I turned the bottle of Grey Poupon around and saw that there was sugar in the list of ingredients. It did not seem right. That cannot be right. This was mustard. Dijon. I started doing some research. This was 6 months ago.
Turns out that Dijon mustard has been regulated in various forms since 1390. The original recipe is very simple and does not contain sugar: Mustard seed, salt and vinegar. I figured that it could not be that hard to make on my own. Not only did this prove to be correct, it proved to be delicious. My version is very simple.
Max’s Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons crushed mustard seed
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon of granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
I sourced just about all the organic mustard seed I will need for the foreseeable future from Amazon. I have been very happy with Frontier Mustard Seed, Brown Mustard Whole Certified Organic, 16 Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)
. This is a lot of mustard seed. Great value.
The mustard seed is crushed in my Omega J8004 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer
. This is a great juicer and has an insert that is perfect for grinding coffee, making almond meal or crushing mustard seed. The trick is to grind the mustard seed 4 or 5 times to obtain an even consistency. Be careful, the seeds are like little BB’s and will go everywhere.
Wine vinegar is up to you. The first few times, I used off the shelf wine vinegar. Now I make my own. It is very simple and there are several excellent articles on how to do it on your own. I would recommend “The “One-Shot” Crock or Jug Method” and “How to Make Red Wine Vinegar” from Mark’s Daily Apple. Grok on! I have enjoyed making a very nice white wine vinegar from a Charles Shaw Chardonnay from Trader Joe’s (Yes, Two Buck Chuck), a mason jar and some cheese cloth. Starting without any “mother” it took 8 weeks. “Mother” appears after 8 weeks. This matters little for mustard however. Part of the excitement is the subtle variety that each batch brings.
I have been using the Kirkland Signature Granulated Garlic. It is a nice product. There is nothing special about the sea salt though I am confident that a flavored sea salt would enhance the flavor.
Mix the four ingredients and you are good to go. There are various opinions on aging. The mustard mellows over time regardless, so I keep the batches small. If it dries out, add some water. It is very satisfying to make something that you have likely purchased your entire life. Plus it is very easy.
This mustard is great with hard-boiled eggs and everything else that you could use mustard with (which is just about everything). Enjoy!
