Making your own mayonnaise is a great way to observe the process of emulsification—and the result is far superior to the store-bought variety. The key to preparing any emulsion is to add the oil very slowly while whisking constantly and vigorously. In this case, you end up with a creamy concoction in which tiny droplets of oil are suspended in the lemon juice.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
1
1
2
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
PLACE EGG YOLK, MUSTARD, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together until mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. To add the oil, start with one drop at a time and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken; add remaining teaspoon lemon juice, then pour the oil in a very slow, steady stream and continue whisking until all the oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick and emulsified. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
SEPARATING AN EGG
Step 2
Crack the side of a cold egg on a flat surface—not on the rim of a bowl, which could shatter the shell—then use thumbs to pull it apart. Pour the yolk back and forth between the eggshell cups, letting the white run out into a bowl beneath. Then drop the yolk into a separate bowl. Transfer the white to a third bowl before repeating; if any yolk breaks and lands in the first bowl, you won’t have to discard all the whites.
Mayonnaise Tip
Step 3
To fix a broken emulsion (it will appear curdled), put 1 teaspoon of water (cold if it’s a warm emulsion, warm if it’s cold) in a bowl. Whisk sauce into water until it’s smooth and creamy again.