Why did my vinaigrette congeal?
I was making a vinaigrette to marinate some tomatoes, and it congealed to the consistency of a pudding. It is the first time I have tried this recipe. I whisked it all together, then left it on the counter overnight for the flavours to meld before pouring it over the tomatoes, and this morning there was still some oil on top, with the rest of the vinagraitte a very thick mass underneath. So I whisked again, and the rest of the oil got emulsified, but I was left with "vinaigrette pudding." Any clues as to why it congealed like this? The ingredients list is:
- 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- Squirt of Dijon Style Mustard for Emulsifier
- 4 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 T Freshly Ground Black Pepper (I toasted it before grinding)
- 2 t Chopped Fresh Oregano
- 18 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
- 2 T Chopped Fresh Thyme
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced Finely
Best Answer
It is unusual for this to happen. One possibility I see is for your mustard to contain a thickener which then also emulsifies the whole sauce. Remember, most emulsifiers will thicken even when present in tiny amounts. If the conditions are right for some other reason (maybe you mixed with an electric appliance or shaked very vigorously) it is not that strange that it can happen.
My suggestion is to try it without the mustard and see if it thickens. If it doesn't, shop around for mustards from thickener-free brands. If it still happens with them, then they worked too well! Normally the mustard is a mediocre emulsifier and allows the vinaigrette to combine, but does not make a stiff emulsion. You could try less mustard then, or adding it at the end and gently stirring with a fork without whipping at all.
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Quick Answer about "Why did my vinaigrette congeal?"
If you use a high quality olive oil (has a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats), it will solidify in the fridge. This is completely normal, so no worries. Just let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before using or place in a warm water bath to speed up the process. Shake and enjoy!Why is my salad dressing chunky?
The constant whisking during this process breaks the oil into tiny droplets that become suspended, creating emulsified vinaigrette. When the vinaigrette is refrigerated, the extra virgin olive oil in it will cause the dressing to thicken, but because it's emulsified, it will still be fluid enough to pour and use.How do you make vinaigrette emulsify?
You can do this by placing a teaspoon of lemon juice (or water) in a clean bowl and adding a small amount of the broken emulsion, whisking to form another, stable emulsion. Once that emulsion forms, drizzle in the rest of the broken sauce, whisking constantly.How do I fix my vinaigrette?
Using a fork or a whisk, vigorously stir, whisk, or whip the oil and vinegar in the \u201ccontrol\u201d glass for 30 seconds (time it with a clock or stopwatch). At the end of 30 seconds, start the stopwatch and watch the sides of the glass for 1-5 minutes for signs of separation.Salad Dressing How I Revealed My Twenty Years Plus Secret Recipe
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Answer 2
Did you change the olive oil brand between the successful and thick preparations? The web used to have a lot of articles on how we cannot trust olive oils (even the more costly ones) as they seem more often than not to be diluted with inferior oils. Some have flavorings added. Expert tasters cannot tell the difference, except that your health probably can.
A grocer told me that Chile and California have very strict laws governing olive oils and they inspect them regularly.
I'm wondering if an inferior oil would cause that thickening?
Sorry if this is not the case, but your problem is a puzzlement.
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