Repairing Failed or Broken Mayonnaise

Appears in
Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation
Professional Garde Manger

By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett

Published 2010

  • About

While a failed or broken mayonnaise can be frustrating, there is no need to throw it away. If the mayonnaise failed or broke due to temperature issues, first slowly bring the mayonnaise (and any repair ingredients) to 70°F (21°C) by letting it stand at room temperature. See Table 2.9 for steps to repairing mayonnaise.

Broken mayonnaise

Table 2.9

Method to Repair Failed or Broken Mayonnaise

Traditional Double-Batch Repair

  1. Start with a new set of yolk, acid, and salt.
  2. Whip the failed/broken mayonnaise into the new yolk–acid base 1 drop at a time (A).
  3. Add the proper amount of new oil (B).
Single-Batch Repair

  1. Ladle off the oil from the separated mayonnaise and reserve.
  2. Bring the base and oil to room temperature.
  3. Vigorously whisk the yolk–acid base, and carefully whisk in the removed oil, drop by drop, until the emulsion catches.
  4. Proceed as usual.

Allow the broken mayonnaise to stand until the oil separates from the yolk base.
Blender Repair

  1. Place the failed/broken mayonnaise in a blender and blend at high speed to reemulsify.
  2. Adjust the texture of the resulting mayonnaise with more liquid.