Spicy Honey Mustard

If you’ve never made your own mustard before, you need to. This entire batch of mustard cost me, maybe 28 cents, give or take a nickle.

But it’s not about the cost-savings or the no-sodium added recipe so you won’t feel like a puffy water balloon.

It’s about being the best honey mustard I’ve ever had. I will never need to, or want to, purchase commercially-made (honey) mustard again.

Just as I enjoy a little cake with my frosting, I like a little food with my mustard. I double dip french fries because I want each bite really well coated with ketchup and mustard, not just the first bite.

I am the person in a restaurant who asks for extra sauce. And extra of the extra.

I love my condiments, dips, spreads, and sauces.

This mustard has a pretty hearty ka-ka-kick. It will definitely clear your sinuses but you won’t quite set off a four alarm fire. I found the flavor mellowed after a few days in the refrigerator.

If you’re not a fan of spicy mustard, you could try reducing the amount of dry mustard seeds to 1 or 1 1/2 tablespoons, but I am not sure how thick the final mustard will be.

This mustard is thicker and heartier than typical yellow mustard that comes in the yellow squeeze jars. You know the ones that have a tendency to squirt something that looks like separated yellow water and yellow paste no matter how much you shake the bottle. That first squirt is always mustard water.

Ketchup bottles do that to me, too. Nothing ruins food quite like squirting ketchup water all over it. Talk about separation anxiety. Pun intended.

You will not have that problem with this mustard.

It’s thick like pudding. Pudding that will put hair on your chest.

[print_this]

Spicy Honey Mustard (Gluten Free with Vegan option)

makes a generous 3/4 cup

2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons mustard seeds (I used 2 1/2)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper, optional and to taste (about 1/8 teaspoon is what I’d start with, just a tiny pinch; I omitted the salt and used a pinch of black pepper)

2 tablespoons+ honey, optional and to taste (or use maple, agave, brown rice syrup, yacon syrup, stevia, or other sweetener to keep vegan)

Combine all ingredients except honey in a small bowl (or Vita-Mix or blender canister), cover with plastic wrap or the blender lid, and allow mustard seeds to soak for at least 12 hours, up to 36 hours. After soaking time has elapsed, transfer the mixture to a blender canister and blend until as smooth as desired, retaining some texture if preferred. I pureed it extremly smoothly, and blended for at least 3-4 minutes. Add honey or other sweetener if desired and blend to incorporate. Add sweetener one tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness level is reached. (This was about 4 tablespoons, or just shy of 1/4 cup honey for me.) If mustard is too thick for your liking, add water a tablespoon at at time until it has thinned out. Transfer mustard to a small container and ideally, refrigerate before serving. Mustard will keep for many weeks in the refrigerator; use common sense.

Variations and suggestions:

You may wish to set half the mustard aside before adding the honey or other sweetener. Sweeten half with honey (or keep it plain/unsweetened), and with the other half, try: curry, paprika, garlic, onions, red pepper flakes, cayenne, chipotle, Mrs. Dash blends, ginger, cinnamon, coconut oil, coconut flakes, ketchup, bacon bits, lemon and dill, ranch dressing seasoning, buttermilk dressing seasoning. The sky is the limit; get creative.

[/print_this]

Gather the ingredients.

There’s not many.

Place the ingredients in a bowl (or into the blender canister to save a step), cover with plastic wrap (or blender lid) and wait a day.

Blend.

Add the honey to taste.

And prepare to reach for some tissues. This stuff will open up your sinuses and it’s addictive. The more I eat it and my mouth is on fire and eyes are watering, the more I want more of it. Crazy but true.

As noted in the recipe section, you could skip the honey and keep the mustard plain.

Or take half the batch and sweeten it with honey and with the other half, add any spices or seasonings as suggested in the recipe, from sweet to savory, mild to intense, plain Jane to off-the-wall. Get as creative as your little mustard-craving heart desires.

Related condiment recipes for some favorite dips, spreads, jellies, and sauces. Some are sweet, some savory:

Brown Sugar Balsamic Reduction Dip (vegan, GF) – I love (balsamic) vinegar and put this on salads, as a veggie dip, and could probably put it over ice cream. Kidding.

Caramel Pumpkin Whip Dip – Insanely good. Bring this to a party and watch it disappear.

Chocolate Coconut Cashew Butter (vegan, GF) – Get the earplugs out and blend, blend, blend. And enjoy.

Slaw & Salad Dressing (vegan, GF) – Do not be deceived by the underwhelming photo. It’s an extremely tasty and versatile dressing and dip.

Hot Pepper Jelly (vegan, GF) – Canning, conquered.

Stovetop Hot Pepper Jelly (vegan, GF) – Un-canning, conquered.

Peanut Sauce  (Vegan, GF, Salt-Free) – 2 minutes by hand or 15 seconds in a blender; use as a dip, spread, salad dressing, or as a sauce for peanut sauce baked tofu or raw spring rolls

Spinach & Artichoke Dip (No-Bake, Fat-Free, Vegan, GF) – Everything in one bowl, and 30 seconds later, the dip is ready.

Have you ever made mustard or made any other condiments?

I know Katie makes mustard. We share a love of mustard. And fabric stores, and cookie making, and cookie eating, among other things.

I’ve wanted to make my own ketchup before but haven’t embarked, yet.

I almost never buy salad dressing. I don’t bother when a squirt of orange juice, dash of agave and olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper, a whisk and 15 seconds gives me a perfect vinaigrette. Save money and control the ingredients.

One of the primary reasons I made this mustard is because most commercially-prepared condiments are loaded with salt. The per teaspoon sodium content is astronomical and I don’t do well with added sodium. I kept the mustard salt-free and didn’t miss it, at all.

Are you a fan of condiments, dips, and spreads?

I never met a ramekin of mustard, ketchup, salad dressing, sweet and sour sauce, peanut sauce, hot pepper jelly, or mango chutney that I didn’t love.

Dips, Sauces, Dressings, and Condiment Recipes Here

Don’t put me near the spinach and artichoke dip at a party; I”ll eat the whole thing. And I’ll probably double dip.

Peanut butter or cookie butter spread which is two tablespoons as the serving size? That’s per spoonful cracker, right. I like spreads piled on thick. The only way to go.