How to Make Mustard

Mustard recipes

By
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith
Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.
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Updated on 03/25/20
Dijon mustard

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Mustard is incredibly easy to make, takes only a few minutes of active time in the kitchen, and rarely requires more ingredients than you can count on the fingers of one hand (if that many). Yet it is a versatile ingredient and a welcome gift. From classic Yellow Hot Dog Mustard to Spicy Beer Mustard, here are some recipes to get you started, as well as some information about using mustard seeds.

  • 01 of 06

    Yellow Hot Dog Mustard

    Hot dog with mustard, close-up

    Tom Grill/Photodisc/Getty Images

    This is the classic mild yellow mustard I grew up loving on hot dogs. It is incredibly easy to make, and once made would keep pretty much forever except that it tastes so good you'll eat it up quickly.

  • 02 of 06

    Spicy Beer Mustard

    Beer in a glass

    LauriPatterson/Getty Images

    This easy to make mustard recipe is also fantastic on hot dogs, but don't stop there. Try it in potato salad, or mixed into salad dressings and marinades.

  • 03 of 06

    Basic Mustard Recipe With Variations

    Simple mustard recipe

    The Spruce  

    At its most basic, the condiment we call mustard, also called "prepared mustard," is just the seeds of the mustard plant plus water. Using wine or beer or another liquid adds complexity to the flavor, and adding vinegar or another acid preserves the spiciness.

  • 04 of 06

    The History of Mustard as a Food

    Mustard seeds, powder, and prepared mustard on wooden spoons

    FotografiaBasica/Getty Images

    Prepared mustard dates back thousands of years to the early Romans, who used to grind mustard seeds and mix them with wine into a paste not much different from the prepared mustards we know today...

    Continue to 5 of 6 below.
  • 05 of 06

    What Makes Mustard Hot?

    Heaped spoonful of mustard powder over tin

    Rachel Husband/Getty Images

    The mustard seeds are not hot nor pungent at all until they are cracked or ground and mixed with a cold liquid. It is the chemical reaction between two compounds...

  • 06 of 06

    Mustard Seed Types

    Mustard Seed on a measuring spoon

    John Madden/Getty Images

    Mustard is the second most-used spice in the United States. Its usage is only exceeded by the peppercorn. All parts of the plant are edible, including seeds, leaves, and flowers. And it's no wonder since mustard works well with all types of meats, pork, poultry, and seafood. Most of us are used to standard yellow prepared mustard, but there are many wonderful varieties of seeds and prepared mustards to experiment with.