If there’s one condiment that most houses have an oversupply of, it would be no other than mayonnaise. Check your fridge, and you’ll most likely have an open jar of mayonnaise there. Head to your pantry, and you might have one to two full jars in your stash! We’re right, right? (*)
Stocking up on mayonnaise makes so much sense since you can use it in a wide range of recipes—from sandwiches to salads.
- But what should you do when you’ve got too much of this dressing?
- What can you do to avoid wasting a perfect jar of mayonnaise?
- Can you freeze plain mayonnaise?
- How about foods that contain mayonnaise?
Don’t fret! We’ll answer all your questions in the next few sections, so keep on reading!
Can You Freeze Mayonnaise?
The answer is a big yes! Yes, you can freeze mayonnaise to extend its shelf life.
However, you should understand that freezing mayonnaise comes with lots of challenges. For one, the consistency of mayonnaise may not be the same once it’s thawed. This is due to the following factors:
- It contains eggs that shouldn’t be exposed to frost. It’s also highly likely that the texture of egg-containing food items will change significantly when exposed to high temperatures after being thawed.
- Mayonnaise is an emulsion made up of lemon juice, eggs oil, and vinegar. Its ingredients will definitely separate when stored for a long time, so it won’t look the same when frozen and thawed.
- If you freeze homemade all-natural mayonnaise, you should understand that it’s more prone to bacterial contamination than store-bought mayonnaise, which contains preservatives.
- Some of its ingredients are temperature-sensitive and can quickly spoil, so long-term freezing is not recommended.
How to Freeze Mayonnaise
To address all the issues mentioned, you need to know how to freeze mayonnaise properly. Here are some of the steps on how to do that:
Step 1: Sterilize the container.
To avoid bacterial contamination and spoilage, the first step you should take is to sterilize the container or glass bottle that you plan to use. You can do this by placing the freezer-safe bottles in a pot of boiling water for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer mayonnaise to the jar.
Fill the bottles with mayo.
Pro Tip: Avoid filling the bottle to the brim. Leave a space at the top portion to allow the mayonnaise to expand as it freezes. If you don’t do this, there’s a chance that the container may crack from pressure when the mayonnaise expands.
Step 3: Remove excess air.
If you see air bubbles, you should remove those right away. The presence of air might speed up the spoiling process, so get rid of as much excess air as possible. You can do this by giving the jar a light tap until all air bubbles have been dispersed.
Step 4: Freeze mayonnaise.
Close the lid tightly. Don’t forget to indicate the date so you can easily track how long the mayonnaise is already in your freezer. Place it in an upright position to prevent leakage.
How to Defrost Frozen Mayonnaise
What if you already need to use your frozen mayonnaise? How do you thaw it?
You need to have patience—lots of it– when defrosting mayonnaise! It takes time to allow the frozen mayonnaise to thaw properly so you can have a chance to bring it back to its original texture and appearance.
Get your mayonnaise from the freezer and transfer it into your refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight. Pro Tip: Place it at the back of the lowest shelf in your refrigerator so it will thaw a little bit faster.
How to Re-Emulsify Thawed Mayonnaise
When you take out the frozen mayonnaise from the refrigerator the next day, it won’t look like regular mayonnaise because the ingredients have already separated, so it will end up looking like curdled and watery cottage cheese.
We don’t recommend using the thawed mayonnaise at that stated. You will have to re-emulsify it first. There are two ways on how to do that:
1. Stirring Method
The simplest way to re-emulsify mayonnaise is to remove the excess liquid at the top then give the mayonnaise a good stir until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
2. Blender Method
You can also choose to pour the thawed mayonnaise into a blender and blend it. Another option is to place it in a mixing bowl and whip it using an electric mixer on high speed only for a few seconds.
3. Egg Yolk Method
If stirring or blending doesn’t work, another good idea is to place one to two egg yolks (depending on the amount of mayonnaise you’ll have to reconstitute) in one bowl and add a small amount of mayonnaise. Stir to form a cream. Continue adding mayonnaise in small amounts and stirring until you achieve your desired texture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Freezing Mayonnaise
Learn more: Does Mayonnaise Go Bad? How To Tell
To Wrap It Up
Yes, you can. But you must understand that it may never have the same texture once frozen and thawed because of the splitting of its oil and water ingredients.
With that in mind, freezing this dressing should be your last resort. This is most especially true if you’re planning to freeze mayonnaise-based dips, spreads, and casseroles.
But if you don’t want your mayonnaise to be put to waste, you can extend its shelf life by simply following the freezing tips we’ve shared with you!
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