Sweet & Spicy German-Style Mustard
Homemade German-style mustard with whole mustard seeds, cider vinegar, cinnamon, allspice, and honey. Bold, grainy, and fiery. Keeps in the fridge for months. Gift-jar worthy.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
8 hrsOnce you make your own mustard from scratch, that yellow squeeze bottle in the fridge starts looking real sad.
This German-style recipe starts with whole mustard seeds and dry mustard soaked overnight in cold water, which softens the seeds and activates their heat. The next day, a concentrated reduction of apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, tarragon, and turmeric gets strained and blended into the seed mixture.
A spin in the blender, a gentle cook in a double boiler, and a drizzle of honey at the end. That’s it. You’ve got a thick, grainy, nose-tingling mustard with layers of spice you’ll never find in a store.
This keeps in the fridge for months (the recipe says years, and that’s not an exaggeration). Jar it up and it makes a killer homemade gift.
Variations
- Wine mustard: Replace the cold water with dry white wine or beer for a more complex base.
- Herb mustard: Stir in fresh chopped dill or rosemary after cooking for a garden-fresh twist.
- Extra-hot mustard: Reduce the vinegar liquid by more than half. More concentration means more fire.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight soak. The seeds need time to hydrate and mellow slightly. Rushing this gives you a gritty, aggressively sharp result.
- Use a double boiler for the final cook. Direct heat can scorch the mustard and turn it bitter.
- The mustard will mellow over time. It’s fiercest the day you make it and smooths out after a week or two in the fridge.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine seeds and mustard with cold water.
Allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Combine all remaining ingredients except honey.
Simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid reduced by half.
For a hotter mustard, reduce liquid by more than half.
Pour this mixture through a strainer, into the mustard and seed mixture.
Blenderize thoroughly.
Cook in a double boiler until the consistancy of gravy.
Add the honey.
This will keep refrigerated several years.
Many different flavors of mustard can be made by modifying this basic recipe. Substitute wine for the cold water, etc. Many other spices may be added also.
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