Homemade mayonnaise in the food processor + some of our favorite mayonnaise sauces

Homemade mayonnaise is one of the best tasting things you’ll ever make at home and so much better than store-bought. This is a perfect time of the year to make it to use on sandwiches from the left-over ham or turkey you have. It can elevate a simple sandwich from ordinary to sublime. When I was growing up, my mother made homemade mayonnaise, so there was always a jar in our refrigerator.

Homemade mayonnaise isn’t just for sandwiches. It can be turned into wonderful, tasty sauces. The standard tartar sauce comes to mind, but I have a few of our favorites to share with you, including a sherry one for steamed vegetables.

When Meakin and I were married years ago, his family from up east came south for the wedding. One of my favorite memories of meeting his family was of his brother Stuart, barely out of his teens at the time, standing in the open door of my mother’s refrigerator with a jar of her homemade mayonnaise in one hand and a spoon in the other. “Boy, this stuff is great,” he said as he proceeded to scrape the last bites from the bottom of the jar. Now if that’s not a recommendation for homemade mayonnaise, I don’t know what is.

My mother used a hand-held mixer and dribbled the oil in, slowly, as you can see in this recipe clipped out of a grade cookbook collection of our mother’s favorite recipes. But now mayonnaise is easy to make using Julia Child's method in the food processor, utilizing that tiny hole in the feed tube to do the dribbling for you, making your job a whole lot easier.

There are two secrets to making homemade mayonnaise. One is to have all of the ingredients at room temperature and use very fresh eggs. As with anything made with raw eggs, use good judgement and keep the mayonnaise refrigerated. The second is to use what Julia Child calls "fine, fresh oil." I take this to mean open a new bottle unless you are absolutely positive of its freshness.

Julia Child’s Food Processor Mayonnaise 

1 whole egg, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, at room temperature
½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar
Dash of Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fine fresh oil such canola, safflower, extra-virgin olive oil, or a combination, at room temperature

Using the metal blade in the food processor, process the egg, the egg yolks, mustard, salt, sugar, and Tabasco 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and process 30 seconds more.

In a very thin stream, pour in the oil, using droplets at a time. In a food processor there is a tiny hole in the lid that will allow the oil to drop in very slowly. As the mayonnaise comes together, you can pour the oil a little faster. When all of the oil is gone, remove the processor cover and check for consistency and taste for seasonings. You may wish to add more lemon juice, kosher salt, or freshly ground white pepper. Driblets of cold water added now make a milder and lighter taste and texture. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for about a week.

Printable recipe 

Here are just a few examples of our variations on homemade mayonnaise sauces.

Béarnaise Mayonnaise
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
6 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the wine, shallots,and 2 tablespoons of tarragon in a saucepan. Boil until reduced by half. Cool. Add this mixture to the mayonnaise, along with the lemon juice, and the other 2 tablespoons of tarragon. Add salt & pepper. Chill thoroughly and serve.

Printable recipe

Creole Mayonnaise
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped or snipped
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix and chill. Great with seafood or grilled chicken.

Printable recipe

My Carolina Kitchen’s French Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons drained capers
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crumbled
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Dash of cayenne pepper

Combine sauce ingredients & refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  Excellent as a base for lobster or shellfish salad.

Printable recipe

Sherry Mustard Mayonnaise Sauce for Steamed Vegetables
From Chicken, The 15 minute Gourmet by Paulette Mitchell – yield ¼ cup

¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

Whisk ingredients together in a glass bowl. Serve over steamed vegetables, such as fresh asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower florets. Sauce will keep for up to 2 days in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before drizzling over warm vegetables. The vegetables can be cooked in advance and served later in the same day chilled or at room temperature.

This wasabi aioli, not shown, is fantastic with seared ahi tuna and so much fresher than the stuff in the tube.

Printable recipe

Wasabi Aioli
Entertaining with Taste by Peter Coe – yield 1 cup

1 tablespoons wasabi powder
1 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix wasabi powder and water together to form a paste. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the wasabi mixture, garlic, mustard and lemon juice. Pulse 5 – 6 times. Add mayonnaise and process until ingredients are well-mixed. Add salt & pepper. Refrigerate and serve. Excellent with rare tuna.

Printable recipe

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farms, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, Foodtastic Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Seasonal Sunday at the Tablescaper, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable.

Have a great weekend.