Learn To Cook: Making an Emulsion (for Salad Dressing, Mayonnaise, or Sauces)

In this clip from the America's Test Kitchen Cooking School, Bridget explains what an emulsion is, and how to make mayonnaise, a common emulsion that uses egg as an emulsifier. Learn more from our Classic Sauces lesson.

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[helpfulnatural]

I love homemade mayonnaise! I started making it about 15 years ago when I needed some for a recipe and didn't want to go back to the grocery store. I haven't bought a commercial brand since. It's so much fresher and you can really taste each and every ingredient. Using a stick/immersion blender is the easiest way I've found to make it.

[learnerlearns]

Beautifully concise explanation and practical demonstration!

[mtfhwvb]

I like this a leaning. There is concisely and clear.

[thecrookedspindle]

Where did they get the glass containers for the oil and vinegar?

[jonivanart]

Could you list the ingredient amounts in the description please? And Thanks! I love ATK!!

[seanbrossard]

Your using a kitchenaid food processor look in the bottom of the pusher(kitchenaid has one)if it has a small hole it is made for making mayonnaise. So you can't added the oil to fast. In the case of kitchenaid it is designed for the thinnest oil (sunflower) and I found it to be to small so I drilled mine out to 1/16" (1.5mm to 2mm) work way better. As I use olive oil or vegetable oil. And if I did use a thiner oil I could just pour it slowly anyway. On a side note as you first start to emulsify first tablespoon of oil is slow but feed rate can be increased after that.

[sxstrngsamurai]

There's an episode of good eats that addresses this; something about the acidity in the lemon keeping bacteria at bay.

[stoof]

I'm surprised you aren't using the cuisinart that won in your food processor test.

[ShaikhFahadMajid]

Hi, what can we add instead of an egg yolk as an emulsifier?

[tarjei]

I prefer the immersion blender method. It is foolproof.

[tarjei]

With an immersion blender it is even easier.

[nc]

So the emulsion is the oil and lemon juice? Because the emulsifier is the egg yolk; which is what brings the two things together? Ive been not certain about that part (im trying to understand hollandaise)

[ngoron]

Hhaaa!!! gotta start making my own mayonnaise. Thanks ATK!!

[Vsor]

So I never understood why the oil is added last. Why not add all of the ingredients sans the lemon juice, mix it until it is uniform, then activate the mixture with the lemon juice.

[cf]

No talk of what temperature the eggs should be.

[misterhat]

Did that dude wipe his nose on his hand at 0:54?

[Muzzy]

How do you make sure you don't get any bacterial issues with the raw egg yolks? Doesn't heat play a part in this?