DIY: From-scratch Mayonnaise
We have such an affinity for DIY recipes – there’s something so satisfying about being able to create something at home that you previously would have only ever thought about purchasing at a grocery store. While we've churned out things like peppermint patties, Cheez-Its, Klondikes, Nutella, and even fish sticks, the one area we haven’t delved into much is condiments. You know this Pittsburgh girl has no interest in an alternative to Heinz ketchup, but we have been wanting to try our hand at mayonnaise, both because we always thought it would be satisfying to make our own, and also because of all the different variations that we could make on a small scale.
It took us a few tries, but we finally mastered from-scratch mayonnaise and it was just as memorable as we had hoped it would be!
This was one of those recipes that necessitated three tries before we struck gold. We attempted multiple recipes, used a food processor, a blender, and in the end the winning combination was a slightly adapted recipe from Alton Brown, a bowl, a whisk and some elbow grease. After all of our previous attempts ended in oily eggs, doing it by hand yielded a evenly emulsified mayonnaise. It took some patience, but it was 100% worth it. We love opening the refrigerator and staring at the jar, still amazed that we were able to do it!
We're thrilled to add another store-bought item to our list of DIY recipes that we have conquered!
Three years ago: Salted Espresso Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Four years ago: White Bean and Garlic Scape Dip
From-scratch Mayonnaise
Yield: 1 heaping cup Making your own mayonnaise is simple and rich!- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 2 pinches granulated sugar, optional
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, can sub apple cider or rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup (216 ml) light olive oil
- In a large glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard, sea salt and sugar (if using).
- In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk half of the vinegar mixture into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Start whisking briskly, then begin adding the oil a few drops at a time, until the liquid begins to thicken and lighten a bit. Once you reach that point, continue whisking while you add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Once half of the oil has been incorporated, whisk in the remaining vinegar mixture. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated.
- Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
Note: If you have an aversion to raw eggs or are pregnant, substitute pasteurized eggs. You can usually find these in regular grocery stores; Davidson's is a popular pasteurized brand. Nutritional values are based on the whole recipe
- Yield: 1 heaping cup
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Total: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) fine sea salt
- 2 pinches granulated sugar, optional
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, can sub apple cider or rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup ( 216 ml ) light olive oil
Method
- In a large glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard, sea salt and sugar (if using).
- In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk half of the vinegar mixture into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Start whisking briskly, then begin adding the oil a few drops at a time, until the liquid begins to thicken and lighten a bit. Once you reach that point, continue whisking while you add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Once half of the oil has been incorporated, whisk in the remaining vinegar mixture. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated.
- Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then refrigerate for up to 1 week.
