The “Best” Mayonnaise?

Origins

Mayonnaise is a stable emulsion: lots of oil whipped into a small amount of water until a creamy sauce forms. An emulsifier (egg yolk) and stabilizer (mustard) help disperse the oil molecules and then keep them there. Et voila, mayonnaise. The sauce likely has its origin in 18th century France, but it was first commercialized in New York City around 1912 by delicatessen owners Nina and Richard Hellmann. A so-called "mother sauce" in French cooking, mayonnaise is the basis for other emulsified sauces such as tartar sauce, Thousand Island dressing, aioli, and remoulade. Some put it on fries. In America, we mostly like to use mayo on sandwiches and in picnic salads.

Overview

What is the “best” mayonnaise? Is it Hellmann’s? There area regional favorites like Blue Plate and Duke’s and don’t ever argue about which is the best. Top contenders also include Trader Joe’s organic mayo and Sir Kensington’s. They all differ and it comes down to taste, tradition (what you grew up with), and what it is combined with because nobody eats mayo out of a jar. However, if you consider the quality of ingredients, one could on that basis and on the blind taste testing of a diverse group of judges, pick a winner. America already voted and the winner was Hellmann’s, however over time the company has changed the recipe. Can you do better? The answer given by top chefs is YES. Not only can you easily do better at home, but at least a few years ago, when it was written about extensively in top foodie publications, you could make it for half the price of a top brand. There are pros and cons, though. Homemade is pure and contains no additives. Nothing homemade could compete with tossing a jar in your grocery cart for convenience and store-bought mayo will have a much longer shelf life. Important: homemade mayo is typically made in a small batch because, even when stored properly, homemade mayo must be consumed within a few days (some say up to two weeks and it depends on acidity, temperature, and how well sealed your container is). Consuming gone-bad mayo you will regret. Use or toss within one week. This explains why hardly anyone ever makes mayonnaise, even though it is very easy to do. Store-bought mayo also contains stabilizers and texture modifiers, making it fluffy.

What ingredients, specifically? Does it matter?

• Eggs. You will be eating raw egg yolk. If it isn’t pasturized, there is about a 1 in 10,000 risk of salmonella. You have choices. I have read conflicting information, but eggs you buy in a grocery store are USDA approved and unlikely to contain salmonella. Eggs bought from a farm have not been pasteurized.

• Oil: There area many choices but avocado oil is a good choice. Which oils to avoid in general and flavor differences one could write a book about. Canola is not a bad choice for mayo.

• Lemon: Use fresh squeezed, it matters here. NOTE: I have used the juice of Key limes instead of lemons and it is great when making a chicken salad.

How much to make?

You tell me. How much will you use right away? See the amount of oil below for a ballpark figure. You could easily double this recipe. Note that some of it will be difficult to get out of the blender or food processor, so you won’t get the full amount.

Ingredients (48 servings of 2 tsp each)

• 3/4 cup avocado oil

• 1 large egg yolk at room temperature

• 1 1/2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon (or Key lime) juice

• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

• 1/2 tsp ordinary table salt (may be kosher), no salt substitutes

• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

• dash or two of paprika

Directions

1. Crack an egg and separate yolk from white. Discard the white.

2. Add the yolk, lemon juice, salt, and vinegar to a food processor or small blender. (If you don’t have either, use a whisk and add oil with one hand while whisking with the other… difficult)

3. With food processor or blender on high, slowly add the oil one or two drops at a time until mixture starts to thicken… about 30 seconds.

4. Stop food processor and scrape down sides, then cover and restart on high.

5. Pour in the remainder of the oil in a steady stream (but still not all at once) and continue to blend until the mayo reaches a spreadable thickness, one to two minutes at most.

6. Use however many servings you intend immediately and quickly put the remainder in a jar or other container with a tight seal and refrigerate for no more than 1 week and within 3 days is recommended (date the container).