Olive Oil and Food Processors

I've never had occasion to use EVOO in any of my recipes where I would put the mixture in a food processor but I came across an article where they say NOT to use olive oil in a food processor as the high speed action will cause the oil to gain a bitter taste.

Don't want to try it to see if its true but it's a tip to keep in mind.

http://www.chatelaine.com/en/b...-you-should-never-do

This is an interesting topic. I read the same a few years ago, noting that blenders also do the same to the flavor of olive oil. I've wondered about it myself.

Rita

PS: This thread should probably be moved to the Recipe Requests & Ingredient Questions forum.

Timely! Over Christmas I made a home made mayo as part of a recipe. Tossed it. It came out bitter. I was surprised because the EVOO I've used for a LONG time and it's not bitter at ALL.

Kind of wondered what was up.

I just dropped back to using a commercial mayo (Hellman's). to get the recipe done rather than trying to figure it out.

I've done it in the blender before without issue, this was the first time in the food processor.

Ray, I've been using half canola and half extra-light olive oil (Bertolli) in my mayonnaise, made in a food processor. The X-light olive oil helps keep the flavor of the mayonnaise more neutral for an all-purpose mayonnaise. I do add a pinch of sugar to round out the flavor, but haven't detected any bitterness without the sugar when made in the food processor.

BUT, the question is: Am I compromising the health benefits by using X-light olive oil? I probably am, at least somewhat---here are the results of a quick search:

From Wikipedia: As they are the least processed forms of olive oil, extra virgin or virgin olive oil have more monounsaturated fatty acids than other olive oil. These types also contain more polyphenols, which may have benefits for the heart.

From LiveStrong.com: Light and extra light olive oils come from the very last press and they are very processed. Since extra-virgin olive oil has the best quality olives and is the least processed, it has the most healthy nutrients....
.....They go on to write (giving sources): All types of olive oil are healthy due to the fact that they include monounsaturated fat, which is a healthier choice than saturated or trans fat...Mayo clinic says extra-virgin olive oil is the healthiest for your heart, since it is less processed and has kept its heart-healthy nutrients, including antioxidants....Since extra-virgin olive oil has been processed the least, it has more antioxidants than the other types of olive oil.

http://www.oliveoilonly.org/ states: Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers more health benefits than Pure Olive Oil or Light Olive Oil. [This seems to be a pretty informative site.]

I'll have to take some time to do more research and won't clog up the thread with more information. I'd welcome comments though.

Rita

Hi Rita! So what would be wrong with using a high quality Canola instead of trying to work in olive oil. As I recall (way back when I was octo/lavo veg) when I made home made mayo with canola it always came out just fine. But that was in a blender.

My thinking is that a high quality filtered canola would have better tolerance to the heat, etc.

Anyway - going to give a small batch of the olive oil based recipe a try in the blender first and see if there's a difference. By itself the TJ's EVOO olive oil I use is a mainstay and is in no way bitter at all in and of itself. Regradless whether it's their kalamatta or italian versions.

Ray, it's my understanding that olive oil, with more monounsaturates is a healthier choice than canola, which has primarily polyunsaturates, which are good, but not as good overall as mono.

I'd prefer to use all light olive oil in my mayonnaise but that much olive oil seems to produce a "heavier" mayonnaise than half canola. I need to test that theory some more, though.

There are 5 of us here now, so time has become an issue in my life. I have a 14-cup processor and make about 4 pint jars of the all-purpose mayonnaise per batch, the most I can put in that size processor. I seal the jars with a FoodSaver for better storage and refrigerate them until needed. I do make fresh mayonnaise for special recipes or aioli, but my all-purpose is serviceable for most uses. I tried the Hellmann's 100% canola mayonnaise; it's too sweet for me.

Did you know that one can make mayonnaise using Egg Beaters instead of whole eggs or egg yolks if one's diet requires? And use mayonnaise to spread on breads and rolls before toasting them on the grill or griddle for grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers? I sprinkle the breads with a little granulated garlic, salt, etc. before spreading thinly with the mayonnaise (faster than mixing them into the mayonnaise).

Rita

For my purposes canola would do.

If light olive oil works without issues then I would move to that.

I'd like to use the processor at this point, but the blender would be fine. I don't use the blender much these days and have to dig it out when I do. The processor is on the counter

I make fresh mayo only occasionally now, only two of us here these days. I do like fresh/home made better though.

Good detail in your last paragraph - thanks. Will definitely keep this in mind. Haven't used it on/for grilled cheese sandwiches, but with the kids gone you are probably doing more of that than Marianne and I

I do like to make toasted breads brushed with EVOO, sprinkle of salt, sprinkle of oregano though.

Apropos to the mayo chatter, this is the best trick I've learned in the kitchen in quite a while:

http://www.seriouseats.com/rec...nute-mayonnaise.html

No reason I can't give this a try Dave, thanks.

I often made mayonnaise with an immersion blender; it works quite well. The lifting action is important. The method is good for smaller quantities, but the immersion blender won't move the thick mixture enough when making larger batches of mayonnaise.

Rita