This homemade whole grain mustard recipe is made with three types of mustard seeds and fiery habanero peppers for a spicy hot mustard you are sure to love.

Homemade Spicy Mustard Recipe (Whole Grain)
We're making Hot and Spicy Mustard in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends, and you're going to love it! The last one we made - Beer-Honey Mustard - disappeared pretty quickly and we were dying for more.
In our house, it is pretty important to have a nice selection of sauces and condiments on hand, especially ones you can make yourself, and it's hard to beat a good homemade mustard in the summer.
Homemade Whole Grain Mustard - Made Spicy!
Mustard is ideal for grilled foods of all types, but it can also form the basis for many a new sauce combination. It also makes for an excellent rub for pork. Bust out that smoker for some mustard rubbed ham!
Instead of going the sweet route, we decided to move in a spicier direction, dropping the honey and swapping it for one of the world's most outstanding chili peppers - the habanero.
I often point to the habanero as a gateway pepper. Much like the jalapeno pepper is the gateway for many into the spicy food world, an introduction of sorts, the habanero pepper is the gateway into a more fiery realm, where the heat really ticks up a notch. Or ten.
Habanero peppers are no slouch in the heat department. They average around 300,000 Scoville Heat Units, compared to around 5,000 SHU for the jalapeno.
Don't worry. You can reduce the heat by removing the innards, and much of the heat is absorbed by the mustard, but you want some heat. I know you do. This mustard alone is already pretty darned pungent.
You'll definitely want some added habanero love. So good! Pretty soon you'll be looking to make some ghost pepper mustard. Hmmm. Ideas are striking...
Let's talk about how to make spicy whole grain mustard, shall we?

Spicy Whole Grain Mustard Ingredients
- Mustard Seeds. I am using a combination of 1/2 cup brown mustard seeds, 1/3 cup yellow mustard seeds and 1/3 cup black mustard seeds. You can also use ground mustard, but seeds are best for this particular recipe.
- Vinegar. Use 1 cup apple cider vinegar, though you can use other vinegars.
- Beer. I am using 1 cup Mexican lager, though other beers are good. Go with a favorite. Use water for a non-alcoholic version.
- Habanero Peppers. I am using 4 habanero peppers, chopped. Core out the peppers for milder heat, or go with milder peppers.
- Salt. To taste!

How to Make Spicy Whole Grain Mustard - the Recipe Method
Mix the Seeds and Liquids. To a large mixing bowl, add mustard seeds with vinegar and beer. Mix well. Pour into a large jar and seal.
I'm using three types of mustard seeds - yellow, brown, and black - for more pungency.

Wait for the Seeds to Absorb the Liquid. Set the jar in a dry place overnight to let the seeds absorb the liquid, at least 12 hours. You will notice the seeds grow larger, but the mixture still looks like mustard seeds floating in liquid.
Habaneros and Salt. Stir in the habanero peppers and salt. Mix well.

Process to Your Preference. Add to a food processor and process to your personal tastes. You can process only a little to keep most of the seeds, or go to town and really mix it together. I processed mine to about 80 percent, keeping a few seeds in there.
Serve Up the Spicy Mustard! Set the mustard into a sterilized jar and serve! The flavors will keep developing as time goes by. Enjoy!
Doesn't it look scrumptious? Doesn't it make you want to just dive right in? Better than any spicy brown mustard out there. Bust out the hot dogs! Excuse me while I make something that needs mustard...

Recipe Tips & Notes
- Up your heat factor by using spicier chilies, such as ghost peppers, scorpions, or the Carolina reaper. You can also mix in extra spicy chili powders to achieve similar results.
- Dial back on the heat by using fewer habaneros, or substituting them with milder peppers.
- This recipe also works with only one type of mustard seed, so you can make it with all yellow, all black, or all brown mustard seeds if you choose.
Storage
Homemade mustard will last for months in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can make it shelf stable for longer term storage by processing it in a water bath, though you may need to add acidity. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home storage.
Or, you can look into pressure canning.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my spicy mustard recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Check Out Some of Our Other Popular Homemade Mustard Recipes
- Homemade Chipotle-Honey Mustard
- Homemade Habanero-Peach-Honey Mustard
- Homemade Yellow Mustard
- Chipotle-Honey Mustard
- Homemade Honey Mustard
- Pickled Mustard Seeds
- Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe
Also check out my page to learn How to Make Homemade Mustard - The Basics, with loads of information and other mustard recipes. Enjoy!

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! — Mike H.

Homemade Spicy Mustard Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup black mustard seeds
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beer I used a Mexican lager
- 4 habanero peppers chopped (innards removed for a bit less heat)
- Salt to taste (I use .5 teaspoon)
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl, add mustard seeds with vinegar and beer. Mix well. Pour into a large jar and seal.
- Set the jar in a dry place overnight to let the seeds absorb the liquid, at least 12 hours. You will notice the seeds grow larger, but the mixture still looks like mustard seeds floating in liquid.
- Stir in the habanero peppers and salt. Mix well.
- Add to a food processor and process to your personal tastes. You can process only a little to keep most of the seeds, or go to town and really mix it together. I processed mine to about 80 percent, keeping a few seeds in there.
- Set the mustard into a sterilized jar and serve! The flavors will keep developing as time goes by.
Video
Nutrition Information

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 9/22/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 8/25/18.
Feriba says
What would be a good substitute for Habanero ? That pepper has too much heat for me
Mike Hultquist says
Feriba, you can use a milder chili pepper that you prefer, like jalapeno.