Now I have a new reason to save the whey you get from draining yogurt. Keep reading to find out how this magical ingredient will help you make Homemade Mayonnaise That Stays Fresh for a Month.
Does making mayonnaise seem crazy?
In reality, I don’t do it all that often myself. But once in a while, it’s a magical and gratifying experience.
Why Make Mayonnaise at Home?
#1
The convenience factor
In the event you run out of your usual mayonnaise, the option to make it yourself could save you a last-minute trip to the grocery store. All of the ingredients are likely already in your kitchen.
#2
Customizable
Not only will you get mayonnaise with an incredibly smooth and velvety texture, but you can customize it for your taste or a specific recipe. Add herbs, garlic, and lemon, among other things.
How long does homemade mayonnaise stay fresh?
If you’ve never made mayonnaise before, you may not know that ordinarily, homemade mayonnaise recipes are supposedly only good for a week in the fridge. Of course, commercially-made mayonnaise has preservatives added.
So why make it myself? I don’t know about you, but our mayonnaise usage can be sporadic. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to use an entire recipe in a week.
How whey extends the freshness of mayo:
As it turns out, adding whey (that yellowish liquid you see collected on top when you first open a container of yogurt) to homemade mayo seems to extend the freshness window up to a month. It’s called lacto-fermented mayonnaise.
If you make Greek yogurt at home, save a little bit of the whey you strained from your yogurt.
Not into homemade yogurt? No worries! Pour off the liquid you see on top of commercial yogurt when you first open it. You only need a tablespoon. Of course, the yogurt should be unflavored.
Tips for making Homemade Mayonnaise That Stays Fresh Longer:
Most recipes call for using a blender to mix up mayonnaise, but a food processor will also work. And guess what? A whisk and a bowl will do the job if you are in the mood for a little exercise.
In reality, what’s most important about making mayonnaise is that your eggs be at room temperature before you start. A bowl of warm water out of the faucet will warm your unshelled eggs in just a few minutes if you haven’t planned.
How To Make Homemade Mayonnaise That Stays Fresh for a Month:
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If you have a question or tip to share, please leave it in the regular comments after the recipe so I can answer back. Or, email me privately: paula at saladinajar.com.
Thank you for visiting!
Paula
Whey-O Mayo
A standard mayonnaise recipe with 1 tablespoon of whey added--instead of a week in the refrigerator, your homemade mayonnaise will keep for a month.
Ingredients
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whey (drained from plain yogurt)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup avocado oil
- Dash of cayenne (red pepper)
Instructions
- Combine first five ingredients in a food processor bowl, a blender, or a medium mixing bowl. Blend well.
- Drip or barely trickle 1 cup of avocado oil into egg mixture with machine on or while you whisk vigorously by hand.
- Add a dash of cayenne.
- Pour finished mayonnaise into a glass jar and cover. Allow to sit on the kitchen cabinet at room temperature for 8 hours, then refrigerate.
Notes
This mayonnaise will stay fresh for about a month when refrigerated.
One of the reasons I like to make my own mayonnaise is so I can use one of my favorite foods, avocado oil. You can substitute vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. I don't personally care for olive oil in my mayonnaise. Namely, because the flavor is too strong.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Barb
Sunday 2nd of August 2020
I made mayo first time last week. Similar recipie except no whey. It's on its 10th day and looks and tastes fine. I'm wondering if I could use whey powder instead of the liquid from yogurt. Any thoughts on that?
Paula
Monday 3rd of August 2020
Hi Barb,
Good question. From what I've read, whey powder is made from the whey produced by cheese. This is a sweet whey compared to yogurt whey which is an acid whey. I don't think it would work, but I haven't actually tried it so can't say with 100% certainty.
Theresa P.
Thursday 21st of November 2019
I have been making homemade mayonnaise for a few years now.and the way I make my no fail mayonnaise is put COLD WHOLE egg(s), yes cold! straight from fridge. into a jar that just fits my stick blender (immersion blender) in it. add salt ACV or vinegar of choice or lemon juice, mustard if you like. and choice of oil (I use a combination of evoo, avocado,and coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled. insert the stick blender into the jar all the way down til it sits on the bottom of jar. keep it there for the first 20 seconds of blending, til you can see the mixture at the bottom turning white,(into mayonnaise) then slowly move the stick blender around and up and down til all the ingredients are blended into mayonnaise.it works every time! and is fast. if you have a problem your jar may be too big. try adding in another WHOLE egg and blend some more.Then stir in the whey. Or can try blending it in with rest of ingredients. and
Paula
Saturday 23rd of November 2019
Hi Theresa, So glad you wrote. I have tried this stick blender method and you're right. IT WORKS! Thanks for going to the trouble to write this out. Paula
Rebecca
Tuesday 10th of September 2019
How safe is it to use raw eggs in a recipe?
Paula
Tuesday 10th of September 2019
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use raw eggs if they are pasteurized. Bottom Line: Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. However, the risk of an egg being contaminated is quite low. Quoted from Healthline.
If people eating this food are very young, very old, or immuno-compromised, I would stick to pasteurized eggs. Otherwise, decide for yourself.
Mary Davis
Tuesday 11th of June 2019
How can you leave it at room temp for 8 hrs and not have any negative affect? Would it still have this shelf life if I refrigerated it right away?
Paula
Tuesday 11th of June 2019
Hi Mary, The 8 hours give the whey time to "ferment" the mayo so it will last longer. I know that word doesn't sound very appetizing but it seems to work and doesn't affect the flavor. The mayonnaise has enough acid to keep it safe for 8 hours. Refrigerating right away would most likely not allow or encourage the little yogurt bodies in the yogurt-whey to multiply.
Becky
Friday 24th of August 2018
Well, I love this idea, Paula! I like the idea of making my own mayo and have done so, but there are only 2 of us, so it often went bad before I could use it all. This will get me making it more regularly. Does the whey cause the flavor to change significantly? Just wondering. You know I love my yogurt, so a bit of change in the flavor will not discourage me. I am excited to try this with my next available whey. Thanks, Paula.
Paula
Saturday 25th of August 2018
Hey Becky, I can tell absolutely no difference in the flavor. But that is a really good question. So glad you brought it up.