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UPDATE: You can find our instructional video on how to make mayonnaise here.

Like many of the mother sauces, a well made mayonnaise is the base to an endless possibility of cold, emulsified sauces. Although now days there are many good quality commercial mayonnaise available, understanding how to make a mayonnaise is basic knowledge that every cook or chef should have. Not to mention, that with the selection and use of high quality products, fresh made mayonnaise can have a far superior flavor to that of its commercial counterparts.

Some Guidelines for Making Mayonnaise

• Use a blender, food processor or a stand-top mixer with a whisk attachment. Not only will it ensure that your arm doesn’t fall off from hand whisking, but the shearing power of these devices is capable of breaking the oil into much smaller droplets, making a more stable emulsion.

• Have both your egg yolks and oil at room temperature before starting. It will make the emulsification process much easier.

• Use the freshest eggs possible, preferably organic from a farmer’s market. If cooking for children or the elderly, pasteurized egg yolks are always recommended.

Standard Ratio for Mayonnaise

At it’s most basic level, mayonnaise is simply a neutral oil emulsified into egg yolks. The ratio for a basic mayonnaise is:

• 1 yolk per 1 cup of neutral oil (canola, safflower, grape seed).

Although many classical recipes call for the addition of other ingredients, egg yolks and oil are all you need to make a mayonnaise. Some additional ingredients that are used to season mayonnaise are:

• Vinegar

• Salt

• Pepper (usually white)

• Dry Mustard

• Cayenne Pepper

• Lemon Juice

Standard Recipe For 2 Cups of Mayonnaise

1. 2 egg yolks

2. 1/2 table spoon of vinegar

3. 1/2 teaspoon salt

4. 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

5. Small Pinch cayenne

6. 2 cups Salad Oil (canola preferred)

7. 1 Tablespoon Vinegar

8. 1-2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

• Put ingredients 1-5 into a blender, food processor or KitchenAid with a whisk attachment and mix well.

• Very slowly at first, start streaming in your oil, a little at a time until your emulsification starts to form.

• Use the 1 tablespoon of vinegar to thin the mayonnaise if it starts to become too thick before the emulsification is complete.

• Once all the oil is incorporated into egg yolks and the mayonnaise is finished, it should be thick enough to be turned upside down without the mayonnaise coming out of the mixing container.

• Adjust the final seasoning with the lemon juice, salt and pepper (white, cayenne or black pepper depending on preference).

What’s The Difference Between Mayonnaise and Aioli

A common question asked is what’s the difference between mayonnaise and aioli. Now days, the term aioli has been bastardized by some chefs to be synonymous with any flavored mayonnaise. However, there is an exacting classical distinction between mayonnaise and aioli.

The difference between mayonnaise and aioli is the simple fact that aioli is made with extra virgin olive oil and has the addition of crushed garlic. So to make aioli, follow the standard recipe above, but instead, substitute the canola oil for extra virgin olive oil and add 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic to the egg yolks during the blending/beating process.

The simplified ratio for Aioli is:

• 1 egg yolk + 1 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic = Aioli.

• This ratio can be seasoned with lemon juice, salt and pepper to yield a simple and traditional Aioli.

Mayonnaise Based Sauces

As stated before, mayonnaise is a great base to use for making other unique sauces. One of my all time favorite cook books “Charcuterie” by Michael Rhulman and Brian Polcyn, makes these suggestions:

• For Pork try adding some cumin, cayenne and lime juice.

• For Fish add saffron and garlic.

• For Chicken add lemon juice and tarragon.

• For Beef add a little fresh horse radish (I would also recommend some fresh chopped chives).

Another very traditional mayonnaise based sauce is Remoulade which is traditionally served with fish. To make a traditional remoulade you will need:

• 2 Cups of Mayonnaise

• About 1 tablespoon of good Dijon

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cornichons (Tiny, French, Sweet Pickles)

• Tablespoon chopped capers

• 1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons chopped parsey

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chervil

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Mix all ingredients together and serve with fish. This is a great dipping sauce for fish and chips!

To make other mayonnaise based sauces, start with 2 cups of freshly made or neutral store bought mayonnaise and add:

• Thousand Island Dressing: 1/2 cup chili sauce, 1/2 ounce minced onion, 1 ounce finely chopped green pepper, 1 ounce drained pimiento.

• Louis Dressing: same as Thousand Island with the addition of 1/2 cup heavy cream.

• Russian Dressing: 1/2 cup chili sauce or catsup, 1 ounce fresh horseradish, 1.2 ounce minced onion.

• Chantilly: 1/2 cup of heavy creamed whipped until a stiff peak and added in just before service.

• Blue Cheese Dressing: substitute one cup of mayonnaise for one cup of sour cream (optional but really good), add 1 ounce white vinegar, /2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 4 ounces crumbled bleu cheese; thin with 1-2 cups heavy cream, half and half or buttermilk.

• Ranch Dressing: 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 ounces wine vinegar of your choice, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1/2 ounce Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 1-2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 scallion (green onion) finely chopped, 2 teaspoons celery seed.