James Martin Mayonnaise

This James Martin mayonnaise is a classic, hand-whisked homemade mayo that turns out thick, glossy, and wonderfully creamy. It has a clean, gentle tang from lemon and vinegar, with just enough Dijon to round out the flavour without overpowering it. The technique is simple once you know the rhythm of adding the oil slowly, so it is very doable for beginners. Total time is about 25 minutes, including optional jar sterilising and chilling.

Ingredients

For the mayonnaise

• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 250 ml sunflower oil (or rapeseed oil, or a mild light olive oil)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water (optional, to loosen)

Optional flavour additions

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (for an aioli-style mayo)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon, chives, or parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (great with chips and burgers)

How to Make James Martin Mayonnaise

Oven preparation

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 120°C or 100°C fan. This is optional, but it is handy if you want to sterilise a jar for storing your mayonnaise.
• Sterilise the jar: Wash a glass jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse well, then place the jar (not the lid if it has plastic lining) on a baking tray. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

Mixing

• Set up your bowl: Add the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt to a medium bowl. Sit the bowl on a damp tea towel so it does not slide around.
• Whisk until smooth: Whisk for 20 to 30 seconds until everything looks silky and evenly combined.

Baking

• Finish the jar sterilising: Remove the hot jar from the oven and let it cool completely before filling. A warm jar can make the mayonnaise sweat and loosen.

Cooling

• Keep ingredients at room temperature: If your yolks are cold, let them sit for 10 minutes. Room-temperature yolks emulsify more easily and help prevent splitting.
• Chill before serving: Homemade mayo tastes best after 30 minutes in the fridge, once the flavour settles and the texture firms slightly.

Assembling

• Start the emulsion slowly: While whisking constantly, add the oil a few drops at a time for the first minute. You are building a stable base, so do not rush this part.
• Increase to a steady drizzle: Once the mixture thickens and turns pale, you can pour the oil in a thin stream, whisking all the time, until it is thick, glossy, and holds soft peaks.
• Adjust thickness: If the mayo becomes very thick, whisk in warm water 1 teaspoon at a time until it is spoonable.
• Taste and tweak: Add a pinch more salt, a squeeze more lemon, or a little extra vinegar if you like it sharper. If using any optional flavour additions, stir them in now.
• Jar up: Spoon into your cooled sterilised jar, cover, and refrigerate.

Tips

Why did my mayonnaise split?

Splitting usually happens if the oil goes in too quickly at the beginning, or if the ingredients are too cold. To rescue it, put a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and whisk the split mayo into it very slowly, like you are adding oil.

How do I fix mayonnaise that is too thick?

Whisk in warm water 1 teaspoon at a time. You can also use a tiny splash of lemon juice if you want to loosen and brighten it at the same time.

How can I make it taste less sharp?

Use lemon juice and vinegar as written, then balance with a pinch more salt. If it still tastes too punchy, whisk in a little more oil or a teaspoon of warm water to soften the acidity.

Can I make this with a stick blender or food processor?

Yes. The flavour is the same, but the texture can be slightly fluffier. For a stick blender, use a tall jug and drizzle the oil in slowly, especially at the start, just as you would by hand.

Serving Suggestions

• Spread into sandwiches, wraps, and burgers
• Serve with chips, wedges, or sweet potato fries
• Use as a base for tartare sauce, garlic mayo, or burger sauce
• Stir into potato salad, coleslaw, or pasta salad
• Thin with a little water and lemon for a quick salad dressing

Storage

Room temperature

Because this is made with raw egg yolks, do not leave it out for more than 1 hour (or 2 hours in a cool kitchen). Keep it chilled as much as possible.

Refrigerator

Store in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Always use a clean spoon to avoid introducing crumbs or bacteria, which shortens shelf life.

Freezing

Freezing is not recommended because mayonnaise often turns grainy and can split when thawed. If you do freeze it, expect the texture to change and plan to use it in dressings or mixed sauces rather than as a spoonable mayo.

Nutrition

Per 1 tablespoon (approximate):

• Calories: 95 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 0.1 g
• Protein: 0.2 g
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Sodium: 75 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the oil used and exact portion sizes.

FAQs

James Martin Mayonnaise

Recipe by Milli Rose

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: CondimentCuisine: British, FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

tbsp

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

Calories

95

kcal

20

minutes

Creamy, tangy homemade mayonnaise made the classic James Martin way with egg yolks, Dijon, and a slow drizzle of oil for a thick, stable emulsion.

Ingredients

• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 250 ml sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)

• 1–2 tbsp warm water, as needed (optional)

Directions

• (Optional) Sterilise a clean jar in a low oven, then cool.
• Whisk egg yolks, Dijon, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
• Add the oil a few drops at a time at first, whisking constantly until thickened.
• Continue with a slow, steady drizzle of oil, whisking all the time until glossy and thick.
• Loosen with warm water if needed, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• Transfer to the jar, cover, and chill before serving.

Notes

• Room-temperature yolks emulsify faster and reduce the risk of splitting.
• Add the oil very slowly at the start. Once it thickens, you can drizzle a little faster.
• If it becomes too thick, whisk in warm water 1 tsp at a time.