Sauces & Emulsions
Emulsifying
whisking oil into a creamy sauce that holds together.
My video walkthrough is coming soon
Until then, the notes below are what I’d tell you if you were standing in my kitchen.
Emulsifying is whisking oil or butter into something watery until it turns creamy and stays that way. It's how you get vinaigrette, mayo, and even game-day buffalo sauce.
Do this
- Add the oil slowly, almost drop by drop at first, while you whisk hard. Once it starts to thicken, you can pour a bit faster.
- Start with mustard, an egg yolk, or honey in the bowl. They help the oil and everything else hold together.
- Set the bowl on a damp towel so it stays put, and you have one hand to whisk and one to pour.
Watch out for
- Don't pour the oil in all at once. That's the number one way a sauce breaks.
- Don't toss it if it splits. Whisk a fresh yolk or a spoonful of mustard in a clean bowl, then drizzle the broken sauce back in slowly.
- Don't work with everything ice cold from the fridge. Room-temperature ingredients come together more easily.
Remember
A thin, steady stream of oil. Patience is what holds it together.
Recipes that build this skill
Ready to practice?
You learn emulsifying in the kitchen, not on a screen. Cook something that uses it, tap “I made it,” and it’ll show up on your journey.