I’d assumed I’d previously shared this kitchen ninja-level trick with our Chi Wulff compadres at some point over the past decade and counting, but looking back it was not to be found.
There are times when you need a great mayo on hand, think of that first masterpiece of a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving, or when crafting cool chicken or potato salads for the rest of summer and fall, your ‘company’s coming over’ (hey, we’re programed as Southerners) deviled egg platter, or even great home salad dressings.
For the past few years in particular, we’ve been making a batch of Homemade Avocado Oil Mayo at home fresh when needed, for three key reasons.
One, it’s just so much damned better than what you can buy, it’s insane not to do it. Two, just about every mass-produced, commercially-available mayo (in the US at least) is typically made with one of the commercially produced seed oils (soybean and canola being the most common); these chemical concoctions are unbelievably bad for you and your family (more on this at some point). And three, with an immersion blender and a bit of practice, you can whip up a customized recipe of mayo in minutes; I’m at about two minutes for our favorite recipe…
I fully recognize that many of our Chi Wulff friends are pretty damn handy in the kitchen, though I continue to be amazed at how many folks don’t use this simple technique featuring an immersion blender demonstrated so ably below by Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats.
Two things of note: KLA in the video above talks you through the recipe using canola – use avocado (our favorite) or a good olive oil (but not extra virgin – it can cause a funky bitterness explained here) in your batch at home.
The other key point to remember – your options for tweaking the flavor of your mayo to suit your palate or recipe are basically endless. We like to add a bit of finely grated garlic and use ACV instead of fresh lemon juice in our basic recipe for a bit more acidity and bite, and often use a grainy, creole-inspired mustard (try Zatarain’s version).
Want a chipotle lime aioli/mayo? Blend a chipotle or two in with the main ingredients and stir in some fresh lime juice after it’s emulsified to taste. Holy moly, now that’s good and has taken our chicken salad to a whole new level.
Enjoy.
