Homemade Dijon Mustard

Take pride in making your own flavorful homemade Dijon mustard, this popular condiment is easier to make than you think!

Dijon mustard is a traditional French mustard that originated in Dijon, a town in France. The tangy taste can be described as more complex and refined mustard than traditional yellow mustard. This is due to the addition of multiple types of mustard seeds, and white wine.

Visually, this grainy mustard features a more pale yellow color than the classic American mustard along with noticeable mustard seeds, similar to a stone ground mustard.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chardonnay - I recommend Chardonnay but you can substitute your favorite dry white wine.
• White wine vinegar - Other kinds of vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, can be substituted, but the flavor will change considerably.
• Shallot 
• Garlic clove 
• Sugar
• Salt - I recommend table salt rather than Kosher salt.
• Yellow mustard seeds
• Brown mustard seeds - Feel free to experiment with the flavor by using other seeds such as black mustard seeds or white mustard seeds.

Brown and yellow mustard seeds comprise the backbone of Dijon. Yellow mustard seeds are the most common to find, but any well-stocked grocery store should have at least one brand of brown mustard seeds available.

Note: They may not be labeled specifically as "brown" mustard seeds, so take a close look at the seeds inside the jar, or just order brown mustard seeds online.

How to make it

The steps to make my homemade mustard recipe are quite simple. First, combine wine with the wine, vinegar, shallots, garlic, and seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes in a small saucepan, then strain out the vegetables using a fine-mesh sieve and let the wine mixture cool.

Once cooled, the whole mustard seeds are going to soak in the liquid for 24-48 hours. This allows them to soften and plump up. Once the seeds are softened they are ready to be blended into mustard.

Add everything into a blender and puree into your desired consistency. You will have to add water to get it to an appropriate thickness and the more it is blended the more water you will need.

Finally, everything should be gently simmered on the stovetop to allow the flavors to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, then store in a glass jar in your refrigerator. The flavors will continue to meld over the next few days.

Troubleshooting this recipe

• The mustard is too thick: You need to add cold water to the mustard when it is blended or it will be too thick to blend well. The amount of water needed will vary, so just keep adding extra liquid to the mustard mixture until it has the right consistency.
• The mustard is too runny: If you add too much water the Dijon will get runny. Don't worry, you can cook out the excess liquid when the mustard is simmered in the final step. The longer you simmer the more liquid evaporates and the thicker the mustard will get.

How to use it

• Sandwiches - Your homemade Dijon mustard is the perfect condiment to spread on your favorite sandwiches, grilled brats, hot dogs, and hamburgers.
• Salad dressings - It is a great flavor enhancer in homemade salad dressing or vinaigrettes.
• Potato Salad - Use Dijon as a great alternative in place of yellow mustard in your favorite potato salad recipe.
• Dipping sauce - Use it as a dipping sauce for chips, french fries, pretzels, and chicken either by itself or by using it to make your own honey mustard.
• Substitute - Use it as a great substitute for spicy brown mustard or almost any other type of mustard.

More Homemade Condiment Recipes