How to make your own
Home-made Mustard
Making your own mustard mixes
can be fun and interesting! The combinations are
endless, delicious, aromatic and rewarding. They
make great gifts that are inexpensive to make.
Mustards are made of a
basic mixture of dry mustard seeds, vinegar and
seasonings. They get their distinct and varying
flavours from the added vinegars, wines, sugar,
herbs and other seasonings. Some prefer their
mustard to be a natural pale yellow or brownish
shade, others add turmeric for a vivid yellow
mustard.
Your mustard can be sweet
to sharp, winy, biting, hot, pungent, musty or tangy
depending on your personal preference.
Basic recipe
- 50g white mustard
seeds
- 30 g black mustard
seeds
- 50g light brown sugar
- 5ml salt
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5ml herbs. You can add
herbs such as basil, marjoram, mint, oregano,
parsley, sage, thyme or rosemary. When using
fresh herbs you should add at least 60ml to this
recipe.
- 200ml white wine
vinegar. (We prefer to make and use our own
herbal vinegar. This is the fun part, using your
creativity)
- Put the mustard seeds,
sugar, salt, turmeric and herbs into a
liquidizer and blend together.
- Gradually add the
vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending well
between each tablespoon, then continue blending
until you have a coarse paste.
- Leave to stand for
10-15 minutes, to thicken slightly.
- Sterilise the jars and
spoon the mustard into the jars. Seal (cover
with cling wrap), label (remember the date) and
keep in a cool dark place for 2 weeks before
using, to allow the flavours to develop.
Variations
Clove-spiced mustard
add one teaspoon of cloves.
Chili-garlic mustard
add 1 dried chili pepper and 1 clove garlic.
Horseradish mustard
add ฝ to 1 tablespoon grated horseradish.
Tarragon mustard add
a pinch of cloves and a teaspoon tarragon.
Beer mustard use
130ml beer and 70ml vinegar instead of the 200ml
vinegar. Add a pinch of ginger, cinnamon and
some caraway seeds.
Honey mustard add
50ml honey instead of the brown sugar.
How to seal and store your
home-made mustards.
Remember to sterilise your jars before you use them.
Simply pour boiling water into them, then empty and
allow to dry completely. After sealing your jars
keep them in a cool dark place for 1-2 weeks before
using, to allow the flavours to develop. Use the
mustard within 3 months. Once opened, the flavour
will start to deteriorate, so refrigerate and use it
up fairly quickly.
What can go wrong and why
If the mustard
dries out on the surface, it has not been sealed
correctly. Some of the flip top jars does not always
seal tight. Cover the mouth of the jar with cling
wrap before closing. If the mustard is left too
long, it will lose most of its strength. If the
mustard develops mould or an off aroma you did not
sterilise your jars properly. |
