betty_perry24•17d agoMost Upvoted

Accidentally fixed my broken emulsion with a splash of warm water

I was making a lemon vinaigrette for a 50-cover dinner last Tuesday and it split right when I added the oil too fast. Panicked a bit, then remembered an old sous chef in Portland told me to try adding a tiny bit of warm water while whisking hard. I put in maybe a tablespoon, whisked like crazy, and it came back together smooth in about 20 seconds. Has anyone else had luck saving a broken dressing with just water instead of starting over?

2 comments

2 Comments

brooke_jones17d ago

That "tiny bit of warm water while whisking hard" trick is wild, right? A buddy of mine from culinary school had a similar save last year making a shallot vinaigrette for a wedding. He poured his oil in too fast and it totally looked like curdled milk. He remembered some chef telling him the same water trick and tried it with maybe two tablespoons of warm water. He whisked for a good 30 seconds and said it came back creamy, like nothing ever happened.

colescott17d ago

Honestly I don't buy it. Once that emulsion breaks, it's broken. You're just masking the problem with extra water and hoping nobody notices.