What should I do if my mayonnaise thickens too quickly or becomes doughy while whisking?

Question

What should you do if your mayonnaise thickens too quickly while whisking? Find out how to handle a mayo that becomes too doughy or stiff.

Answer 1

If your mayonnaise thickens too quickly or becomes doughy, stop adding oil immediately and whisk in a teaspoon or two of warm water or lemon juice to loosen it. Then, resume adding the oil very slowly, drop by drop.

Detailed Explanation:

Mayonnaise is an emulsion, a mixture of oil and water-based liquids (egg yolk and lemon juice/vinegar) that normally don't mix. Whisking breaks the oil into tiny droplets, and the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier, keeping the droplets suspended. When mayonnaise thickens too quickly or becomes doughy, it means the emulsion has become too concentrated with oil, and the water phase is struggling to keep up.

Here's a step-by-step guide to rescue your mayonnaise:

1. Stop Adding Oil: Immediately cease adding any more oil to the mixture.
2. Add Liquid: Introduce a small amount of warm water (about 1-2 teaspoons) or lemon juice/vinegar to the mixture. The warmth helps to loosen the emulsion.
3. Whisk Vigorously: Whisk the mixture vigorously to re-establish the emulsion. You should see the mayonnaise begin to loosen and become smoother.
4. Resume Adding Oil (Slowly!): Once the mayonnaise has loosened, resume adding the oil, but this time, add it *extremely* slowly, drop by drop, whisking constantly. This is crucial to prevent the emulsion from breaking again.
5. Monitor Consistency: Continuously monitor the consistency of the mayonnaise. If it starts to thicken too quickly again, repeat steps 2-4.

Pro Tip:

Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can cause the emulsion to break more easily. Also, using a narrow-bottomed jar and an immersion blender can make mayonnaise foolproof, as it creates a very stable emulsion quickly.