Really good mayo ideas?

[Ethelpea]

Hi, I'm looking for a mayo idea that taste like the store bought Hellman's. :)  For years, I have used Sally Fallon's recipe, but it is just 'off' to me and I really don't like it nor does anyone in my family.

What's the trick?  No egg yolk? More vinegar?  Sweetener?

Thanks for any ideas.

[cristeen]

Well, you HAVE to use the egg yolk, or you won't get mayo.  I'm not in a position to look up Sally Fallon's recipe right now, but I can give you a general run down of MY mayo (and mayo in general), which we like better than Hellman's...

Egg - whole egg or egg yolk only is a bit of personal preference.  Either will work.  I find yolk only easier to work with. 

Acid - try different acids, rather than sticking to the same one.  They really do effect the taste.  My favorite is 50/50 lemon juice and white wine vinegar - it's a really balanced combination, and doesn't interfere with flavor.  All one or the other works fine, but the flavor isn't quite as nice, IMO.  ACV, white vinegar, and red wine are all too harsh for this IMO.  Rice or coconut vinegar would probably do nicely also, although I haven't tried them. 

Emulsifier - this is usually mustard.  I use a fancy French dijon - it's the only thing I use it for, so a small jar lasts a year or so.  Again, the taste of this can effect the final product.  The one I use is a Green Peppercorn Dijon. 

Oil - this is your biggest taste point.  The oil you use is going to dictate the over-arching flavor of your mayo.  I can't stand olive oil mayo, and I love olive oil.  Coconut oil doesn't work well because it gets too hard.  I use organic cold-pressed sunflower seed oil.  It is a very neutral flavored oil.  I've also been known to use duck fat or bacon grease for part of the oil (just heat it enough to melt it, you don't want it hot).  You have to leave the mayo sitting out a few minutes before using it, but the flavor of the fat really comes through, and both are spreadable at room temp (unlike CO). 

Now, I know that Sally Fallon also calls for whey.  I don't use it.  It will make your mayo last longer, but I'm fine with making/using mayo within a week.  I only make it maybe once a month, since we don't use it that often any more.  Much past a week, I'm not comfortable with the mayo, but in the fridge for a week is just fine. 

I would really suggest starting by tweaking the basic recipe and deciding what it is that you don't like/do like.  Once you have that nailed down, it's going to be a lot easier to find a recipe your family will be happy with. 

This is the recipe I use - although I make it in a food processor, not by hand.  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mayonnaise-241083

[Ethelpea]

Thank you much, Cristeen!  Brilliant sugestions. I'm going to start by switching out the oil and the ACV for something not so strong.  Great idea on the rice vinegar, too, since I have that on hand I'll give it a try.  As far as the oils, I think I'll try to the sunflower oil because, you're right, olive oil is way too strong for mayo - and I can take olive oil straight right off the spoon.  I've gotten in the habit of ONLY having olive oil, coconut oil and butter around for cooking purposes.  I do add flax oil to the mayo on occasion and unless I have whey around I don't use it either.

Thanks again.  I want to add that I use my immersion (stick) blender for jobs like this...way less clean up than the food processor

[LunaLady]

I've tried many different recipes and the only one I can get to work is:

1 egg

1 cup oil (I use almond)

1 T ACV

1/2 t salt

1 t dijon mustard

I'd really like to use JUST yolks as I read that uncooked eggwhites are not easily digested, but every time I try it ends up in utter failure. And the above recipe works for me EVERY time. It's awesome, and just enough for my family of three for one week.

[HouseofPeace]

brilliant.  i will be coming back here after i move to try these out.  the mayo issue is one i plan on addressing soon, as in my gf TF household, we have hellmans and ketchup.  UGH.  but those are two recipes i just haven't managed to wrangle a better version of yet.  

i did find that i could do olive oil if i mixed the mayo into cold salads w/ herbs and spices.  potato, chicken, egg, i've served them all at a retreat to people of all ages and food styles and got rave reviews.  but just as a dipping mayo, i made it aioli.... for my own personal cravings.

thanks for the great ideas!