Thickening vinegarette dressings

I have had problems keeping vinegarette dressings from breaking, even when the oil is added gradually! Is there something that I can add to the dressing to thicken it so that it doesn't break?

Try using some dijon mustard to help stabilize the emulsion. Or an egg yolk.

[m brown]

I can dig the emulsifying properties of the lecithen in egg yolks to pull a vinegarette together, but does anyone know why dijon works?

You can also add a small amount of hot stock to vinegarette while blending. The Collagen will keep the emulsion emulsified.

I read an article about emulsions in Tauntons once, hmmm, I will re read it and get back to you.

[chefjohnpaul]

Originally posted by m brown:

I can dig the emulsifying properties of the lecithen in egg yolks to pull a vinegarette together, but does anyone know why dijon works?

You can also add a small amount of hot stock to vinegarette while blending. The Collagen will keep the emulsion emulsified.

The dijon works because the miniscule particles of ground mustard get in the way of the oil and vinegar making it less easy for them to coalesce into their seperate pools. The surface tension of oil and water(vinegar)are different so each tends to gravitate toward the like surface tension, that is why a chemical liason like lecithen is preferable because it actually embeds into the continuous phase and prevents these particles from coming together.



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[m brown]

thank you chefjohnpaul!

yolks work... be careful though...Pasteurized is the safest...

Non emulsified vinaigrettes are great, and not wrong, though... don't feel discouraged.

Yeah, what chefjohnpaul said.

We whisk in a little mayo to avoid the whole raw egg yolk controversy. It will make it creamy tho, rather than a traditional vinagrette.

Why does a "vinegarette" need to be emulsified? In France the dressing is made each time a salad is prepared.In a large bowl using a fork the wine vinegar,oil, mustard, lemon juice,salt and ground pepper are crefully blended then the washed and dried leaves are tossed through.The resulting salad is the perfect start to a meal, and makes a great ceremony around the family table. My point is don't try to immitate commercial salad cream,create something simple but memorable.Just a thought. peter

[youla]

I dont understand the need for emulsified vinaigrettes,except in a buffet situatio, I like the idea of the hot stock it makes sense, when a I see an emulsified dressing it doesnt seem right to me,!I had to make a complex lime vinaigrette for a huge function and I thought it didnt look right [after looking at so many emulsified ones,] the chef said that it was the first proper vinaigrette he had seen in the place in the two years he had been there!!!! by all means make emulsified vinaigrettes but I think they need to be called something else.

[shahar]

I found out that by adding blanched almonds, you can emulsify sauces(and even make "mayonase"). What you need to do is crush them in a blender with a small amount of liquid until it resmbels milk. Strain the dry mass, and add this "milk" to a vinigrate. Put it through a blender, and presto.
Play with the measures abit. The more almonds the thicker it will be, but more almond taste.

[Ruthy]

The stock works but it should be very concentrated - reduced so that it forms a firm gel when cooled. I have never found it necessary to reheat it. It is also advantageous if you are trying to make a low fat menu. You can actually reduce the quantity of oil.

[chefjohnpaul]

by all means make emulsified vinaigrettes but I think they need to be called something else.[/b][/quote]

An emulsified vinaigrette is most properly called a dressing.

cowboy i know !!!!!!!!
but it works
blend all your ingredients in a blender and at the last drop in an egg yolk
keep covered and chilled and it wont split