Mayo wouldn't thicken! Suggestions?

[Deleted]

I've made mayo many times. This time I doubled the recipe, and the dang stuff wouldn't thicken. I cannot figure out what went wrong. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Kathy]

I'd like to help but I've never made mayo in my life. I don't like the taste of it so it's not something I ever tried making.

Maybe it's like jams, you aren't supposed to double the batch.

Did it separate or does it look like mayo only runny? If it looks like mayo, maybe a little roux would thicken it.
Butter/oil & flour cooked together and whisked into the runny concoction might salvage it for use in something like potato salad.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[kyosa]

Since you've made mayo before I'm sure you know this but just in case. . . Were all of the ingredients at room temperature? Cold stuff won't work. Do you whisk yours by hand or use a handheld blender?

[Deleted]

I don't know how big your batch was, but I have a recipe that uses 3/4 cup oil and I can double that to 1.5 cups oil, but no more. More than that and it just won't come together right.

Something I've heard of but not tried yet is to put a fresh (room temp as Darryl mentioned) egg yolk into a clean bowl and pour the runny mayo in while processing (whisking, blending, whatever your method is), and that will sometimes save it, so I've heard.

~Lannie

[Deleted]

The total amt of oil when I doubled the recipe was 2 cups. The runny stuff looked like egg nog. The eggs were at room temp. I use a blender that looks like a pitcher with the little blades in the bottom. It sits on a base where the speed controls are located. Maybe I added the oil too fast....

Anyway, I ended up dumping it all and the next day made the regular batch size and it turned out fine....

[Deleted]

Memaw, it might have been too big a batch for your blender. I have a note on my recipe that the original size batch will be OK in the blender, but the double size won't work in there - have to use the KitchenAide. Since the blender's so messy, I've not used it in a long time, and I truly can't remember now if the problem was that it wouldn't thicken or if it was something else.

Also, yes, the speed at which you add the oil has a huge bearing on whether your mayo will come out right or not. I've never tried Darryl's method, but it sounds like his is much easier, just putting all the ingredients including the oil together and using a hand held sumbersible (are those called wands?) blender. I have one of those, so Darryl, if you could clarify your method a little, I for one would LOVE to try it out. Anything that saves time for me is a good thing! LOL! And standing there drizzling oil into the mix as sloooowwwwly as I can is totally against my nature! I want to do everything FAST!

~Lannie

[kyosa]

<< I have one of those, so Darryl, if you could clarify your method a little, I for one would LOVE to try it out. Anything that saves time for me is a good thing! LOL! And standing there drizzling oil into the mix as sloooowwwwly as I can is totally against my nature! I want to do everything FAST! >>

Yup! The Bamix book that recipe comes from says that the time from starting the mixer to completed mayo should take 20 seconds or less. I think it works best to use a tall container that's as small in diameter as possible. My mixer came with a couple of containers, but I'm sure a quart jar would work just fine. Put the egg in first so it's at the bottom of the container. I put the rest of the ingredients except the oil in next so they get well-mixed with the egg. I add the oil last . With the mixer off put the 'business end' at the bottom of the container, then start and run it in place without moving it for a count of 12. That's to mix the egg and other ingredients well. Then kinda slowly lift up to near the top of the oil and back down as many times as necessary to incorporate the oil. Quick & easy! Most hand-held mixers have a round disc-shaped blade with about six little half-round 'cups' on it. Here's what mine looks like:



I think I tried the regular blade thingie (that's a technical term, sorry!) once and it didn't work for me so if you have the cup-blade use that.

[Deleted]

I think all I have is the regular blade that sort of resembles a standard blender blade. I know it doesn't have anything that you could call a "cup." Your picture didn't come through but I think I know what you mean.

Well, all I can do is try, right? If it doesn't work, I'll look around for a replacement blade. I don't know what brand mine is (something cheap we picked up at Wal-Mart a few years ago), but I'll look whoever it is up online and see if there's anything I could use.

Thanks for the instructions!

~Lannie

[kyosa]

<< I think all I have is the regular blade that sort of resembles a standard blender blade. I know it doesn't have anything that you could call a "cup." Your picture didn't come through but I think I know what you mean. >>

WELL DUH!!! I deleted the pic from Photobucket thinking I'd posted it so I didn't need it anymore. I always forget that 'kills' the pic in the post. Anyway, the pic is back so you can see the blade in question. I'm sooo blond sometimes!