Homemade mayonnaise in minutes – it’s easy with a food processor
Why make homemade mayonnaise?
Anyone asking this question has probably never tried traditional homemade mayonnaise. The taste of the store bought version does not compare. Another great benefit related to making your own lies in the control of the ingredients. You won’t need preservatives, excess sodium, or corn syrup. The next time you’re at your local grocery store, read the ingredient list on the popular varieties. You may be surprised at how long the list is compared to what you need to make your own.
A word about raw eggs
Mayonnaise is traditionally made from raw egg yolks. This is how I do it, but I trust my balls. Mine come from a small local farmer who lets me visit the free range chickens. The farm is clean and all chicken feed is organic and species appropriate. I know this is not a guarantee that they will be free of disease, but it is a risk I am willing to take. If you don’t have the same confidence in your egg provider, consider using pasteurized egg yolks. They are available in most supermarkets.
special equipment needed
You will need a food processor fitted with a multi-purpose blade.
Ingredients
4 small or 3 large egg yolks
1 cup neutral-flavored oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Addresses
Put the egg yolks and mustard in your work bowl. Turn on the food processor and while it is running slowly add the oil through the feed line. I cannot stress this enough, you have to start with a very slow flow or the mayonnaise will break down. What does it mean when it “breaks”? The oil accumulates and does not fully integrate. The result is not appetizing.
Continue running until all the oil has been added. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper. Pulse until combined.
Advice and suggestions
Some good oils to try are peanut, avocado, or canola. They have very neutral flavors that will not overpower mayonnaise. At times, you may want to use a stronger oil for a stronger flavored end product. A great example would be olive oil, which makes a mayonnaise with a very distinctive flavor. Add some freshly grated garlic and you have a delicious dipping sauce, perfect for shrimp or other dipping dishes. Walnut oil or pumpkin seed oil will make a very nutty mayonnaise, which I love to spread on whole grain crackers.
The best food processor for mayonnaise
You will want a small to compact model for this task. The bowl of a full-size food processor may be too large for optimal blade contact to occur. There is an easy way around this: double the recipe. Any food processor with a decent motor should have enough power for the task at hand.
Many food processors come with an attachment that fits into the feed slot and controls the rate at which the oil is allowed to spray. This takes all the guesswork out of emulsification (the act of combining two liquids that don’t normally mix easily). For more information on how to find the best food processor, visit Food Processor Reviews.