Techniqueintermediatedraft
Emulsifying
Also searched as: making mayonnaise, whisking a vinaigrette, whisking in oil
In short: Work fat into a watery ingredient so slowly and vigorously that it breaks into tiny droplets and stays bound.
Picture it
Like letting guests into a hall one at a time instead of all at once: everyone finds their place, nobody pushes.
What happens
At the start there is little water to take up fat. That is why the first fat has to go in drop by drop. Once the has formed, it takes up fat faster. The needs time and movement to coat each new droplet.
How it’s done
Sequence · Step 1 of 5
Stir egg yolk or mustard with a little acid and salt.
All steps as a list
- Stir egg yolk or mustard with a little acid and salt.
- Add the oil drop by drop at first, whisking hard.
- Once the mixture thickens, add oil in a thin stream.
- Too thick? Stir in a few drops of water or lemon juice.
- If it splits, start again in a new bowl with a fresh yolk and slowly work in the split mixture.
Related entries
Sources
- America’s Test Kitchen: How to make mayonnaise
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Saucen, Eier