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French · British

Wholegrain mustard

Vegetarian

Moutarde à l'ancienne

Yellow and brown mustard seeds soaked in cider vinegar and white wine, then partly ground and sweetened with a little honey. The result is a coarse, popping, hot-and-tangy mustard that mellows as it matures.

Wholegrain mustard is a French condiment from France, ready in about 72 hours 10 minutes and made with mustard seeds and apple cider vinegar. It serves 20 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
72 h
Total
72 h 10 min
Serves
20
Level
Beginner
Calories
31

1–2 days soaking, then 2–3 days maturing in the fridge before it is at its best.

Ingredients

20 servings (about 15 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab) in a clean jar, pour over the vinegar and wine, stir, cover and leave at room temperature for 24–48 hours. The seeds swell and absorb nearly all the liquid; top up with a spoonful of vinegar if they look dry.

  2. Step 2

    Tip about a third of the soaked seeds into a food processor (opens in a new tab) or mortar with the honey (opens in a new tab), salt and turmeric (opens in a new tab) and grind to a thick paste, 1–2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Stir the paste back into the whole seeds, adding a little cold water if needed for a thick, spreadable texture. Pack into the clean jar and seal.

    Preserves packed in glass jars
    How it looks · Photo: Maria Verkhoturtseva on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Refrigerate for 2–3 days before using: freshly made mustard is harsh and bitter, and it mellows into a rounded heat as it rests.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Meaux and Dijon, France · Commonly attributedCoarse-grained mustards were made long before smooth Dijon; Meaux mustard (sold in stoneware pots) is the best-known French example, and British wholegrain mustards are similar. This is a standard home method.Also popular in United Kingdom, GermanyMore food from France
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Blended, No-cook
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), tangy, peppery
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · DASH-style
With the listed swaps: Alcohol-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Mustard seeds · Apple cider vinegar · Dry white wine · Honey
Techniques
Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds
  • Contains, can be adapted: Sulphitesfrom dry white wine

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

31 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 16 g · recipe makes 20

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 17%
  • Carbohydrate 29%
  • Fat 54%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy31 kcal202 kcal
Protein1.3 g8.4 g
Carbohydrate2.2 g13.9 g
Net carbohydrate1.5 g10 g
Sugars1 g6.5 g
Added sugars0.6 g4 g
Fibre0.6 g3.9 g
Fat1.8 g11.7 g
Saturated fat0.1 g0.6 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium98 mg633 mg
Salt equivalent0.2 g1.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
44 mg
Calcium
14 mg
Iron
0.5 mg
Magnesium
19 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
8 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: turmeric.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Mustard heat develops when ground seeds meet cold liquid and is fixed by acid; grinding with hot liquid gives a milder mustard.
  • More brown seeds make it hotter; more yellow seeds make it milder and creamier.

Common mistakes

  • Tasting it on day one and judging it too bitter. Give it time.
  • Grinding it all smooth; the whole seeds are the point.

Serve with

  • Ham, sausages, pork pies and charcuterie.
  • Whisked into vinaigrette or cream sauces for pork and chicken.
  • Cheese boards and ploughman's lunch.

Food safety

  • Use scrupulously clean jars (wash in hot soapy water, then dry in a 120 °C oven for 15 minutes or boil for 10 minutes) and always serve with a clean, dry spoon.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a clean, sealed jar for up to 3 months.

Variations

  • Beer mustard (Germany): Brown ale or stout replaces the wine for a malty, German- or British-style mustard.
  • Honey mustard (grainy) (United Kingdom): Double the honey for a sweeter mustard for glazes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The spice and seasoning backbone

Spices, masalas & pastes

Used in steps 1, 2

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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