Homemade condiments? Seriously? Why bother making homemade mustard when there are several perfectly adequate mustards on the grocery store shelf? My quick answer is, ‘why not.’ Alright, that response, alone, may not convince you. How about this– I generally believe that almost anything homemade from fresh ingredients is better. I like to know where my food comes from, and when I make it from whole ingredients, I get that piece of mind. But there’s another aspect to making food– even condiments– from scratch. I love the process. I enjoy working with each individual ingredient, watching them all combine into something wonderful. In the end I feel like I’ve accomplished something. It’s calming– therapeutic even.
Like many of you, I’m a bit embarassed by the shelves of my refrigerator door– stuffed with old half-full condiment jars that rarely get called into action. (How many versions of Louisianna Hot Sauce does one need?!) While clearing out some of those forgotten toppings, I decided to add a few of my own– these two jars of mustard and one of homemade ketchup (stay tuned for a post on that one.) Mustard is so much more versatile than many people realize. And this grainy mustard version is marvelous. Aside from the typical burger/hotdog summer fare, it makes for magnificent turkey or ham sandwiches, works well in vinaigrettes, and– at least if you ask my daughter Aria– is best suited for dipping pretzels. This weekend I plan to grill wild salmon and add a teaspoon of fresh thyme to the white wine vinegar mustard for a topping. Very exciting!
I made two variations of mustard, though you can certainly customize your own. The first was a basic mustard, which I think I enjoyed just a tad more. The second, the ‘brewhouse’ version, featured a fairly robust dark beer as a central ingredient. Both were delicious. Other possible additions to the basic recipe include: tarragon (1 T, fresh), rosemary (1 tsp, fresh), tomato paste (1 T), honey (2 T), molasses (1 T), balsamic vinegar (1-2 T), cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp), roasted garlic (2-3 cloves, mashed), peach (1/4 cup fresh puree), chili (1 tsp, minced), and mango (1/4 cup fresh puree). One thing to keep in mind though, if you add any of the above, your mustard won’t keep as long– probably about a week.
The Recipe: Homemade Grainy Mustard
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Basic Grainy Mustard
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup water (red wine can also be used)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (or any vinegar with at least 5% acidity)
pinch of salt
(Note: A Port Wine Mustard can also be made by substituting 1/2 cup tawny or ruby port for the water or red wine.)
Brewhouse Mustard
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup sherry vinegar (or any vinegar with at least 5% acidity, such as malt)
1/2 cup strong flavored beer (such as a porter, stout, dark or amber ale)
pinch of salt
Put all of the ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Give it a good shake and let it rest for about 2 days. This will allow the mustard seeds to become soft. After the 2 days, pour the mixture into a blender or a mini food processor. Blend it to your desired consistency. If it appears to be too thick you may need to add a bit of water. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. You’ll never achieve a completely smooth mustard from this mixture. Return the mustard to the jar and store in the refrigerator or a cool, dark place for several months. The mustard will mellow and thicken a bit over time. Enjoy!
Source: Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
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Laurie
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I have a friend who loves mustard to the point of unhealthiness…ok, slight exaggeration, but not by a whole lot. I cannot wait to make this for him!
I feel like that’s me, too 😉 Great gift idea — I was thinking of making some extra jars for my family.
So very cool. I have mustard seeds from Penzey’s waiting in my cabinet. Thanks for leading the way!!
I forgot to mention that mine were from there, also. I love that store! Good luck, Kelli. I’m moving onto bacon and tomato jam next 😉
Where do you buy mustard seeds? How long does this last? I’d love to make my own. Right now I’m addicted to an organic, grained mustard that costs upwards of $6 for a tiny little 7oz. glass bottle. Making my own would have to be cheaper!!! 🙂
Sorry I forgot to mention that I bought my mustard seeds at Penzy’s, but most grocery stores will carry them in the spice section. Without any additions to the mustard, it should keep for several months. With additions of herbs, fruit, or any other — it will only last about a week. It’s completely delicious — hope you enjoy it!
I have enjoyed many of your recipes thus far…but I can’t wait to recreate this one…I am a stone ground/homeade/german mustard fanatic…I eat it on EVERYTHING!! And not to sound crazy, but sometimes I eat it plain. Oh, and if little Miss Aria enjoys it for her pretzels..she is not alone. While on the subject, you should make her some homeade warm sour dough pretzels…with some fresh mustard, they are to die for!! Good work on this recipe!!
Seriously good idea about the warm sour dough pretzels — I’m on it! Have fun making this — you’re going to love it 🙂
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food for thought:
the seeds should be cracked prior to adding the liquid component, which should be cold, to release the myrosin and sinigrin compounds. this allows the mustard to reach full heat potential, which is reached about 15 minutes after initial mixing. the heat will decline from that point on, but an acid can be added to slow down the process.
adding minced and roasted poblanos or anaheims is also a great idea.
Thanks for taking the time to comment on this matter, Ian. Yes, cracking the seeds before adding the vinegar is definitely an option when making mustard. However, most of the recipes I found suggested soaking the seeds whole. I image both methods make a delicious tasting mustard with a little bit of heat.
Must get mustard seeds on the grocery list! I adore it and I have been meaning to make it for ages. I can’t wait to do this. I always forget but you are totally inspiring! Thanks
I cannot wait to try this! That Mark Bittman, he has all the answers. Thanks for posting!
I love grain mustard and will definitely try making this – thanks for posting!
Did you hear Noelle Carter on The Splendid Table recently? She had a segment on homemade mustard. It inspired me and my son to experiment!
http://cookingwithjosh.com/2012/02/14/mustard/
I believe I did hear that podcast! I love The Splendid Table — it’s one of my faves. Good luck with the mustard!
Another recipe tried and loved. It was a LOT more spicy than I expected. My husband adores honey mustard so I added some honey to it. We like spicy, so I’m very excited to use it! I hope I didn’t shorten the “fridge” life too much with the honey.
It does have a bit of a bite to it! Glad to hear that you made it. You’ll have to give the homemade ketchup a try when tomatoes are in season! 🙂