The first time I made homemade paleo mayonnaise, I couldn’t believe how simple it was. Why had I not made mayonnaise before? Why do we buy it at the store at all, when it’s so simple to make and so customizable?
Convenience mostly.
But truly, homemade mayonnaise isn’t inconvenient. It’s no more work than making a breakfast smoothie or pesto or peanut butter.
I questioned myself and why—once upon a time—was I paying so much for over-salted “natural” mayo with eggs from who-knows-where, questionable oil, soy, and a number of ingredients I’d be better off not eating, such as modifiers, thickeners, and preservatives.
Seriously.
It’s time to stop thinking of mayonnaise as that bland white spread from our childhood. Sure, it’s a base for lots of things, but that base can be packed with flavor.
Imagine….baconnaise…schmaltzinnaise…beefinnaise…duckinnaise!
Imagine coffee mayonnaise. (Yes! I’ve had it, and it was incredible.)
Imagine, if you will, habanero and garlic infused mayonnaise.
And to tie all of this together—pastured eggs for both flavor and nutrition.
The possibilities are endless because you have both the ability to change the oil/fat base, as well as infuse the oil/fat base with aromatics, herbs, and spices.
Super-Powered Paleo Mayonnaise: Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks, preferably from pastured hens
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp raw honey
- 1 cup oil or fat of your choice (see notes below)
So what sort of options do we have for fats and oils? And what sort of ratio would we be using for solid-state fats and liquid fats in order to get that wonderful spreadable signature mayonnaise texture?
When it comes to solid fats, you don’t want to go over 50% (so roughly 1/2 cup in this recipe). That means that the other 50% needs to be a liquid fat. And when I say liquid, I mean liquid at room temperature.
For example, olive oil is liquid at room temperature, but pure olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator. If I did 50% coconut oil (which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above room temp), combined with 50% olive oil, the resulting mayo would be somewhat more firm in the fridge, but would soften and become spreadable outside the fridge.
Beef tallow and lard are more solid at room temperature, but chicken schmaltz and duck fat are viscous liquids.
Some great liquid oils to use are olive oil, avocado oil, pistachio oil, almond oil.
So what makes this “super-powered”?
It comes down to how you spice it. Spices are PACKED FULL of medicinal benefits. Take mustard for example. Did you know that mustard seeds have extremely high ratios of omega-3 fatty acids, as well manganese, phosphorus, copper, and vitamin B1? Mustard comes from the same family of plant as cruciferous cancer-fighting vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
Adding turmeric to your mayo will not only give it a beautiful golden color, but the curcumin and it’s co-factors in the turmeric root have cancer-fighting properties. Turmeric can help stop breast cancer from spreading into lungs, reduces the risk of childhood leukemia, helps prevent melanoma and kills present melanoma cells, may prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain, and according to extensive research, it fights cancer of all kinds. Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, is useful in disinfecting cuts and burns, detoxifies the liver, helps with flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, inflammation, toothache, bruises, chest pain, colic, rheumatoid arthritis, and the lowering of cholesterol. It also helps with fat management, treats depression, and aids in the treatment of acne, eczema, psoriasis, and uneven pigmentation.
Uh, yeah!
Herbs like thyme and oregano are antiviral and immune boosting. Try adding different combinations of herbs and spices to your mayo for a flavorful and medicinal kick!
Not sure what flavors to add? Check out the Flavor Crash Course.
Super-Powered Paleo Mayonnaise: The How-To
Blend the egg yolks in a food processor for 60 seconds.
Add the apple cider vinegar and blend for 30 seconds.
Add in the salt, mustard, & honey. Turn on the food processor and slowly drizzle the fat/oil and continue to blend until all the oil is added.
The process of slowly adding the oil/fat should emulsify the mixture into the familiar texture of mayonnaise.
