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Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 9:52 pm
by Shule
So, I decided to experiment and try to make some egg-free mayonnaise. I read that you need twice as much oil as milk. So, I did that. I put it in a blender for quite a while, but no emulsification (that's what makes it thick and creamy in the fashion of mayonnaise). So, I added some ground mustard powder (as well as salt and vinegar), and wow, it thickened up really well. It looked and smelled like thick mayonnaise—but, it tasted like creamy wasabi! (Fortunately, I like wasabi.) I used way too much ground mustard, apparently.
I could maybe just use less mustard, but what are some mustard alternatives for emulsifiers, besides these?
* Honey
* Soy products
* Eggs
The wasabi-type flavor surprisingly didn't overpower the tuna fish sandwiches too much, though. It felt like I had eaten something good for me after the fact.
I'm curious what honey mayonnaise would be like.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:25 am
by worth1
I did the mustard thing years ago not realizing it was hot.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 9:32 am
by Growing Coastal
When I read the OP I thought of flax seed gel. Don't know how well it would work.
http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/egg- ... g-replacer
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 10:27 am
by MissS
My daughter is vegan and suggests these as additional emulsifiers:
The liquid from a can of garbanzo beans (aquafaba).
Soy or almond milk.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:11 am
by pepperhead212
The garbanzo liquid is the one I have heard a lot about, but I never tried it. I'll have to try it in a couple of Thai sauces I make, that use 2 egg yolks in each.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:42 pm
by root_grow
Chia seeds thicken things nicely. I would add them to the blender with the oil and milk, just wait a few a few minutes after blending to check for consistency. I use them all the time for thickening sauces, salad dressings, puddings, smoothies, homemade nut milks (for creamier mouthfeel), etc.
Flax seeds would work too, just blending them same as the chia. They have more of their own flavor, but I think they're tasty.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 7:00 pm
by Shule
So, I tested some emulsifiers, today. I forgot to try almond milk, though. I don't have soy stuff, chia seeds, or garbazo bean juice.
I took honey and blended it thoroughly with avocado oil. Nothing happened. I added water. Still nothing, although the liquid did turn milky in color (but no thickening). I added flax seeds and blended in the blender again. No further emulsification. I added peanut butter (because I've noticed that peanut butter oil and honey seem to thicken when mixed sometimes). Still nothing! I got fed up and mixed in a little ground mustard. That worked. I spread it on a slice of bread and ate it. The oil-taste and texture was off-putting to me, but the rest of the flavors were just fine (surprisingly including the mustard; mustard-flavored desserts wouldn't be horrible, IMO).
Maybe flax seeds need to be pre-ground and soaked before use as an emulsifier.
I'm a bit confused about the peanut butter and honey situation. Maybe honey is a stronger emulsifier for things besides oil and water.
[mention]root_grow[/mention]
I really want to try chia seeds as an emulsifier. Where's the best place to buy high quality ones online? I saw reviews of some, but people often said they weren't as good as other kinds, or that they had bugs in them. What brand do you use?
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 7:49 pm
by Growing Coastal
Flax seeds don't need to be ground but do need to sit in some water to emit a gel. I don't know how long that takes.
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 2:03 am
by root_grow
Both flax and chia take several minutes to really thicken up - maybe 15-20 to get to max thickness? Both will get a gel coat when they're whole, but you can't get the nutrition from them unless they're ground up somehow.
Pre-soaking might help depending on the blender. My SO likes to make fruit "smoothies" with lots of flax (I could ask him, maybe 1 tbsp per quart?), blend thoroughly, and it comes out normal pourable, but then he puts it in the fridge and when he's ready for it in the afternoon it's so thick he can turn the jar upside down and the "smoothie" doesn't budge. So I'd guess either you need to wait a little longer for it to thicken or use more flax. Maybe try looking up vegan recipes for mayo to see how much flax : oil : milk : vinegar?
I buy chia from the bulk bins at the grocery store where I get everything else, so I don't know brands, sorry. I've ordered other things from Frontier Co-Op and it's always been good, I know they have chia. I've heard good things about ordering from VitaCost too. Maybe someone else here knows more about good places to buy groceries online?
Re: Emulsifiers for egg-free mayonnaise
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 6:21 am
by karstopography