’t reach it that well. Then when I added the oil, the blade just grabbed the oil which probably made the oil blend in with the eggs too fast.
But I have some friends coming over tomorrow and I’ll give it another shot. And I’m gonna get a smaller jar and more appropriate oil. Don’t make the same mistakes I did!
Keep on trying…
you could also make double to get the level high enough.
Chef Aid, I think you’re right about your problem. I make mine either in a decorative 2-cup mason jar (wide mouth, but narrower at the bottom), or a 24-oz mason jar. In other words, not much wider at the bottom than the blender.
What I did was put the eggs in, add everything else except the oil, then the oil last. Put the blender in right down to the bottom, turn it on and count slowly to 12. At this point you should be seeing mayonnaise forming. Then slowly move the blender up and around to mix everything completely. I got the technique from the book that came with my blender – but I’d never use their ingredients, lol.
Hope you have better luck tomorrow!
Betsy, so with the immersion blender you don’t have to slowly pour the oil in at all? You can just mix it all at once???????? Can’t WAIT to try this next time!!
Kelly
Kelly the Kitchen Kop
Kelly –
Oh, yeah, baby!! That’s the beauty of it. Takes all of 30 seconds to mix it up. It takes more time to assemble all the ingredients, I think.
Alright! I’m making mayo
Almost got desperate there for a while. I tried a second batch using the immersion blender method, but it didn’t work out for me. The stuff kept separated and no emulsion showed up. I would like to put partial blame on the bargain blender, it doesn’t seem to be doing too good a job. Besides it needs almost 10 min cool down after about 1 min work…
Anyway, I didn’t feel like throwing away yet another batch, so I took another cup, threw in a couple of yolks and started mixing in the first batch from the old cup. I’m still in the process, waiting for the blender to cool down, but whatever I get from this batch, is going to be quite eggy! There’s a total of 6 (small) eggs in there and a cup of oil. I think I’m gonna add a touch of my home grown chili as well.
OK, back to work!
Chef Aid – I had some failed batches of Caesar dressing until I read that the egg yolks should be at room temperature. That and adding the oil last, drizzling but not drop by drop, with the immersion blender, yielded success! I’m hoping the same for the mayo in a few minutes…
Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship
Thickened up GREAT with a stick blender and only 2 egg yolks! Thanks Kelly! My sesame oil is unrefined, so I did 1/2 olive oil so it’s not such a strong sesame flavor.
Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship
Betsy, it didn’t work for me. I used the stick blender and tried not pouring the oil in slow. It didn’t set up at all – I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the blender, I think I just need to pour the oil in slowly after all.
Another bummer: the leftover mayo from the batch I made a couple weeks ago has been in the frig and is still technically fine (I know it isn’t bad or anything), but youza, it has a TOO fermented smell to it…nothing I’d put on a sandwich at this point. I’m not sure if that means I won’t be able to keep any on hand or what…the thought of mixing some up (easy as it is) every time I want mayo for a sandwich isn’t appealing.
I know what I’ll try! 1/2 T. whey instead of 1 t. – maybe that will help. I’ll keep you posted.
Last thing for now: I’m constantly experimenting, and this time used 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar to see if it would have a more mild tang. I like the flavor! I’ll make note of this in the recipe above.
Kel -
My mayo has been in the fridge for over a month now and it’s still good. My guess is maybe you’re not using enough whey? I used 2-3 TBS of whey for 2 to 2 1/2 cups of mayo. I also let my mayo sit out at least 7 hours — but often longer, up to 12 hours.
CHEESESLAVE
Kelly, I’m sorry it didn’t work. I know I have an unusual blender, but I didn’t think it was THAT different, lol!
Were all the ingredients in the jar when you started to blend? Was the blender at the bottom of the jar when to started it up? Did you count to 12 before you moved the blender?
Those are the only things I can think of – especially the first when you mentioned pouring the oil.
Oh, well, if you get good mayo in the end, the method isn’t important.
Betsy, no biggy, I’ll just try pouring the oil in a little slower next time, and maybe I don’t have a good stick blender……actually, I probably didn’t use the right bowl…
Ann Marie, you think I didn’t use ENOUGH whey? I thought I needed to use LESS because the whey is what helps it to ferment…? So yours doesn’t have a strong fermented smell to it after a month in the frig? I hope mine was a fluke. There I go again with the flukes…
Kelly
Kelly,
My mayo/Caesar dressing firms up fine with the stick blender or even my mini-food processor. I just blend up the yolk(s), pour in a little oil, whiz it, pour in a little more, whiz again. Maybe the 1/2 cup of oil for my salad dressing going in 4 batches or so. Good luck trying again! Trust me, you’re not the only flukester!
Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship
Kelly,
Mine hasn’t been around for a month yet, and I’m not sure that it will make it that long. I ate egg salad every day for a week (had been missing it) and made potato salad for dinner on Sunday. DH loved it!
Bowl?? What bowl?? You should be using a narrow container, like a jar, or possibly a measuring up. I always use mason jars, but I do have a great selection as my SIL cans and sends goodies for Xmas.
I dunno about pouring the oil in while mixing. My recipe says no and I don’t, but I see Katie does and it works for her, so obviously I don’t know everything, lol. And I’ve had batches not work in the past, too.
My stick blender won’t fit into the top of my (mason) jars on hand!!! I’m sticking with my story: I’m pretty sure I just plain ol’ need to pour the oil in more slowly…which isn’t that big a deal I suppose, as long as it doesn’t need to be drop by painful drop.
Well, that was certainly inconsiderate of the manufacturer, wasn’t it??
I’ll say! I think I’ll write them a letter.
Since I can no longer buy expeller pressed sesame oil locally I am going to have to order online. How important is that it be refined? Is that just for a more mild taste? I can only buy hot pepper and toasted sesame oil that is expeller pressed. I found two brands of regular in conventional grocery stores, but neither give the extraction method other than one saying it was done the traditional way, whatever that means.
Martha, maybe if you just look for a lighter color you might be OK. The other sesame oils may have too strong a taste.
Thank you Kelly!
I was wondering if it makes a difference if the whey is from raw milk or pasteurized milk? if maybe one lasts longer than the other? thanks.
Angela, sorry I don’t know, maybe someone else does??
Kelly
I don’t think you can make whey from pasteurized milk. All the good bacteria is killed in the pasteurization. Raw milk doesn’t get pasteurized, so it contains “active cultures”.
You can make whey from pasteurized yogurt — that’s because they added good bacteria after they pasteurize it.
Kelly,
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I tried it with grape seed oil and enjoyed the nice, light flavor.
Thanks for all your hard work!
Ashley, I hate to be a pooper, but have you seen this post?
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/is-grapeseed-oil-a-good-choice-random-reader-question.html
(Sorry!)
For those of you who want a real “Helmann’s” taste of mayonnaise, I have recipe on my blog that is quite similar. You can use any oil you want. I’ve been using a safflower oil (Spectrum Organics) so it’s high oleic.
http://mutritiousnuffins.blogspot.com/2009/05/homemade-mayonnaise.html
Okay, is it possible to get a “high” off making mayo I actually like? LOL
So I first tried a different recipe that was simpler, and used half Spectrum Sesame Oil/Nutiva Coconut Oil, and very simple ingredients. (I am blanking on where I found it… someone’s blog…) It just didn’t have enough “flavor” for me, though it wasn’t terrible.
I decided to try this recipe with the Mary’s Oil blend (1/3 sesame oil, 1/3 EVOO, 1/3 expeller-pressed Coconut Oil from Wilderness Family Naturals), and just back off a bit on the sugar, adding only 1/2 tsp unrefined sugar, because my last mayo was too sweet (b/c of the coconut oil perhaps?). I let my eggs sit a really long time, warmed the bowl, and then let my 3 yo control the food processor button. (risky I know, but that’s how I cook around here.
) Then I added the oil in as slowly as I could while pouring between the heads of my 3 yo AND 6 yo who showed up and wanted her turn with the button. It looked a little runny at first and then all of the sudden it “thickened”. I immediately turned it off (thankfully had gotten the oil in at that point) and tasted it. It was GOOD! And my 3 yo took a couple of licks too and liked it! (No comment from the 6 yo, she doesn’t do mayo.)
I then transferred it to a glass container, and stirred, and discovered that not all my salt had been incorporated (I used a rather gritty Sea Salt, I’m guessing that is why…) and it got a bit saltier and I didn’t like it as much. Also added 2 Tbs of whey, which I’m glad I did because it was pretty thick. To balance out the salt a bit, I decided to add a dollop of Grade B Maple syrup, and I got the balance that I like again. Oh, I also added a smidge of mustard for kick, that might have made it a bit salty too… got idea from Cheeseslave I think?
Anyway, I’m thrilled! Made cleaning up the mess more tolerable since I actually like the end result.
Oh bummer, but thanks for letting me know!
I was at a restaurant the other day and they had something they called Salsa Mayo on their fries. I want to know how to make it because it was delicious. The mayo itself was quite mild in taste, without being thick and it was fairly yellow, but not as yellow as Kelly’s. Then for the salsa part it was just chunks of celery, red onion and capsicum mixed in the mayo. I have made mayo at home but I used a completely different recipe and its far too thick and sweet to compliment the chunks. Does anyone have any thoughts? I’ve tried to make mayo before using the traditional recipes, egg yolk oil etc, but it ended up tasting just like egg and oil. I have looked up salsa mayo online and all i get told to do is mix store bought mayo with store bought salsa. Yuk!
I assume the eggs are hard boiled and then you just use the yellow?
Hi Susan,
Actually no, see this post: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/are-raw-eggs-safe-to-eat-real-food-wednesday.html
Kelly
Hey Kelly,
I have been doing some more experimenting on mayo and was wondering why you used refined expeller pressed sesame oil over cold pressed? Is there a difference in the final results? Just curious because I know cold pressed, unrefined would be more nutritious for you.
Lindsay
Hi Lindsay! I loved your 1st video by the way, I have to try that one of these days.
(The video blog AND the deodorant!)
I used the refined only because I was afraid the unrefined would have too strong of a flavor to keep the mayo palatable for me and my picky family… We don’t eat it all that much anyway, thankfully, but if you try it with unrefined let me know how strong it is, OK?
Kelly
Can I use kefir whey instead of yogurt whey?
Dana,
Yes!
Kelly
Kelly – I have a cheap-o immersion blender (Toastmaster, I think I paid $11??). I tried Betsy’s method last night and it worked BEAUTIFULLY. It was seriously my easiest attempt at mayo – and the best batch consistency-wise! I tried Linsday’s recipe since I had her ingredients on hand, but it should work for yours! Don’t pour in the oil while you blend, it goes in as the last ingredient, put it all in beforehand.
I really think you should give it another go. The trick is the JAR. I also started with room temp eggs.
So, my immersion blender doesn’t fit in my regular mouthed mason jars, only the wide ones. But I found a jar that works perfectly – an old nut butter jar! I think it’s a wide-mouth opening size, but it’s straight all the way to the bottom of the jar. The mouth is just wide enough to let the blender in, and the 16 oz size is perfect for one batch of mayo. I used an almond butter jar from TJs, but I’m sure any of the glass ones that size would work. If you have any jars about that size, you really should give it another go, it was just TOO EASY.
Rebecca, I’m so glad it worked well for you!
I made some a week ago, and after watching Julie & Julia, I warmed the jar up a bit by setting it in a sink of hot water for a bit. Didn’t want to get the insides wet.
Guess what guys? I tried the stick blender method today (with a JAR that was just big enough to get the blender in) and it worked AWESOME!! So easy and fast! It got thick so fast I thought I did something wrong, then I tasted it and …Mmmm, it was MAYO!
Yay, Kelly!!!!
I finally finished my jar of Hellman’s (I get it from Costco, so it’s a huge tub). I have some fabulous local sour cream from my co-op, and now I need the mayo for the homemade ranch.
I think for this first batch I will do OO and CO blend, since that’s what I have on hand. I have a stick blender from Target, and a quart mason jar. Wish me luck!
I won’t say I nailed it, but I do have mayo!!! *happy dance*
I couldn’t get it to set up with the egg yolks. I thought I’d ruined the batch. I grabbed the egg whites, dumped them in, and WHAM! it set up just-like-that. Is that odd? Should I just plan to use whole eggs from now on?
I used about 3/4 CO, and 1/4 OO, and it’s a little coconutty for me. I might try to find some very, very mild OO or maybe the (un-toasted) sesame oil to mix. I think I will also use lemon juice instead of the ACV. I do like a little lemon twang.
Also, it seemed a little thin this morning, after sitting out all night with the whey. I’ll see if it thickens up a bit after being in the fridge all day.
Hmmm, that does seem odd. You may want to read here about eating the egg whites raw, though…
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/are-raw-eggs-safe-to-eat-real-food-wednesday.html
Kelly
Okay. Someone help me…? I’ve made a mess of everything, and I REALLY want to get this right.
I used my stick blender and tried to make a double-batch of this stuff (I’ve made the NT stuff before in my food processor, but thought I’d try the stick-blender method). I didn’t read through the comments to see how “briefly” it really needed done, so I was still drizzling the oil in slowly… My stick blender heated up enough that I thought I should stop using it (before the first cup of oil was in), so I transferred it into my vita-mix blender. My eggs were room temp, as was my (sunflower) oil, and I did set the first glass into warm water. I had decent emulsification going on, but was afraid to over-pour the oil. In the vitamix I continued the slow pouring, and it slowly began to get a little more ‘liquid’ – some splashed out at me and it was WARM. At this point it was TOO liquid so I stopped it abruptly and there was STEAM rising from the stuff, which now looked kinda curdled, yet watery. The vita-mix does seem to warm up without too much use, but steaming? I tossed that batch, read through everything, and started over.
My jar is just right for my stick blender to fit into. I watched the linked video and all that, and gave it another shot (single recipe). I poured everything in, used my blender and… It looks like orange juice. I used about 1/4 c of coconut oil with the rest sunflower.
Any ideas, or should I ruin a full dozen eggs today? :\
Ella, I do put all my ingredients into a wide-mouth pint jar.
First I measure the oil-olive and sesame (not toasted) – 1 C.
Then I add 1 T. lemon juice
3 yolks
fork dipped in mustard and dropped in – 1 t.
1/2 t. salt
white pepper
Then I put my immersion blender to the bottom of the jar and while holding the jar firmly, I start the blender and slowly pull up. This thickens in about 15 seconds. I sometimes push it back down and mix a little more, but it takes such a short time. I always use 3 yolks and no whites.
-Judy
Judy THANK YOU. I am going to go try this again. Crossing my fingers, since the chickens quit laying with the 40 degrees and 35 mph wind!
Hi!
I realize this is quite a while since the actual post, but I thought you’d like to hear how mine turned out.
I followed your recipe, but used 2 whole eggs (pastured, room temperature). I also added paprika and some pepper.
I used a stick blender. It worked beautifully, totally unlike my first attempt almost a year ago using a blender. That first try scared me off of mayo, too-because the olive oil I used, while great for everything else, simply was too fruity to use as mayo. Blech. So this time, I used 1/2 “extra light tasting” olive oil, and 1/2 grapeseed oil. I know there is contention about that but oh well, that’s all I had. Next time I will use sesame and/or coconut and olive oil.
So it still has a couple hours to go on the counter. Hopefully it turns out-it seemed a little runny before I put the whey in it, but the taste was PERFECT! I can’t wait to see what it tastes like tomorrow when it’s cold! MmmMM toasted tomato sandwiches for breakfast! I’ll check in with the results!
Yay Rebecca! Isn’t that so fun when it turns out?!! You may want to just use raw egg YOLKS, though. Read this:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/are-raw-eggs-safe-to-eat-real-food-wednesday.html
Kelly
Argh! I wish I had read that before I made it! Oh well-thought it would be ok as I found another recipe (Food Renegade) showing whole eggs.
Next time I’ll use 3 egg yolks only! Thanks for the heads-up!
http://www.afn.org/~poultry/recipes/mayo.htm describes how to make mayonnaise in a mason jar. It’s really convenient!
Next round of mayonnaise, I’m going to combine the recipe here with the techniques from there. The technique from there definitely works with drizzled olive oil, that’s how I did it.
I was wondering about the whey you mentioned. Is it powdered protein whey or something else. And where can you buy it? Thanks
Hi Anne,
No, not powdered whey, but the real stuff that drips out when you’re making cheese. Click the link where it says “whey” in the post above and you can read more.
Kelly
Hi Kelly!
I looked around your site as much as I could while watching four toddlers to try to find if I can make whey with pasteurized yogurt. I still didn’t find the answer. I tried making homemade mayo for the first time this morning using the video post from Sarah “the healthy home economist.” I used sesame oil instead of sunflower, and it was okay. The taste was pretty bland, though, and I’m a little disappointed. I’d like to try your recipe, but don’t have whey. Could I leave it out? If not, could I make it with pasteurized yogurt?
I’m not Kelly, but I do know the answer to your question – yes! I’ve made it with whey from pasteurized yogurt before, and it turned out perfectly. The most important part of the recipe is the whey, because it preserves the mayo!
If you find it too bland, use more paprika, salt, and pepper.
Good luck!
Rebecca
Perfect answer, thanks Rebecca!!
Also, Amy, I add a little more lemon juice if it’s bland. And just a PINCH of palm sugar.
Kelly
I haven’t tried using sugar! I did find that using the olive oil I have is way too fruity and over-powering for mayo. So I used a combination grapeseed oil and extra mild olive oil. Next time I will use sesame oil (is that less offensive than grapeseed oil?) and olive oil.
I used a combo of Kelly’s and Food Renegade (KristenM)’s recipes.
My only problem is that we don’t use it fast enough before it goes bad! I guess that’s a good thing, though!
Rebecca
Rebecca, just make a half-batch then!
I like the sesame oil…don’t use grapeseed oil, that stuff is nasty.
Kel
Kelly –
That’s what I figured (grapeseed oil) – I haven’t done any research on it. But I’ve had it in my cupboard FOREVER and wanted to get rid of it and had just enough for a batch of mayo. I did my first batch with all olive oil and had to chuck it out because it was HORRIBLE. blech. I’ll try sesame oil next time. And a half batch – why didn’t I think of that!
I have a great source for pastured eggs (and pastured turkeys – and beef once it gets cold!) so I’m thankful for that!
I’ve been using safflower oil for my homemade mayo, but don’t see any mention of it in these comments. I tried olive oil and it was too strong for me. I’ve also tried safflower/co but if I use too much coconut it’s too strong also. I also use a bit of store bought mustard to get the emulsification of the eggs going. I’m going to read the article you linked to about the eggs, because I’ve been using the entire egg to make mayo.
I’m excited to read the addition of whey, hadn’t thought of that!
EUREKA!
thanks so much. i like the “other” homemade mayos, but my husband and daughter weren’t thrilled when mommy stopped buying the store bought. this recipe makes them happy.
Hi there all! I just ran across your site…and I have the same opinion on mayo I have tried to make…to heavy on the olive oil flavor…so I kinda shelved the entire thing for a while..but am still in the mode of DIY….so I am trying a version of your recipe…and combining it with the Joy of Cooking Blender mayo on pg 363…minus the sugar and with just a TBSP of Olive oil (the rest salad oil for now since it was handy)..and am using the stick blender…it really came together nicely…should have some feedback over next couple of days from tasters….assuming they survive…lol! Anyway, you inspired me to try again!! So, in return, here is a great Sourdough site….their starter rocks!
http://www.northwestsourdough.com/
My mayo was yellow every time until I read that I should add the vinegar at the end of the process. It lightened my mayo. Go figure!!
Really?! Wow, I’ll have to try that, thanks!
Yes, it definitely lightened mine. It still wasn’t as pale as supermarket mayonnaise, but you could see it visibly lighten. Or you could use lemon juice, whichever acid you happen to be using for your recipe.
Hi Kelly. I made this today using 1/3 olive oil, 1/3 sesame oil and 1/3 coconut oil. I used expeller pressed coconut oil because I didn’t want to taste the coconut instead of using Nutiva cold-pressed coconut oil which I also have on hand. The mayo has a funky flavor due to the expeller pressed. Should I have used the cold-pressed? Also, do you think Spectrum organic palm shortening would work in place of the coconut oil? Thanks!
Shannon,
Bummer about the funky taste. Which brand of exp.pressed coc. oil did you use? Here’s the kind I use: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/04/coconut-oil-with-no-taste-or-smell.html
I don’t think palm shortening would work in mayo. I could be wrong (never tried it), but I think it has to be an oil so it mixes in right.
Kelly
Actually, I did use Tropical Traditions brand but I just don’t think I like the expeller pressed in general. I tried it today and it’s greasy; it made my mouth taste funny, like there’s film in my mouth or something! Yuck. I may try it by melting the shortening and see if that works. Thanks for your feedback.
Alright, I tried another batch and I’m wondering like the poster below if the flavor I didn’t like was actually olive oil! Ha. All that work. This time I tried sesame, olive and melted organic Spectrum brand palm shortening. Emulsified well again but the flavor is not great. I never follow a recipe completely but I may just try yours with all sesame oil and see if it’s better! ha. Should just follow directions to begin with. I’m not giving up.
Regarding eggs and refrigeration.
Eggs when laid by a hen have a natural coating that protects them. Shells are permeable and the coating prevents bacteria from entering through the shells.
However once this coating is washed off, they need to be refrigerated.
Also, once they are refrigerated, they need to be kept refrigerated.
But if you have your own flock in the back yard, you can gather those eggs and keep them in a basket on the counter for use. Just remember to use them before they get too old.
I made my first batch of mayo tonight using a modified recipe from Epicurious. I already ready up on Julia Child’s hints so I warmed my blender and eggs. I had to double the recipe and use two eggs for it to work in the blender. It made way more than I needed. The taste is very strong as I used EVOO. Next time I may try some peanut oil I have in the cabinet. Or I’ll buy either some grapeseed oil or some very mild, clear olive oil. I’m still tweaking the recipe to taste.
I had never heard of the whey extending shelf life but I like that idea.
I’m thinking…can I just pour off a little whey from some cottage cheese I have and use that? I also have some Greek Yogurt. Can I use some of the liquid from that?
Was very interested in your making yogurt and cream cheese from scratch. I tried it once with store bought yogurt and it was a disaster. But my local store sells raw milk so I may try it again with home made yogurt.
Great scoop on eggs!
You may not want to use Grapeseed oil, have you seen this post? http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/is-grapeseed-oil-a-good-choice-random-reader-question.html
Yes, you could use the whey from cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
Kelly
Thanks for the heads up on the grapeseed oil. Glad I didn’t invest $10 in a bottle of oil I’d end up throwing away. Went down the road with Agave syrup. Didn’t do enough research before I bought it. Ended up tossing it.
I there any way to incorporate the whites back into the mayonnaise? To make a lighter, fluffier mayo? Seems a shame to always have the whites left over.
I did the same thing with Agave, only I had bought a CASE of the stuff.
I usually throw the whites in with my next omelet, only with enough other eggs WITH yolks so we’re getting enough of the good stuff. Or I toss them, the yolks are the best part nutritionally anyway.
Kelly
I consider my first batch of mayo a success. Didn’t have any problems with emulsification. I used a blender on low with the center of the top removed. I dribbled olive oil using a spoon until the emulsification process had progressed enough then dribbled it from the measuring cup to finish.
I’m not real happy with the taste. Fresh it was awful. After it chilled over night it was much better. But I could still taste the olive oil.
If I use olive oil again I’ll use a much lighter, milder, almost tasteless oil.
However, I am really considering using lard. Now I know people have made bacon-mayo but I don’t like bacon. Lard is tasteless. It’s a very natural product, especially if you render it yourself. I haven’t rendered pork fat but the local butcher has it and I might give it a try. That way I can be sure it is much less processed than what is available in the store.
BTW I only use lard when vegetable shortening is called for. Crisco is an absolute nightmare of nastiness and I will not use it. I don’t use shortening that often and when I do, the amount you end up eating in an individual portion isn’t that much. I’d rather eat a natural lard than a processed chemical laced unhealthy vegetable shortening.
There are recipes for mayo made with lard. It apparently is very solid after it’s refrigerated. So I’m considering putting one or both of the egg whites back in at the end to loosen it up. I’m hoping that works as I certainly don’t want to add water as some recipes suggest.
I finally had to toss the olive oil batch. It was awful and I couldn’t stand it. I made one sandwich with it and just didn’t like it. This was Vons Organic Extra Virgin in a dark bottle and the oil itself was green and pungent so not a good choice. But it was what I had. I’ll never do that again.
I broke down and bought a small jar of Best Foods to tide me through.
I made a new batch of mayo last night with the only oil I had in the house: peanut oil. I think I put in too much sugar, but so far it seems acceptable. I didn’t have any whey so I put in a spoonful of Greek yogurt. I used two yolks and both vinegar and lemon juice. Appears I like my mayo tart. I’ll try a sandwich with it and pesto deviled eggs.
If this isn’t a go, I think I’ll try the lard next. (And measure the sugar instead of just using the scoop to estimate. I’ve learned I like some sugar and the tartness of both vinegar and lemon juice. Salt and pepper. No mustard, garlic or any other flavors.)
This is definitely a trial and error process and everyone had individual tastes and one person’s perfect recipe may not please the next.
I love my homemade mayo, I’ve gotten pretty good at it, even though I mess up sometimes. I found that I really like either all sesame oil or coconut sesame blend. You should see my post on how to fix a messed up homemade mayo!
http://thefrickinchicken.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-fix-messed-up-homemade.html
Help! I made your mayo and loved it. I am an ex Hellman’s fan and yours was as good–better because of what is (and isn’t) in it. But I forgot to put my last batch in the frig @ the 7 hours and it sat out all night. Can I still safely use it? I did refrigerate it in the morning and left it there awaiting your answer!
I can’t tell you what to do because if something would happen I would feel terrible! All I can say is if it were my mayo and my eggs from a local farm that I know has chickens out running around, then I’d eat it with no concerns. If it was made with grocery store eggs, I would recommend tossing it for sure. (I’d never eat raw grocery store eggs anyway.)
How cold is your kitchen?
If it maintains the same temperature as the rest of the house and is fairly warm, like more than 65 degrees, I think I’d ditch it especially if it was made with store bought eggs. You’re talking 7 hours PLUS another 6-8 hours? I think that’s too long even for good eggs.
I just made mayo last night, but I used pastured eggs from my local Farmer’s Market supplier who I trust. My kitchen is unheated and it was into the low 40s last night so I figure the kitchen was in the 50s. I’m keeping mine as it only stood out in the unheated kitchen for 7 hours but it is refrigerated now and will remain so.
I’ve left it out overnight and it was fine. What I did is try a bit and it tasted fine. I guess I like to gamble. It was with pastured eggs and quite a bit of whey (the full 1 T.), which may have helped preserve it.
Thank-you everyone! I did use pastured eggs but the kitchen was warm from cooking so … Hate to throw such a good batch (plus labor!) away but bet I don’t do that again!
looks good. I was thinking about trying homemade mayo this week. Now I don’t have to seek out a recipe. Thanks.
this might be a stupid question… but you dont cook the yolks?? isnt that unsanitary? the kind at the store isnt uncooked, right?
Brenda, if you can get pastured eggs, and you know you’re supplier (in my case, that’s me
), you can eat eggs that have not been cooked or pasteurized. Since we raise our own chickens, we always eat them raw in smoothies, mayo, etc. We don’t wash ours either as long as they’re aren’t filthy. We store them on the counter because of this. None of us have gotten sick from the eggs 
Congratulations!! I’m a big fan of the Hellmann’s taste too, so I’m excited to give this a whirl…and then I’ll hopefully have enough confidence for a batch of homemade Japanese Mayo.
Brenda, it’s not a stupid question, it’s actually a common and very good question. Here’s the post I wrote on the topic: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/are-raw-eggs-safe-to-eat-real-food-wednesday.html
Well thank you for the link on raw eggs, as that is what has always held me back in making homemade Mayonnaise!:)
Yum!
What about using sunflower oil? That’s what I’ve been using to make NT recipe, but like you said, it’s not like Hellmanns. But what about Miracle Whip? Has anyone come up with a close recipe for that? If so, please pass it on.
Sarah (healthy home economist) uses sunflower oil, but I’ve always used sesame oil with good results.
For Miracle Whip, I wonder if adding more sugar would do the trick?
Aargh! I have made mayo twice i the pat week and both times it did not turn out. I have never had a problem before. The first time it never emulsified and I think my ingredients may have been two cold. But his time i am not sure what went wrong. I got to the point where I needed to add whey. It looked great. It was thick in the blender and not liquidy, well then I went to the fridge and got my whey and added it. They mayo turned to liquid the second I turned my blender on. Could the cold of less than a Tb of whey do that? The mayo was still warm from all the blending. Now I have a large pitcher (I was doubling it since I needed to make ranch dressing and have some mayo on hand) of liquid. Iwill try to rescue it later if possible, but I am out of my good eggs grrr.
I suppose I am partly to blame as I have not made this before and should have read other recipes. I needed a beginner’s recipe. I read this and went with it. Also, my blender has no really slow speed, so I should have used a wire whisk with a bowl. I did not know you needed to thicken with just a tiny bit of oil and then pour in slowly; I just thought it would all happen. I followed the directions exactly. Three egg yolks when in the blender end up on the side of the blender. Pouring in the oil slowly was not a problem I spent forever doing it. But, I think that the eggs being on the side of the blender just blended the oil and a little bit of the yolk. Nothing was happening as far as thickening, but I followed directions. I now have a disgusting looking runny mess. Sigh. Looking at other recipes, I can see where there should be instructions for those of us who have not done this before. I thought perhaps it would thicken in the fridge. I wasn’t thinking, as I was relying on instructions. I know better now. I will try this again with a bowl and a wire whisk now. That oil is expensive.
Susan, sorry you’re having trouble! Do you have a stick blender? Mine comes out EVERY time now since I began using that.
Kelly
Susan,
Don’t throw out your “bad” mayo! I figured out a way to save it.
http://thefrickinchicken.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-fix-messed-up-homemade.html
No, I don’t have a stick blender. But I can see now why one is important. From what I read, whisking works, too. So, I will try that. I am going to try “How To Fix Messed Up Mayo” from the link above. I will keep at it, anyway.
Hello – I came across this page while I was searching for homemade mayo recipes. I really want to try this one, but I’m confused about the whey. Where can I get real whey to use for this recipe, if I don’t make it at home??
Thanks!
Katie
Hi Katie,
First of all, you don’t HAVE to use whey in this recipe, but I like to so that it adds some healthy bacteria and makes it extra good for us.
I don’t know of a place to buy whey, but it’s so easy to hang at home and drain the whey from yogurt! You can get whole milk yogurt at the store and hang that to drip out the whey, too, you don’t have to make your own yogurt. You can see how easy it is here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/04/how-to-make-raw-milk-yogurt-cream-cheese.html
Kelly
Oh, ok! Sorry I am new to this whole eating healthy REAL foods
I’d like to try it with the whey… just to make it extra healthy. My boyfriend looooves mayo, so I’m going to try to sneak in as many healthy ingredients as I can hehe. I plan to start making my own yogurt soon… I just found a small dairy not too far from home that produces certified Grade A organic raw milk, so hoping to get some of that soon. In the meantime, I’ll go pick up some yogurt and try to get the whey from that, with your instructions.
I’m so happy I came across your blog, I went ahead and subscribed. It looks like such a great resource for those of us who are just learning how to eat right!
Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you found your way here, too! Let me know how your mayo comes out, and don’t forget to use a stick blender, that way it comes out great every time.
Kelly p.s. Everyone feels overwhelmed at first!
Update on my adventures in mayo making: my first attempt did NOT work out! First, I somehow missed the part about starting with room-temp eggs… mine were straight out of the fridge. I used the stick blender for the first time.. and it was really hard to hold it while pressing the button to run it and somehow drip 1/2 cup oil into a little mason jar around it. Alot of the oil ended up on the counter, and the blender kept getting REALLY hot so I had to keep stopping.
I had this brilliant idea to use olive oil I had from a local olive mill that was pressed with meyer lemons… instead of lemon juice or vinegar. I used half of that olive oil and 1/2 Spectrum refined coconut oil. Everything else, I followed from your directions… whey and all. Well, what I ended up with was a slimy eggy oily gross blob! Haha
So I followed cheeseslave’s advice in the posts above and tried to save it by slowly whisking it into a room temp egg yolk. The result seemed kind of promising, only it turned into a sauce instead of a mayo-like spread. I thought if I put it in the fridge it might firm up a little bit, but it turned hard instead of whippy like mayo. And I think because of the strength of the lemon flavor in the mayo and the added sugar (I used organic evaporated cane sugar since I didn’t have palm sugar), it tastes more like something I’d want to eat in a dessert.. almost like lemon bar filling!
So then I took out my jar of Trader Joe’s organic mayo (which luckily I still have!), thinking it can’t be THAT bad to make it worth the effort of home-made mayo. After all, it IS organic, and all of the TJ’s brands are supposed to be GMO-free. And I read the ingredients, for the first time.
Well, they use soybean oil, which I don’t understand how it can be gauranteed to be organic and GMO-free when 90% of this country’s soybean crops are GMO. How can they gaurantee that it wasn’t contaminated?
And also, the more I research I do, I am finding that I want to avoid anything soy related, like it’s the plague! Especially since I am a woman of child-bearing age and would like to get married and have kids in the next couple of years.
I see so many women my age (late 20′s) struggling to conceive (including my sis-in-law, right now) and it scares me! The last thing I want is some plant estrogen messing with my system!
So, for that peace of mind, I will keep trying to make my own healthy mayo! I will try it again next weekend! Maybe I will go buy the sesame oil… and use definitely NOT use the lemon flavored olive oil! Haha Live and learn…
One question… is coconut sugar the same as palm sugar?
Thanks,
Katie
Katie,
First of all, yes, I’m pretty sure that coconut sugar and palm sugar are the same.
Next, I know why your mayo got hard in the frig, it’s because you used coconut oil! Coconut oil gets hard below a certain temp.
Try it next with room temp eggs and no coconut oil and I’ll bet you’ll nail it!
Kelly
I’ve been making your mayo for close to a year now. It’s been fun to find the quirks (yes, you need a stick blender; be careful not to get any egg whites in it, etc). How long will lacto-fermented mayo keep in the fridge? How do I know when it’s gone bad? Do I just do a sniff test?
BTW – I found that when making multiple batches of mayo, it works best to do each batch IN ITS OWN JAR. Do one round of mayo completely, then wash the immersion blender in hot SOAPY water. Otherwise the oils will cling to the blender and cause the next round to not emulsify properly.
Do let me know about the shelf life … don’t want to make myself sick.
Great tips!! I don’t know for sure on the shelf life, I just do what you said, smell it, or eye it. If it smells or looks bad, it probably is!
I love all of this information and the fact that everyone is sharing their success and failures. So here’s one of mine…the recipe below is the one I used except I used grapeseed oil instead of sunflower oil because that is what I had. The first time I made this (the stick blender method) it worked great! The second time, it didn’t emulsify at all. It was mixed, but terribly runny. So I put it in the fridge to try to figure out what to do with it the next day. In the morning, I took the jar out and thought, “Why not try again. If it doesn’t work, nothing lost.” So I tried again with the stick blender, and it worked! I don’t know if it just needed to chill a bit or what. But the resulting mayo was delish! I don’t know if this would work with a blender, or Magic Bullet, tho it couldn’t hurt to try. Thanks!
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk (room temp)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbs lemon juice
3/4-1 cup oil (a mix of extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed sunflower oil)
a generous pinch of sea salt
Kelly,
I had been looking around the web for a good recipe for homemade mayonaise when I found this page.
I just made your recipe using two egg yolks, 1 Tbls lemon juice, 1/16th tsp stevia (the good stuff) and 1/2 tsp sea salt. I was going to put mustard in but forgot to take some out of the refrigerator to warm up so I didn’t use any.
I have always used Hellman’s mayonaise since childhood and had switched to their ‘healthier’ line made with olive oil. I usually read labels but just kind of trusted the brand. Then I find out they use soybean oil in the product.
I have low Thyroid and I steer clear of soy period. I try to stay away from all the GMO stuff as well.
I use an immersion blender and the first two times I tried were complete failures. Then I added the salt ‘before mixing and bingo, all is well.
You can now call me the newest ‘homemade mayonaise junkie’.
Thank you for a great article and I will be checking out the rest of this site and your other site as well.
Thanks,
Ernie Hodge
Hi Ernie, thanks for that great feedback! I had a bomb the other day and now I wonder if maybe I hadn’t added the salt yet??? It was frustrating, but then the next time I nailed it (and oooh, it’s so tasty!), I was extra excited!
Thanks again,
Kelly
I finally found a mixture of oils I can tolerate!
I use 3/4 sesame oil and 1/4 peanut oil. Anything else tastes too strongly of the oils for me to want to use.
I had a bomb last time I made it, though, not sure what I did, but it didn’t emulsify. Everything was room temp, I used an immersion blender, etc. So I waited a couple of days (kept that in the fridge), brought it and another egg to room temp, added that yolk, stuck the blender in..and 5 seconds later, had SUPER THICK mayo. Just like Hellman’s! So 4 egg yolks, 1 cup oil, 1.5 tsp water, 1 tbsp whey, pinch salt, pinch pepper, and some prepared mustard (ran out of dry). Perfection!
Kelly,
I decided to try something that I either read on your site or somewhere else about not making a half batch of mayonnaise.
I used half of everything and it worked great. Now I don’t have to throw any out after three or four days.
I just thought your readers might like to know you can make a half batch.
Ernie
I have found that when I use Chaffin Family Orchards olive oil, it is mild enough that I don’t need to cut it with another oil! It tastes pretty good too. It’s the only olive oil I will use anymore.
I love theirs too!!!
I found that Chaffin’s is good, but I recently tried sunflower oil and it was even more mild and closer to what my dh likes. I will try warming the blender bowl first…and I am not sure that I added the whey at the end. Good tips…I’ll be making mayo this coming week.
Just thought I would throw my two bits in here too.
) As I am uncomfortable with the idea of using sunflower oil (too much Omega 6), straight coconut oil made it too solid, and all olive oil is too strong tasting, after much experimentation, I have finally come up with what works for us and we think tastes really good. It is basically a three way mix of olive oil, coconut oil and walnut oil. I also use raw honey instead of sugar. The NT recipe calls for dijon mustard which I don’t have, so I use regular yellow mustard, a tiny bit more honey, and a little bit of horseradish as a substitute for the dijon. I use lemon juice not vinegar. And I use 2 whole eggs. Not sure why everyone only wants to use the yolks. Using the whole egg still seems to work just fine. Also, as I don’t have any whey, I havn’t used it. Shelf life for our mayo is still very, very long. Anyway, the texture is great and it gets just hard enough without being too hard after being stored in the fridge since the coconut oil is only 1/3 of the oil mix. So that is our variation. I am thinking of adding some different herbs or spices just for fun. Maybe some rosemary? or perhaps some basil?
Ooooh, those herbs would be really good I’ll bet!
Here’s more on why you may want to stick with just raw egg yolks: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/are-raw-eggs-safe-to-eat-real-food-wednesday.html
Kelly
You can never go back to store-bought once you make it homemade!
I have never been a mayo girl. I grew up on Miracle Whip and still love it, however, I would like to find a recipe that I could make homemade that would give me that same flavor that I loved as a kid.
Jackie, you could make this and just add a little more sugar and it would be DARN close to Miracle Whip. I used to love Hellmanns, but now I love mine a LOT more.
Jeanmarie, I totally agree!
I LOVE using sunflower oil for homemade mayo..
I haven’t ordered any Chaffin’s evoo yet but I will try it. I have tried a variety of oils: sesame, macadamia nut, olive, coconut, grapeseed (after I learned how high in Omega 6 it was I made it into furniture polish instead), avocado. I usually mix 2-3 kinds of oil. I haven’t found exactly the right mix yet. Time for more experimentation! We just made lacto-fermented salsa this afternoon. Soon I’ll tackle ketchup…
How long will the mayo keep in the fridge? Also, will the recipe work without the whey?
Can I send my kid to school with homemade mayo in his lunch? (He’s gonna be quiting school lunches and start taking GAPS lunches Monday.)
BTW, I wasn’t liking my homemade mayo too much (NT) then came across your recipe, saying it was close to Hellman’s/Best Foods – my favorite. So your’s is the recipe I use now and my family actually likes it.
I wanted to weigh in on palm or coconut sugar, I found this article a while back and so decided not to use it. http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_palm_sugar.htm
Also, I looked up the nutritional info on it and it is not that different from cane sugar, mostly sucrose. Of course you want to buy a good quality natural cane sugar, but if you do it’s actually better than most things people use to substitute, like honey or maple syrup or agave since those things are higher fructose than can sugar.
On the mayo issue, I couldn’t find where you said what olive oil to use that would be mild enough? I’ve tried it with plain mayo and I do not use any oils that are not saturated besides evoo. I have just gone to using sour cream instead of mayo. I even use it in potato salad and nobody can tell the difference!
The live whey helps preserve the mayo, but more importantly, live whey is a super food.
Jennifer, yes to what Paul said. If you don’t have any it’s still fine, but won’t have some probiitucs that are extra good for you. Not sure how long it keeps though, it doesn’t last long around here!
Coreen, yes on the lunch! And I’m glad you love it, me too, I could almost eat it off a spoon!
I have to try this, my last attempt was a miserable failure
Great, thank you! He’s taken it for 2 days now and hasn’t gotten sick yet.
I DO it eat it off a spoon – haha! 
Glad the immersion blender worked for you – I LOVE that method! Far less cleanup too – just the “stick” part of the blender.
One note of caution – once you put the egg, oil, salt, sugar, whatever in the jar, give it awhile (at least 30 minutes) to “settle” and separate. For some reason, it has only turned out badly (didn’t set) when I didn’t give it awhile before blending.
Oooh, I so want to try this – but I’m nervous. Is that silly?
I am excited that you like Hellman’s so I know we’re on the same mayonaisse page.
How long should this stay in the fridge and still be okay?
Rebecca,
Once you nail it, wait ’til you see how excited you are then, LOL!
I just used some tonight in chicken salad that had been in the frig for a couple weeks and it was still great. The whey helps.
Kelly
FOR THIS PURPOSE I asked for and received a cuisinart stick blender for Christmas last year. For 8 lovely months I whipped up the mayo, making broccoli-bacon salads, tuna, it was bliss.
In September, I changed NOTHING. Same ingredients. Refined olive oil from Costco. raw ACV. RealSalt. lemon juice. evap cane juice. Things are all room-temp
I have ruined probably 8 consecutive batches since then. Are the planets out of alignment? Is there some new cell phone tower and EMF flowing through my house? Do I need to anoint my posts and lintels with oil?
It seems to begin to emulsify properly, but then just goes haywire. Air seems to build up (from whence I cannot tell!) in my blender-blade area, and it just turns to soup.
I’m using 1 egg and 1 yolk, a splash of liquids and a dash of salt/sugar. I give this a little mix to start, and then add the oil (much slower than I had to before, even). Should I use more egg/yolk and add the ‘additives’ after the oil? Should I pray (harder)? Because standing there with steam coming out of my ears and kicking in the cupboard doors isn’t working….
Same thing has happened to me! Did you guys see this post: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/09/what-to-do-when-your-mayonnaise-wont-set-how-to-thicken-failed-mayo.html
Kelly
Ok, I have a new theory…
A couple years ago I made mozzarella cheese. It did NOT get stretchy, though it tasted fine and everything. Another blogger who makes cheese said, “sometimes it just won’t stretch.” I researched and read tons of stuff, and then ran across a technical paper for the dairy industry, and it turns out that milk from “late in lactation” will make mozzarella that just stays clumpy. Aha! I was making cheese in October, the milk was from a cow that was just about to go dry.
Today I made mayo again, now that my hens are laying again after their holiday/molt/sabbatical. IT WORKED. I expect things to go well until September, when I will have to add mayonnaise to my list of “seasonal food.”…?
Any thoughts on this? Could free-range eggs be subject to seasonal variations in lecithin (or something) that could cause a difference in mayo-making? I’m all ears!
I have NO idea but that IS an interesting theory, you’ve got my wheels turning……..
EllaJac, I am sorry I just had to laugh because I thought I was reading my own story! After having made perfect mayo before, I now cannot seem to make it anymore
I hate to admit, I think I’ve given up. I thought it might be my stick blender but then just like everything else I think of, that doesn’t make sense because it worked before. Soooo frustrating! Sorry I am of no help, except sympathizing 
Yep, me too. What’s UP with that?
I’ve had a couple of batches lately that didn’t turn out good either. The latest turned out but is not as thick in consistency.
Could it maybe be the temperatures are colder this time of year and that is making a difference?
I’m going to try ‘gently warming’ my olive oil the next batch and see if that helps. I’ll come back and let everyone know if it does help or not.
I’ve noticed that quite a few people have said they don’t like the taste of olive oil. If you get Bertolli Classico Mild Taste you might find it is OK. We buy it at Sam’s Club in a 3 Liter bottle for a great price.
Well, warming the oil first didn’t work. I had a batch go South today and tried the fix on this post:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/09/what-to-do-when-your-mayonnaise-wont-set-how-to-thicken-failed-mayo.html
It taxed my stick blender a little but worked great. Of course now I have more mayo than I can eat in a week so my wife said she would make extra tuna salad and egg salad this week.
Hi Kelly,
I was recommended to your site by the local branch of the Weston A. Price Foundation regarding mayonnaise. I have been making mayonnaise based on the NT and the Eat Fat, Lose Fat books and am so glad to find a recipe here!
My question is regarding the length of time to leave the mayo with whey out. The last batch I was only able to leave it out for 6 hours because it was bedtime. Is the magic number for the hours that they whey sits 7 for longevity or would 6 hours be good but be good for a shorter period of time? I suppose this is a chemistry question.
Thanks!
Hmmm, that’s a good question, I think it has something to do with giving it enough time for the beneficial bacteria to do it’s lacto-fermenting thing. (Do you like my highly scientific lingo?)
I’ll see if I can find out on Facebook and get back with you…
Kelly
It’s probably not “correct” but I usually let it sit until it’s “fluffy” (ie, the little bacterias have eaten up the sugar and given off CO2) it usually takes between five and eight hours for me, depending on how warm it is in my house. Like I said I’m a total newbie at all of this, and I’ve never read it anywhere, but this is what works for me. I wouldn’t go longer than about 8 hours though…
oh, also, if you are looking for a divine treat, use bacon fat to make it. Mmmmm baconaise!
I’m lucky enough to live near Chaffin Orchards and their late harvest oil works well for mayonnaise. Even so, it’s too strong for my family so I cut it half and half with unrefined organic sunflower oil using the NT recipe. I’ve never had it fail, but I do use part raw vinegar instead of all lemon juice. I’ll have to try adding a little palm sugar, although I like it just the way it comes out now. And yes, Kelly, the 7 hours on the counter is to give the bacteria time to work (they don’t like working in the cold – neither do I).
Whew! I tried making mayo before with the stick blender and it was a complete flop. This time I warmed everything up before, and it was a complete success! I added the vinegar at the very end, and it did lighten the color up a bit. Hopefully, everyone will like the taste.
I did it! having read through all these comments, I was quite anxious about creating my own mayonnaise. It was much easier than I expected! I used the room temperature eggs, warmed my bowl, and whipped up the batch in traditional blender. I followed your instructions to a “t”, with the following alterations.
- I used all unrefined sesame oil {mayo has a slightly nutty flavor}
- I used about 1/2 TB vinegar and 1/2 TB lemon juice
- I put in 4 {heaping} tsp. of whey based on Cheeseslave’s comments {my whey comes from Brown Cow Cream Top Yogurt}
- I only used 3/4 c. oil, since my blender starter to bog down at that point
Can’t wait to use it in chicken salad tomorrow! Thanks for suffering through all the hard work and ruined batches!
Yay! So glad it worked for you! It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?
Kel
Didn’t get to read allt he comments but just wanted to say I use 2 whole eggs to make my mayo Kelly and it is therefore quite a bit paler!! Probably a bit more liquid than yours but I love it.
Also, I buy my eggs from the refridgerated section of the supermarket but always store them on the bench and we have NEVER had a problem with our eggs after doing this for probably 2-3 years!!
For whey, you might try whey from milk kefir. Too me, its a lot more lemony and pleasant.
Dear Kelly The Kitchen Kop,
You are my new hero. I have tried so many different mayonnaise recipes that are healthy but taste like the garbage in the store, and this is the only one I have found. It tastes so good! I am making my second batch right now using, 2/3 EVOO, and 1/3 clarified butter because it tastes so good!! Thank you so very much. I now love you,
Andrea
P.S. If you can crack the sourdough thing for me that would be a miracle.
Yahoo!!!!! And hey guess what? The sourdough bread recipe I posted a month or so ago works!!! I wanted to do it once more to be sure be for I tell about it on the blog, but it was good!!
That is awsome!!! I am slowly conquering sourdough after, oh, about a year now, so… I can’t wait to see your recipe!! I just finished eating about (blank) slices of bread slathered in the fresh mayo, and it was heavenly. Thank you. =)
I made this, doubled the recipe and its a great smooth consistency but its a dark caramel color. Is that from the coconut sugar? I kind of did rounded tablespoons of sugar too so it probably has 1 TBSP too many but wondering if this is supposed to be brown.
Yep, that’s normal!
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