How to Make Mayonnaise Without a Mixer
Making mayonnaise isn’t difficult, especially if you have a food processor or immersion blender, but emulsions can be a little tricky without the help of electrical appliances. Since hand beating is a much slower process, especially if you need to take breaks to rest your wrist, patience is key to making sure the mayonnaise doesn’t break, but using whole eggs and Dijon mustard can make things a little less painful.
Mayonnaise is usually made with only the yolk, but since the protein can help stabilize the emulsion, I prefer to use a whole egg if I’m making it without the aid of the ultra-fast mechanical blades. This, combined with the emulsifying slime you get from Dijon mustard , gives you a mayonnaise that’s not nearly as prone to breakdown.
Does this mean that you can drain all the oil at once? No, you still need a little patience, but you won’t ruin the mayonnaise if your stream of oil is a little thick. To make this savory juicy condiment without using a blender, you will need:
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
Add everything except the butter to a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined – the mixture will turn pale and a little frothy. Add a tiny spoonful (just under 1/4 teaspoon) to the mixture and beat well to emulsify. Repeat until you have added about 1/8 cup butter, then add two small scoops at a time, whisking to completely emulsify after each addition.
After you’ve added 1/4 cup butter, the mixture should have lost almost all of its frothy appearance and should now look like a runny sauce. Slowly drizzle a quarter cup of butter, whisking constantly to keep the emulsion from breaking up, occasionally scraping the sides with a whisk. Repeat until all the oil has been added and a thick, glossy mayonnaise is obtained. Refrigerate and use within a week.