Mayonnaise

I have tried so many different mayonnaise recipes since I began exploring this real food stuff 6 years ago. Most of the real food mayo recipes use olive oil and I just couldn't get on board with the taste no matter what kind of seasoning I added in. I have tried bacon grease mayonnaise, Mary's oil blend mayonnaise, and just about everyone of my favorite bloggers mayonnaise recipes. I finally started playing around with oils that I had never had in my kitchen before; such as avocado oil and liquid coconut oil, to come up with my go-to mayonnaise.  With all this experimenting I have learned all sorts of great tips and tricks; like using an immersion blender instead of a food processor (or a whisk, but who has time for that) or figuring out that although every recipe requires room temperature eggs if you whip the eggs a little before adding the oil it seems to come out every time.  

I have tried recipes with just egg yolks and recipes with whole eggs and I have read about the many reasons people choose yolks over whole eggs or vice versa. In truth I use whole eggs because it is simpler and because I am either using eggs from my own chickens or other truly pastured eggs, when/if I become pregnant again I will probably use 4 egg yolks instead of two eggs. This recipe is for a larger quantity than most making about 2 1/2 cups of mayo. If I have a recipe that calls for mayonnaise I make this larger size and store the rest for later. If I am only using mayo for sandwiches or as a dip during the week I will cut this back and make only half. The addition of the whey helps the mayonnaise stay fresh and usable much longer than if you skip the whey (and skip letting it culture on the counter for a few hours).

Once I found an oil combination that I could enjoy (not just tolerate) I focused on my seasoning preferences. For me mustard, sea salt, and a little kick are what make the mayo. I can switch out the vinegars or just use all lemon juice and have a lovely mayonnaise but if I skip the sea salt, mustard or a little spice something seems a bit off. If you have never tried making mayonnaise before I encourage you to give it a chance, it is easy and perfectly customizable.

Mayonnaise

2 pastured eggs, raw (room temperature seems to be optional)

1 cup avocado oil

1 cup liquid coconut oil OR MCT oil

1 TBSP Whey

1 TBSP Lemon juice

1 TBSP Vinegar of Choice (usually apple cider vinegar, raw coconut vinegar or white wine vinegar)

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Ground Mustard

1 dash cayenne pepper (or hot sauce if you want your mayo to look more store bought)

Equipment: Quart size mason jar and immersion blender.

Mix the avocado oil and liquid coconut oil together in an easily pourable container. Place eggs and dry ingredients in the mason jar.  Insert the immersion blender and whirl the eggs and seasonings on high for 30 seconds. Add the whey, lemon juice, and vinegar and whirl around until fully blended (just a few seconds). Continue to run the immersion blender on high and slowly pour in the oil, when using the immersion blender the oil can be added at a faster pace than a drip, but not too fast, more like the controlled rate of applying maple syrup in the shape of a smiley face on top of the kids yogurt. Something along those lines. As the oil and eggs emulsify your jar may start to twirl a bit, you can either place your jar on a grip pad (the type used to remove jar lids) or enlist the help of an eager child to hold it still. Your third option would be to pulse the immersion blender as you finish adding the oil. Once done throw on a lid and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours to help it culture, offering a longer shelf life. Store in the fridge up to a month.

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size    1 tablespoon,   Total Servings   40,   Calories    105,   Carbohydrate   0g,   Fiber   0g,   Sugar   0g,   Fat   11g,   Protein   0g (calculations from myfitnesspal.com using the brands in my kitchen, infomation may vary)

Curious about a few of the Mayonnaise Recipes I have tried, here is my journey: Started with the Eat Fat Lose Fat recipe (but couldn't get on board with the Mary's Oil Blend). Moved onto Kelly's Mayo (but the sesame oil was still not right for me). I made the mayonnaise from An Oregon Cottage or the very basic recipe from Health Home & Happiness for a long time but I would buy light olive oil at the store instead of using my super high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but I knew that this wasn't a very high quality and that lots of olive oils are cut with cheaper oils. I experimented with bacon mayonnaise in an attempt to use a better oil, but I use my bacon grease for a ton of other things, so I didn't often have enough on hand to make mayo with and I found the mayo too salty for my taste. I don't remember when I started using an immersion blender or where I first saw that idea, but it just makes my life easier. I love my immersion blender, I use it ALL the time.  (No affiliate links here, it is just the stuff I use)

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Comments

[Amy]

I use a half/half of bacon grease and avocado oil with a whole egg. You are right, it is easiest with the immersion blender.

[Leah Rae Verde]

Amy- hmmm, I may give the bacon grease another chance if I pair it with another oil. Thank you for stopping by.