Homemade mayo, much like hollandaise sauce, takes a little practice to get the knack. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle—once you’ve mastered the technique, it’ll be with you for life. Be sure to come prepared, armed with a whisk and some extra patience. It’s really all about whisking continuously as you slowly stream the oil into the egg yolks, little by little, letting the yolks take in every drop of oil. Slow and steady wins the race—this exquisite, delectable, over-the-top-awesome race. From Eat Delicious by Dennis Prescott. Copyright © 2017 by Dennis Prescott. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Slideshow: More Condiment Recipes
How to Make It
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the mustard (see Note). While whisking continuously, slowly stream the oil into the egg yolks a little at a time until completely emulsified. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. A little patience, strength, and ambition are required, friends.
When the mayonnaise has come together and is nice and thick, add the lemon juice, vinegar, and hot sauce and whisk for 30 seconds. Fold in the grated garlic and herbs and season with the salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
Check you out! You just made mayo!! It’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week. If it separates, add 1 to 2 teaspoons water to the mayo and whisk until smooth and combined.
Notes
Set the bowl on a damp cloth for your whisking session. This will help the bowl stay put and make your whisking life much, much easier.
Bonus! You can also make mayo in a food processor. Process the egg and mustard for about a minute, then slowly stream in the oil through the feed tube with the processor running until the mayo emulsifies and thickens beautifully. (If using a Mini-Prep, you can use the two little holes in the top of the lid to drip in the oil.) Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and hot sauce and pulse a few times until combined. Fold in the garlic and fresh herbs, and season with the salt. Sweet!