Whisks at the Ready! You're Making Homemade Mayo

Yes, everybody makes basic cooking mistakes. Like, say, something as simple as overcooking mushrooms or toasting grains and spices. Below, reader Leigh Ramert Batten confesses an oily mess of an aioli to associate food editor Rick Martinez. Here’s Martinez's advice for making sure it never happens again. Welcome to Effed it Up.

Dear Leigh,

It sounds like you may have gotten a little impatient and poured in too much oil at the end, and unfortunately, you can't rush science. Those surfactants will win every time. A surfactant is the scientific name for an emulsifier, a.k.a. something that binds water and oil molecules together and keeps them from separating like an cheap vinaigrette. The simple truth is you have to pour slowly and whisk quickly. If you pour too much too quickly, the emulsion will break and you will be left with something that looks like scrambled eggs floating in an oil slick. Gross!

But, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: Every good cook has had an oily, messy mayo moment (or three). It takes a while to get the technique right. But, with a little forearm strength for some serious power-whisking, you'll be the master of the creamiest mayo and aioli in town.

First, the basics. What is the difference between mayonnaise and aioli? Mayonnaise, as Larousse Gastronomique puts it, is "a cold emulsified sauce consisting of yolks and oil blended together." Aioli is an emulsified sauce that must contain garlic and olive oil. The name aioli even means "oil and garlic" in Catalan and Provençal. Technically speaking, a mayonnaise can be an aioli (if it has garlic and olive oil) and an aioli can be a mayo (if it has a yolk). Now, most recipes and cooks consider a looser, more sauce-like garlicky emulsion with olive oil an aioli; neutral oil and no garlic are signs it's a mayonnaise.

For our purposes, we were going to use one technique to make both. I used to have to make gallons (g-a-l-l-o-n-s!) of aioli and mayo every week when I worked in restaurants. We used a Robot Coupe (an industrial food processor) and a Hobart (a colossal standing mixer) to make it. But, for the home cook, unless you are making a quart or more, appliances just won't work. One egg yolk in a food processor or blender is going to rest too low below the blades and miss all the action. Using a bowl and whisk is still the best method. (Though, if you're worried about getting Popeye forearms, a hand mixer will do the trick.)

It's important that you secure your bowl before you do anything else. Most recipes will tell you to use a damp towel to create a doughnut-shaped ring for the bowl to sit in. No one in the BA Test Kitchen endorses this method. After a quick survey, there are three techniques we swear by.

1) The Standing Mixer Method. The most secure bowl is the one in your stand mixer. Just raise the motor and start whisking.

2) The Damp Towel and Pot Method. The second best option is to place a damp towel on the counter, place a small pot on top of it, and then cover that pot with second towel. Place your bowl inside the pot and begin whisking.

3) The Lean. The last method is the least secure, but it's the way I used to emulsify on-the-fly when I was on the line. Using your body, press the bowl under the lip of the counter to hold the bowl in place. It looks cool and it'll make you feel like a boss.

The shape of the bowl and the whisk are surprisingly important to making good mayo. You need a wide bowl with sides that slope sharply and a flat bottom.

Then, you emulsify the ingredients. Because oil and water naturally repel one another, you'll need an emulsifier, like an egg yolk, to prevent the contents from separating. When the emulsifier breaks down, part of it bonds with the water and the other bonds with the oil—and the whole mixture appears as if its silky smooth. The trick is to keep the mixture moving so that both sides of the emulsifier really do bind: That is the job of the whisk. Do not use a small whisk. If you do, I guarantee you'll be whisking all night. A large balloon whisk is the best tool for the job.

Now try this: For mayo, whisk two egg yolks, 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. dijon mustard, ¾ tsp. kosher salt and a large pinch cayenne pepper (spicy mayo!) in a medium bowl until completely combined. The mixture should be creamy. Whisking constantly, add 1 cup vegetable oil, drop by drop at first, then ¼ tsp. at a time, as mixture emulsifies and thickens. Do not add the oil too quickly or the mayo will break and the oil will separate. Whisk until all oil is incorporated and mayo is stiff and holds it shape. Season with additional salt and lemon juice to taste and serve.

For an aioli, whisk an egg yolk, one finely grated garlic clove, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest, and ½ tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl until completely combined. The mixture should be creamy. Whisking constantly, add ½ cup mild olive oil, drop by drop at first, then ¼ tsp. at a time, as mixture emulsifies and thickens. Do not add oil too quickly or aioli will break and the oil will separate. Whisk until all oil is incorporated and aioli is the consistency of sour cream. Season with additional salt to taste and serve.

Get your whisk ready, because that, Leigh, is how you make aioli and mayo that won't separate.

Love,
Rick