Mustard is the most basic staple in my refrigerator. I have always loved the “stone ground” type of mustard with crunchy bits of dark seeds and full of flavor. I prefer that type of mustard over the “yellow slime” that comes in the bright yellow barrel containers that have graced every picnic table in my childhood.

Use mustard on pork and sausage and grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches. Put in potato salad, and mix it with dill relish to top my burgers. I love mustard and use it all the time. One of my oldest memories is a ham and cheddar cheese sandwich made with my grandmother’s Swedish brown bread, spread liberally with mustard.

I searched and modified recipes for the best basic homemade mustard recipe I could create. I am a label reader and on the back of one of my favorite, most expensive blue and white jars of mustard the ingredients read; water, vinegar, mustard seeds, salt. This is when I realized I could simply make my mustard.

Mustard in Europe

Mustard seeds are one of the few native spices in Europe. Documents show it used in Chinese cooking for the past 2500 years.

Ancient Romans were lovers of mustard and have been creative with their ingredients since the beginning. Adding wonderful things to mustard like almonds, pine nuts, and unfermented crushed grapes.

The Romans even gave us the name for this versatile condiment, they called it “mustum ardens” or “Hot Must”.

Farmers market

When I began my mustard-making journey I first started making it for the farmer’s market. This is where I perfected my technique. I kept all of my ingredients cold from step one to delivering my mustard on ice to my customers. Promoting it as “organic” and “raw vegan”. Using only the highest quality ingredients and keeping the mustard within the temperature range of 104°-118° determines the “vegan” category. My customers not only appreciated this effort but also ranted at the taste and often asked if I had added horseradish.

I learned many things while making mustard for the farmer’s market. The cold liquid creates a chemical reaction with the mustard seeds and gives the mustard a hot bite. The rule of thumb is hot mustard/ cold liquid and warm or room temperature liquid results in a more mellow mustard.

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Types of Mustard

I use three different types of mustard seeds in making mustard. The first most basic seeds are yellow mustard sinapis alba and they are a brassica. Yellow mustard can have a bite, be quite flavorful, or be made to have a mellow flavor depending on the process.

Black mustard brassica nigra seeds have a pungent, bitter, and slightly spicy flavor. I use them more for visual pleasure than for a main flavor component.

Brown mustard brassica juncea has a hot and spicy flavor and I tend to use these seeds for the majority of my recipes. I love the taste, the look, and the crunch.

Liquids

There are many different liquids you can add to mustard. My basic mustard recipe calls for water; cold water for hot mustard or hot water for a more mellow mustard. I always use filtered water in every recipe I use for anything. The alternate options for liquid can be things like beer, white wine, and even fruit juices. Gray Poupon mustard has grape must as its liquid, and the Italians put fruit preserves in their mustard.

Acids

Once the mustard seeds have obtained their heat an acid must be added or the spiciness of the mustard will fade away without the addition of vinegar. My vinegar of choice is raw apple cider vinegar, with mother.

Adding salt to your mustard further enhances the flavor and preserves it. I always use salt without added iodine because I find that it often discolors the mustard. I use Himalayan salt or beautiful Celtic Sea salt. Together with the vinegar, the mustard will be preserved for well over a year. Just make sure it does not dry out, but if it does, add a spoonful of filtered water and stir.

Additional ingredients

Mustard is a condiment that many people have a strong opinion about how it should taste. You are all right! It should taste exactly how you like it. Here are some other ingredients you can add to your mustard to make it taste the way you like it.

Lemon zest, garlic, chives, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, horseradish, caraway seeds, honey, or maple syrup.

Honey mustard is mixed 1:1. I have also heard that peach preserves mixed 1:1 with mustard is a wonderful combination.