Mayonnaise Recipe | Sauced

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated August 30, 2018
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Photograph: Vicky Wasik.

Why It Works

  • Adding the oil in small increments ensures the mayo doesn't break.
  • Whisking by hand creates a mayonnaise that's silkier and saucier than one made with a blender or food processor.

I'd like to sell you mayonnaise as another easy DIY condiment—and in truth it is—but I'm writing this just half an hour short of whipping up a batch, and my whisking arm begs to differ. Sure, it takes a little effort to get it going, but learning how to create the lasting emulsion that makes mayo happen is an important cooking technique that you'll use time and again.

It all begins with an egg, which is mixed with lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Then, very slowly, drop by drop, a quarter of the oil is added while whisking, which keeps the emulsion going. At the point where your arm is about the fall off, it finally gets easier when the rest of the oil is able to flow a little faster (but not too fast!).

While it's simple to make in a blender, whisking by hand yields slightly different results: a mayo with a fresh, bright flavor and silkier, saucier, more luxurious texture than bottled or blended varieties. I like to use this as a sauce for roasted and grilled meats and vegetables.

Recipe Details

Mayonnaise Recipe | Sauced

Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 16 servings
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon

  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 cup (235ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Set a medium bowl on a moist towel or rubber trivet to secure the base. Add egg, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic, and whisk to combine. Season with salt.

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  2. While whisking constantly and briskly, begin adding oil one drop at a time. When 1/4 cup of oil has been added, start adding the oil in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk constantly; stop adding oil if too much accumulates in the bowl, only starting again after the excess has been whisked into the creamy sauce that is forming. When all the oil has been added, a thick, silky sauce will have formed. Season with salt.

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  3. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124Calories
14gFat
0gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g18%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 33mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg2%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 7mg0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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