Homemade Mustard

Took the plunge and decided to make a “simple” mustard to start, before trying the Bavarian mustard recipe Snarksalot sent me. Simple it is, at least in terms of the number of ingredients. Kept it rustic/peasant on the first try, but should be easy to strain out the shells if you want something to pass between cars when asked if you have fancy mustard.

It starts with 80 grams of mustard seed. In this case, 70 grams of brown and 10 grams of black (wanted a bit of pungency), which is seen above sitting in 5.5 ounces of vinegar. I did a mix of .5 oz apple cider vinegar, .5 oz white wine vinegar, and the remainder as white vinegar. NOTE: check to be sure all are five percent acidity as there are some brands cutting acidity to make a buck.

I used a pint canning jar as I had it and you don’t want to soak the mustard seeds in metal. Especially since you need to let them sit for 48 hours (countertop is fine).

At the end of that time, you will see some expansion as the mustard seeds soak up the vinegar. Drain and discard the liquid. I just let it sit for about ten minutes, and did press down just a bit with a spatula to be sure I had the excess out.

Once drained, I put the seeds in a blender, and added: 4 oz white wine [3 oz dry Riesling and 1 oz medium (not sweet) Riesling], 1.5t salt (1 t pink, .5t smoked), and 1.5 oz distilled white vinegar. I did NOT add any sugar, as between the AC vinegar and the wine, it was more than sweet enough. I pulsed the mix a few times until I had it well blended. You could use an immersion blender I think.

Since I wanted a country/peasant version, I did not strain it. Instead, I just poured it back into the cleaned pint jar and did the hard part: I put it in the refrigerator for 24 hours to set up a bit and to let the flavors meld. The next day I tested it to see if I needed to adjust anything, and the answer was no. Since then I’ve used it on sandwiches, meats, and anything that stood still too long. It will last six months in the refrigerator, but I doubt it will get close to that date given use.

Next up is Snarksalot’s recipe and I also am looking at doing a stronger version using rye whiskey in place of the wine. Several other variations suggest themselves. Knowing how to make your own condiments is a useful thing, as it saves money and you also know what is in there, so it is healthier to boot. One of these days may make my own ketchup too. Comes in handy if things get bad. That said, need to look at adding bulk mustard seed and such to my stockpile.

Lots of good recipes out there, my only advice is to be careful of any that call for adding sugar, particularly large amounts. If some sweetness is needed, my suggestion is honey (natural preservative as well). By playing with seeds, vinegars, and extra ingredients, you can make it as hot or mild as you like. Experiment and have fun!

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.