How to Make Ducal Style Mayonnaise
I perfectly understand how it sounds, but I only eat homemade mayonnaise. This is partly a budget item, partly because of convenience – even in large quantities, mayonnaise is incredibly cheap and easy to make – but taste is more important than anything else. Homemade mayonnaise will always be fresh and best of all you can get from a can.
Except maybe Duke’s. On some level, mayonnaise is mayonnaise, it is mayonnaise: it is just butter emulsified with eggs and vinegar. But on another, perhaps more true level, it’s much more, and the iconic duke’s loyalty to the brand is proof of that.
Since I’ve never lived where Duke’s is sold, I wasn’t able to taste it until my trip to Washington last month. Make no mistake: this is worth the hype. Duke’s is saltier, creamier and much spicier than any other mass-produced mayonnaise I’ve tried, and I totally understand why people go crazy with it. But why is it so good? What trade secrets are hidden in the ingredient list?
At first glance, no. In fact, with the exception of paprika oleoresin (which is a vegetable oil-based food coloring sourced from red pepper) and EDTA, I bet you have them all in your pantry right now.
But let’s take a closer look. When you’re dealing with something as simple as mayonnaise, the choice of each ingredient makes a huge difference to the result, and that’s definitely true of Duke’s. Every item you see on this list, and at least one you don’t see, has a specific purpose:
- Whole eggs: Separating eggs sucks. Fortunately, this isn’t necessary here: whole eggs help stabilize the emulsion.
- Soybean (i.e. vegetable) oil: I know from experience that the finished product can taste like rapeseed oil, refined sunflower oil and even grape seed oils. Nothing beats vegetable oil in terms of pure neutrality – don’t take any substitutes.
- White and Cider Vinegars: All white vinegar is also Hellman’s; all the cider is too funky. Duke’s derives its signature scent from a combination of both.
- Salt, but no sugar: Duke’s is the only mass-produced mayonnaise that is sugar-free. I think this is more than anything else, which is why people like it so much.
While the ingredients determine the overall flavor and texture of your mayonnaise, the basic technique never changes – and it’s very simple. With eggs, oil, salt, white and apple cider vinegar, and an immersion blender, you’re less than 5 minutes from your very own Duke’s can.
Duke’s homemade mayonnaise
It tastes almost the same as real, but I prefer the smoother and lighter texture of raw eggs. Commercial mayonnaise uses pasteurized eggs, which increase shelf life and generally produce a thicker end product with greater “wobble”. If you need that hesitation – or you’re worried about Salmonella – you can fully pasteurize the eggs at home , although I can’t say I ever worried.
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon if you’re crazy about salt)
- 2 pinches of sweet peppers (not hot or smoked)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions:
Choose a 2–3 cup high-sided container and make sure it fits into your blender head. Once you are satisfied that this is the case, split the egg and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Without stirring, pour all the butter straight on top, then leave the mixture alone for about 30 seconds to completely separate.
Insert the blender head straight in so that it rests on the bottom of the container. Let the mixture settle again, this time for just a few seconds – you want the oil and liquid to separate completely until you turn on the blender.
Without moving the blender, turn on the power. Do not move the blender for at least ten seconds: the vortex created by the blades will gradually draw the oil into the liquid, emulsifying on its own. When the bottom of the mayonnaise thickens and turns pale yellow, slowly rock the blender from side to side to add more oil to the emulsion. Finally, pull the blender up and down as if you were making a puree soup until all the butter is combined and the mayonnaise is thick and creamy.
Knock and scrape whatever is on the blades back into the container, stir everything and taste: it should be creamy, very spicy and well salted. If you feel the balance is out of balance, gradually add a small amount of oil, vinegar, or salt to taste. Don’t worry – if you don’t add a quarter cup of oil right away, it won’t break.
Congratulations! You just made mayonnaise – and not just mayonnaise. Like the Duke, this salty, spicy homemade version is far superior to anything in the can.