Mayo Questions: Small and thick...

[Mattapoisett in LA]

When I need to make perfect Mayo, I drag out the food processor. Though, it makes a ton and I end up tossing most of it unless I'm doing something like making lobster salad for 40. I have an immersion blender which makes Mayo with varying degrees of success. The last batch came out with the texture of lightly whipped cream. The recipes I use tend to make close to 2 cups which is still more than I need.

What I would like to be able to do is reliably make 1/2 cup of mayo which is thick in texture without doing it by hand and getting carpel tunnel syndrome. Any suggestions?

[FoodFuser]

Had a house guest last night who was a virgin to mayo makin'.
Gave her simple instructions to the stick blender method.

It's a joy when a student's eyes jolt wide open in the Eureka moment
as did hers as she gently worked stick up the jar.

[FoodFuser]

I will cluster my post here somewhat redundantly
in hopes mayo makers will find ease abundantly
with the methods of we brethren of stick blenders.

All that I can add
is the ease to be had
in a stick blender mayo-made cleanup.

Join the ranks of emulsifiers who surely give thanks
for this use of the tool of stick blender.

Yea, lay down your processers
and deeply glassed blenders
or even the Kitchen Aid or classical hand whisk.

All ye need know
about making of mayo
is contained in this thread,
this tight cluster.

Signed:

FoodFuser, EEE.

Emissary for Ease of Emulsification.

aka Stick Blender Boy.

[Antilope]

Making mayonnaise using a stick (hand) blender:
All ingredients should be room temperature.

1. Break egg into bottom of 1-quart canning jar or other tall narrow jar that allows
you to immerse the mixing blades of a stick blender all the way to the bottom. The
jar should be only slightly wider than the end of the stick blender. This technique
will not work well in a wide bowl, etc.

2. Add all of the other ingredients (spices, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, etc),
except canola oil, on top of the egg, in bottom of jar.

3. Carefully pour 1 cup of canola oil on top of all of the ingredients in the bottom
of the jar.

4. Place mixing blades of stick blender (turned off) all the way to the bottom of
the jar, pressing down over the egg.

5. Turn stick blender on high speed, hold in place at the bottom of the jar for
about 5-seconds, until you see mayonnaise forming under stick blender's mixing
blades.

6. Slowly pull the running stick blender upward until the mixing blades reach the
top of the jar, taking about 5-seconds to go from the bottom of the jar to the top.
Turn off stick blender.

7. The stick blender will turn the oil into mayonnaise as it is pulled slowly to the
top of the jar.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups of mayonnaise.

-------------------------------------------------

Top Secret Hellmann's - Best Food Mayonnaise - ingredients:

1 egg yolk
2 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup canola oil

-------------------------------------------------

Top Secret Miracle Whip - ingredients:

1 egg yolk
5 teaspoons white vinegar
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
pinch paprika
pinch garlic powder
1 cup canola oil

[Cheez62]

I've followed this recipe and method with my immersion blender, and found that it was delicious, and also unbelieveably easy. Note the change in the amount of salt in the recipe at the end of the thread:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sho...

[Will Owen]

That looks like fun - I'm gonna have to try it. That Smart Stick of mine is taking over more and more from both the Osterizer and the Cuisinart …

By the way, I noticed (who could miss it?) the hard sell for that blender on Amazon. Word to the wise: if you have a Bad Breath & Beyond in or near your neighborhood, those perpetual 20% off coupons work on the Cuisinart Smart Sticks too. More or less $25 instead of $30, and you don't have to wait for UPS to bring it!

[Will Owen]

Actually, applying some genuine thought (and memory) to this problem: can one not make smaller batches in a blender? I seem to recall being mightily impressed when a woman with whom I was rapidly Getting Involved made us about a cup of mayo in her mom's blender one day, because I wanted some for the sandwiches she was making and there was none in the fridge. Plop with the egg, squirt with the lemon, glug with the oil and then BZZZZZZZ … of course I was busy blowing out brain cells back then so I could've missed something.

[HillJ]

Exactly what I recommended above, Will Owen. An electric blender makes small batches of mayo beautifully.

[lrealml]

I use my mini food processor. If you don't have one, you can pick one up pretty cheap. I can't image cooking without mine.

[Will Owen]

I've been using the recipe from the book that came with my Cuisinart for about thirty years now, and it makes a cup and a half: one whole egg, one Tbs lemon juice or vinegar, one tsp Dijon mustard, salt, 1 1/4 cup oil. This is plenty thick for me, but if you want it thicker it says to use two yolks instead of the whole egg. What I'm trying to understand is why you need to throw out what you don't use right away, since this stuff does actually keep for a while. Of course I use mayonnaise fairly frequently, and a cup might not last me a week, but if you don't use it for anything but lobster salad (drool!!) I can see your problem. Tell ya what - next time you do that call me up, and I'll come over and take the excess off your hands!

[chefathome]

If you have a mortar and pestle it is very good for this purpose.

[HillJ]

I use a standard blender you plug into the wall :) and make small batches all the time. By removing the small pop out top space in the plastic lid I'm able to drizzle a nice stream of oil as the rest of the mixture blends.

Here's a suggestion using an electric whisk: http://www.justhungry.com/2006/02/bas...

[FoodFuser]

The secret of using the stick blender is to add eggs first along with your ingredients, then oil on top, then push stick blender to the bottom, then turn on and slowly pull up. Also to use a jar whose diameter is just a bit larger than blender's workface.

Take a look at these two threads:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/718813

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/672307

[tim irvine]

Since I use two egg yolks, juice of a lemon, a little Dijon, and a cup of oil I would try one egg yolk and halve everything else by hand.

[todao]

Use an Immersion blender instead of the food processor. It requires fewer ingredients and does a better job.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

At least in my experience it has been the opposite, What is your recipe/ Method?