79 replies to this topic

[andiesenji]

I spent part of the morning mixing, blending and processing mustard seed into the base product that I will later "flavor" with various ingredients, then put up in jars and finish in a hot water bath.
I have been making my own mustard for many years, it is really quite a simple process and I can have the flavors I want. It also makes a nice gift for a hostess or an addition to a holiday (or other occasion) gift basket.
This mustard happens to be home grown, but mustard seed is readily available and I wondered why more people don't make their own, instead of paying some of the outrageous prices for some of the "trendy" mustards.

I took a couple of photos, but ImageGullet is not available at this time so can't post them.

Have you made mustard, either from mustard flour, or starting with seeds and if so, how did your product turn out and what varieties have you made?

[mongo_jones]

recipe?

[andiesenji]

MASTER MUSTARD RECIPE
an Original Recipe by Andie

First let me say that I grow my own mustard because I like to, however it is not necessary. You can find whole black and brown and white or yellow mustard seed in any Indian market and there are plenty around so you should have no difficulty finding a source.

This is the basic mustard recipe I use - it is easy to adjust it for your taste and
add various spices, herbs, condiments that make it to your taste. I use mostly black and brown mustard, however a yellow or white variety has crept into my mustard patch in the last few years and it now makes up about 5% of the total. (I am not going to pick them out one by one.)

I do not use honey because one my friends has a severe allergy to honey or something in honey - so I use apple jelly for the basic sweetener in sweet/hot mustard, or half apple jelly and half orange marmalade, or whatever.

This is for a coarse, homestyle type mustard which will not be creamy.

Measure out 2/3 cup of the mustard seeds, dump them into a fairly fine wire strainer and shake to get rid of any bits of stem or hull that has not been removed in the threshing. Rinse with cold water and leave to drain in the strainer.

In a glass jar with tight fitting lid place the following
1/2 cup apple cider or rice vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned).
1/2 cup sweet mirin or any sweet white wine.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar - brown or white

Add the mustard seed, close tightly and shake briefly
Set aside and allow to soak overnight or at least for 8 hours, (you can leave it for days or even weeks, the seeds will not spoil, they will just get softer)
If you are around, shake the jar a couple of times in the interval or stir it with a long handled spoon but if you don’t think of it don’t worry it is not absolutely necessary.

Pour into blender and start on low speed, gradually increasing speed as the seeds break up. The mustard will begin to thicken, stop after a few minutes and stir to check on consistency, you may have to add a bit of water if it becomes too thick. (If the seeds have taken up all the moisture then you will have to add some liquid.)

When the mixture just begins to hold its shape, stop blending and add 1 cup of either apple jelly, orange marmalade, red currant jelly, apricot jam - or a mixture of any or all.
Continue blending until you can no longer see any whole seeds in the mix.

Pour into a glass jar, cap tightly and refrigerate for a day or so the mustard can mature and mellow a bit.
At this point this is going to be a fairly hot, sinus-clearing mustard.

The mixture will thicken a little but should still be somewhat runny and will have a sharp bite. (tastes a bit "raw")

THE NEXT STEP IS IMPORTANT!
At this point it has to be cooked a bit to modify the flavor, reduce the "bite". You can cook it in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water until it thickens to spreadable consistency.
OR
You can do it in the microwave in just a minute or two.

In a wide bowl or casserole dish, which will allow the mustard to foam up 3 times its depth without going over the sides, pour the mustard so it is about 3/4 inch deep.
At 50% power, nuke it for 20 seconds- stir, repeat the 20 second cook, stir
again and repeat.......
This should take a total of perhaps 2 minutes (at most) cooking time.
As you stir the mustard back down after it has foamed up, you will begin to notice that it is thicker and has begun to look slightly translucent and shiny.
At this point let it cool and taste it. Some of the harsh bite should be gone but you should still be able to taste the spiciness.

MOST IMPORTANT! This is the way to adjust the taste of the mustard. If you cook it too long the flavor will be gone. If you plan to add anything to it, such as mayonnaise, or mix it into sour cream or cream cheese or ??? leave it a bit spicer than you would if using it straight. The additive will lessen the pungency of the mustard and you will lose the "bite" of the mustard.

Put the finished mustard back in the (washed and scalded) jar, cap tightly and store in fridge.

Now you have a basic mustard to which you can add green peppercorns or horseradish, or cranberry relish, or chutney, hot peppers, etc. If you have an Asian market buy some of the sweet chile sauce (Mae Ploy is my favorite brand), which is not too hot and add some of this for a little different flavor, absolutely fantastic with pork or sausages such as bratwurst.

You can mix it half and half with sour cream, mayonnaise or Miracle Whip for a mustard dip. Try it with veggies, with fried or grilled chicken strips.
If you mix it with tartar sauce it makes a great dip for deep-fried crab balls.

[Betts]

What a post - thank you.

Do you always make the sweet-hot style or do you sometimes do the savory type? My husband brought me a jar of a German green herb mustard from a trip to Europe and I ate it on everything. I have not seen it here and making my own had never occurred to me.

[andiesenji]

The base is always a bit sweet. That helps in the cooking to adjust the amount of bite in the mustard.
The sweetness then can be tempered by adding other flavors. Capers or caperberries, some of the bitter herbs, horseradish, etc., I also add citrus zest or candied peel, chiles, ginger, garlic roasted in oil, carmelized onions. I have made mustard with stout, for a friend who likes it made that way.
The possible variations are endless.

[Episure]

carmelized onions.

It's nice to know that there is another enlightened soul who uses caramelised onions in homemade mustard.

[andiesenji]

carmelized onions.

It's nice to know that there is another enlightened soul who uses caramelised onions in homemade mustard.

I love the flavor of carmelized onions, shallots, garlic, etc., etc.

The flavor of oil roasted garlic is also wonderful. I am reluctant to take a chance on cold infused oil because of botulism so I roast garlic in a large glass Dutch oven in a slow oven for a long period. The garlic carmelizes in the oil, flavors the oil which can be bottled and sealed and doesn't need refrigeration. The garlic itself is canned in just enough oil to cover and it also makes great gifts.
My kitchen is redolent of garlic until the exhaust system is able to filter it out, however I love it so no complaints from me.

[andiesenji]

So, Episure,
What kind of mustard do you make?

[bbq4meanytime]

Put the finished mustard back in the (washed and scalded) jar, cap tightly and store in fridge.

If the jars are properly sanitized and the filled jars placed in a water bath afterwards, can the unopened mustard be stored in non-refrigerated storage?

Nice recipe, Ihope to try it soon.

[Rebel Rose]

Here's my recipe . . . no cooking or sterilizing involved. I make a cup or two at a time and store it in the fridge. It goes quickly. Generally, I make this mustard and my Sun-Dried Tomato Catsup to serve with our Renegade Burgers, or the slow-roasted beef sandwiches we always make for our Superbowl Party, which we serve with a beef au jus spiked with slivers of garlic and jalapeno.

Viognier-French Tarragon Mustard

Fresh and spicy, with an intriguing hint of licorice
1/2 cup brown mustard seed (available from Penzey’s Spices)
1/4 cup viognier or other fruity white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 sprigs fresh tarragon, destemmed and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh cardamom seed, crushed (optional)

Makes about 1 cup

Place the mustard seed, white wine, and chicken broth in a glass bowl, stir until the seeds sink, and refrigerate overnight. The following day crush the mustard seed in a food processor or coffee grinder until well-broken, to a rough mustard consistency. Pulse and then pat down with a spoon, pulse and repeat. The seeds tend to fly around and are too small for most electric processors, so the mustard will still have lots of whole seeds. Add the brown sugar, tarragon, and cardamom seed, and pulse some more. (For a speedier version, you can grind the dry seeds and then add the liquids, but the flavor is richer and the texture more interesting if you take the time to soak the seeds first.) The final mustard will be super-strong and very crunchy. Store in a clean glass jar or plastic container. Keeps for 2 weeks, refrigerated. Use sparingly on sandwiches or as a condiment for meats.

[Toliver]

Here's my recipe . . . no cooking or sterilizing involved.  I make a cup or two at a time and store it in the fridge.  It goes quickly.  Generally, I make this mustard and my Sun-Dried Tomato Catsup to serve with our Renegade Burgers, or the slow-roasted beef sandwiches we always make for our Superbowl Party, which we serve with a beef au jus spiked with slivers of garlic and jalapeno.

Thanks for posting the mustard recipe.
Now how about the recipe for the Sun-Dried Tomato Catsup? Pretty please?

[Rebel Rose]

Toliver, here you go. Thanks for asking!

Sundried Tomato Catsup

Sundried tomatoes give this homemade catsup an exotic smoky flavor that’s great with burgers and roast beef sandwiches.
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup chopped, sundried tomatoes in oil
2 tablespoons oil from sundried tomatoes
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorn

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Roast or sauté the garlic, then mash. Roasted garlic tastes best, but if you’re in a hurry, just sauté it for 5 minutes in one teaspoon olive oil until soft and aromatic. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately lower the heat so that the sauce barely bubbles, and simmer for 1-2 hours, until reduced by about one-third. Allow to cool. Store in a clean jar or plastic container. Keeps for about two weeks, refrigerated.

I'm going to work on a version of Andie's mustard for Christmas baskets. Thanks, Andie!

[andiesenji]

Put the finished mustard back in the (washed and scalded) jar, cap tightly and store in fridge. 

If the jars are properly sanitized and the filled jars placed in a water bath afterwards, can the unopened mustard be stored in non-refrigerated storage?

Nice recipe, Ihope to try it soon.

Yes, that is the way I process them. The mustard itself is a preservative and will keep without refrigeration after opening as long as nothing is introduced into it that can spoil. In other words, use a clean spoon to take the mustard from the jar. Don't do as one of my friends did, use a knife to spread mayonnaise on a piece of bread then stick the same knife into the jar of mustard carrying a bit of mayonnaise along.
When I yelled about it, he said he would just keep the jar of mustard in the fridge. He had no idea why I was so upset.

[andiesenji]

The final mustard will be super-strong and very crunchy. Store in a clean glass jar or plastic container. Keeps for 2 weeks, refrigerated. Use sparingly on sandwiches or as a condiment for meats.[/font]

This is the reason I microwave the mustard I make to adjust the flavor and lessen the bite.
When it is first mixed, it is so strong that it can irritate the stomach. Heating will lessen this effect and you can use more.

Your recipe sounds very flavorful.

My other reason for heating is that the mustard will then keep much longer. And of course with processing and sealing it will keep indefinitely.

I started growing my own many years ago. I was actully growing it for the greens but was away on a dog show circuit for a couple of weeks and the entire patch bolted (went to seed). I came home to 5 foot tall plants loaded with long seed pods.
The stuff grows like a weed and because of our long growing season I can get three crops a year.
I pick the leaves from the base of the plant while they are young so I actually get a double crop out of them. Nice!

[Jean Brislance]

What a great thread!

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I am a mustard junkie...my favorite condiment by far. I have no less than a dozen and a half jars in my fridge!

Thanks all,

Jean

[andiesenji]

Perhaps I should have titled this "Condiments" - - -Why not, etc., etc., etc...

I plan on making a couple of Sambals as last evening I scraped the bottom of the jar of Sambal Badjak. I just ordered the more exotic ingredients which are difficult to find locally and hopefully they will arrive in time to make a batch this weekend.

I have a lot of green tomatoes so green tomato chutney is on the schedule.
Chile sauce will be on the list as the chiles and tomatoes ripen. I am still trying to duplicate the taste of my favorite sweet chile sauce made by Mae Ploy.

I have a liter jar of palm sugar which makes a big difference in the taste and texture of these condiments.

Fun to make and tasty, all of these flavor enhancers.

[Toliver]

Perhaps I should have titled this "Condiments" - - -Why not, etc., etc., etc...

A great idea. PM the forum host to see if they can edit it for you.
And thanks for posting your recipes and ideas! This is a great discussion.

[rickmartin]

andiesenji:

I am a mustard freak! My favorite by far is the very simple, savory French Dijons. In many attempts my mustard never quite loses the "bite" referred to in this thread. People always think it is a challenge to get mustard really hot when in fact it is difficult to get it mild. If the microwave method works, would the range top work just as well for larger batches? At what point has it cooked too long? I've never had much luck with the cooking method so I am very curious as to the details. Can you explain your double boiler technique further?

RM

[andiesenji]

andiesenji:

I am a mustard freak! My favorite by far is the very simple, savory French Dijons. In many attempts my mustard never quite loses the "bite" referred to in this thread. People always think it is a challenge to get mustard really hot when in fact it is difficult to get it mild. If the microwave method works, would the range top work just as well for larger batches? At what point has it cooked too long? I've never had much luck with the cooking method so I am very curious as to the details. Can you explain your double boiler technique further?

RM

I do make my own mustard in large batches but I gave the measurements for a small batch because I thought that not everyone would want to make several pints at a time for canning.

I have found that I have much more control using the microwave and if I could get my photos up you could see the size of the bowl I use.

That being said, you don't need a regular double boiler. A wide stainless steel bowl works best, set over simmering water in a pot that is of a size to keep the bottom of the bowl above the water but allow it to sit deep enough that it is stable.

As the mustard is heating, stir it a few times and when it becomes hot, stir constantly and when it changes color and begins to look a bit "slick" take the bowl from the pot and place it on a thick towel. Continue stirring a bit until it begins to cool. Taste it, it is best to put a dab on a water cracker or a bread cube. If it still has the effect that you feel in your sinuses, cook it a bit more. Every batch is different and you have to taste as you go.

If you have a very heavy-bottomed, non-stick skillet you can also cook it over direct heat but you have to be very quick, moving it on and off low heat while constantly stirring. This is tricky but much faster than the double boiler method.


Regarding the creamy mustards, you have to grind the dry seed to make this, unless you have a wet mill.
I advise anyone who is going to grind dry mustard seed (or very hot chiles) in one of the electric "spice" grinders to either take it outside or place it inside a jumbo plastic bag before opening the grinder, or wear a dust mask (and safety goggles). Invariable when you pull the top off the grinder some of the powder poofs up and zowie!

[andiesenji]

ImageGullet is working so here are my mustard photos.

Newly threshed mustard seed


A close up of the seeds: Black, brown and yellow.


Six quarts of mustard seed soaking in the vinegar mixture:


A Pyrex bowl in which the partially processed mustard, ground in a Vita-Mix blender and has been microwaved and stirred until it is partially tempered. It will be set aside to mature for a few days then tasted and if needed further heating to lessen the bite if still too strong. It will then be combined with other ingredients and canned.


Shown side by side so the color change can be seen.

[ninadora]

I love this thread, my mother and I are the "condiment queens"....

I recently bought a product called "kuchela" from an internaional foods store, It is an unripe mango pickle with hot peppers and a blend of "east indian spices" from Trinidad. it is incredible my new favorite, i eat it with turkey burgers, add it vinagrettes, mayonaise etc. my thought is, it would be amazing to make it fresh, so I found a recipe:

http://www.tntisland.com/kuchela.html

This would be a large undertaking so I ask you egulleters, condiment makers, people who know about mustard oil--any advice?

do you think I can put this up in jars after I make it?

[Rebel Rose]

Excellent photos, andie, and very helpful! We have a creek bed full of tall mustard, and I think this would be a fun project to do with our 12-year-old (although I suspect I may need to buy some seed to supplement our efforts). We can put up the mustard in small jars for him to give as Christmas gifts.

[andiesenji]

This would be a large undertaking so I ask you egulleters, condiment makers, people who know about mustard oil--any advice?

do you think I can put this up in jars after I make it?

There is this thread about Mustard oil in the India forum from a couple of years back.
http://forums.egulle...?showtopic=9168

I buy mustard oil at an Indian grocery.

I don't see why you couldn't put this up in jars after you make it. You have to use a hot water bath as you would any other canned item. I will check and see if I can find anything more about it as soon as I can find what I did with the cookbook that has all the salsas, sambals, chutneys and etc.

I note that this is not cooked. I would process the garlic in vinegar before adding it to the mixture, only because of the possibility of botulism. The waterbath method does not heat the garlic enough to kill the organism, however high acidity will.
When I make sambals or other condiments I will not be cooking, I roast the garlic in oil before I add it to the mixture. The flavor is simply richer and there is no possibility of botulism.

Edited by andiesenji, 23 June 2004 - 07:49 AM.

[jhlurie]

Don't forget the relishes, barbecue sauces, soya sauces, and ketchups!

[andiesenji]

In a future post I will relate my "interesting" adventure in making banana ketchup.....

[Rebel Rose]

Ba-nan-a! That is creative. Now I'm dying to know why, and what for . . . and how did it turn out?

That reminds me (warped minds think alike) I made a yellow tomato catsup the other day, mostly by accident, but it turned out well. I had more chicken marinade than I needed--a simple base of olive oil, herbs, white wine and various spices, so I saved back a cup and blended it with the only tomatoes I had in the house--canned yellow--and reduced it on the stove for a while, after adding a little Cajun spice and some fresh ground ginger. My SO swore he wouldn't touch the stuff, but I put a dollop by his chicken anway, and when I took the plates back to the kitchen I noticed it was gone. Must have eaten it accidentally, too.

[andiesenji]

We are fortunate here in Lancaster in that we have a number of "ethnic" markets, including Thai, Korean and Phillipino, as well as an Indian market in Palmdale, just next door.

I love banana ketchup, I began buying it quite a few years ago, picked up a bottle on a whim and found it good.

Another shopper in the store happened to remark that she made her own and would I like the recipe.... Well of course I would, no doubt about it. She invited me to her home and copied the recipe for me from a notebook that had seen a lot of kitchen action.

A few weeks later I gathered the ingredients and set out to make a batch of my very own banana ketchup.

The directions said it would make about two cups and to refrigerate for up to a week. I thought, heck, why not make a bigger batch and can it.

so I made a bigger batch, I canned it and processed it in a waterbath and put it in the pantry. One jar was in the fridge being consumed with anything and everything that goes good with ketchup.

One evening, I heard what I thought was a backfire, thought nothing more of it. A short time later a louder bang, accompanined by additional noises, tinkling sounds, hail on a tin roof, etc.
Also my dogs were scratching at the pantry door.
I opened the door and it looked like someone had been butchered in it. Red gloppy stuff was everywhere. One jar was intact so I put it in three plastic bags and relegated it to the trash where it also exploded.
I hired a cleaning crew to come in and clean the pantry, I simply was not up to it.

Did I make it again? Yes. However after this fiasco I processed it in the pressure cooker. No problems, no fermentation.

Do you still want the recipe??????

[Rebel Rose]

Um, yes? But I'll follow the most recent directions carefully!!
Thanks!

[andiesenji]

Banana ketchup recipe

2 bananas, large.
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup sultanas plumped in 1/4 cup water
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup palm sugar (or dark brown sugar)
1/4 cup Golden syrup (or light corn syrup)
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice, freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper, ground
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Chop peeled bananas and toss in blender with water. Blend till smooth.
Scrape into micro-waveable glass bowl and set aside
Add the sultanas in their liquid to the blender, then add the onion, garlic, tomato paste and vinegar.
Blend well and add to bananas in bowl.
Heat in microwave, full strength for 2 minutes
Add the sugar, syrup, rum, stir well.
Microwave for 3 minutes and stir well
Mix the spices together and add to the mixture in the bowl.
Blend thoroughly.
Microwave for 5 minutes and stir thoroughly, scraping the sides of the bowl to mix everything.
Repeat this process three or four times until the ketchup has reduced by 1/3 and is thickened to the correct consistency.
This may take longer in very humid conditions.
You may have to continue the microwave/stirring routine several additional times until the consistency is the way you expect ketchup to be.
Allow to cool and place in blender, blend until totally smooth.

When finished place in a sterilized glass jar.
Allow to cool and store in the fridge for no more than two weeks.


To make a spicier ketchup chop a small dried hot chile and soak in the water with the raisins.

[Episure]

So, Episure,
What kind of mustard do you make?

dill, green chilli, horseradish, star anise, sichuan pepper, raw mango, ginger.....