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!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Tools Used For This Recipe
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends!
HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Stainless Steel Wok Pan with Stay-Cool Handle - I've been loving this wok, makes stir frying and clean up so easy.
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.
Buddy says
Thank you so much for sharing this, as you can use chili flakes, I am thinking about using dried szechuan chilies - I know it is to taste, but based on your recipe, how many chili flakes would you recommend for the for the first try? (a Tablespoon, a 1/4 cup, more?)
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Buddy! If using chili flakes, I would probably start with 1-2 teaspoons and see how you like it. You can then make adjustments for the next batch. Let me know it turns out!
John Grant says
Have you ever added horseradish root to the recipe?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, and I greatly enjoy the extra pungency.
Dave says
Curious how much horseradish Did u add for this reiepe
Mike Hultquist says
Dave, anywhere from 1-3 teaspoons, depending on preference. Prepared horseradish will give you a bit more "bang".
Dave says
O good glad i asked i have a tendencey to add to much thanks for your time!
John B. says
First time making homemade mustard of any kind. Your spicy mustard is awesome. It was super easy to make and the flavor is great. I wanted to keep a jar in the cabinet for later although the ph is at 3.97. How would you suggest I get it to 3.5?
Mike H. says
Thanks, John. I usually suggest processing it using a water bath method - that will keep the mustard longer!
Steve Reed says
I make this exact recipe with a Tbsp of honey. I adjust the liquidity of it by adding yellow mustard powder after blending it, as needed. The powder is already ground and absorbs liquid almost immediately without altering the flavor.
Mike H. says
Enjoy!
Dave says
This is the first time one of your recipes did not turn out so good. Probably operator error. I let the seeds set for 26 hours with ACV and a cup of Corona beer. Added 4 hot Thai peppers and 1/2 tsp Kosher salt. Used a food processor which did not do a good job of chopping the pepper seeds. And it seemed way to “liquidy”. More importantly it didn’t taste very good. Perhaps I need to buy an immersion blender or use a regular blender. It does taste bitter, so I will add some honey and pre-soak the seeds going forward. Any suggestions to make it thicker?
I use a lot of Maille whole grain mustard and was looking forward to making my own and doing several variations.
Mike Hultquist says
Sorry to hear, Dave. A good blender will definitely help. If it's much too thin, you can add in some more seeds and let them soak again, the reprocess. There can be some bitterness from whole grain mustard. You can balance that out with a bit of salt and also a touch of sweet, like honey, but also other spices, like paprika, garlic, etc. It's definitely not wasted, as you can balance things out. I hope this helps.
Dave says
Thanks, Mike. I will keep you posted!!
Paula Stone says
I make a fermented mustard. Looks very similar to yours.
I really like to add in some good natural probiotics whenever I can!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great, Paula.
John says
I made this and cannot get it to look like yours, seeds have been soaking for 3 days now and it won't thicken up. I am open to suggestions?
I used the three musturd seeds, and I used cane vinegaer and white wine, no beer.
Help
Mike Hultquist says
John, there will still be liquid floating at the top until you process with a blender or food processor. Once you process it, it will thicken up together. Let me know how it goes.
Bill Savage says
hi Mike , here is an update from my post about the mustard..I suffer from sinusitis and Have found a way to deal with it, 2 rounds of seeded sourdough bread toasted,then spread with a nice layer of brussels pate ,then spread with a good layer of the wholegrain mustard.this will clear your sinuses in seconds as you eat it.
Mike H. says
So you are saying that my mustard is not only delicious but also remedy? 😉
Erin says
Hi...I made the recipe, but it seems a little runny. How can I thicken it a little?
Mike H. says
A few options: reduce it while cooking or add more mustard seeds. And if you are not concerned about altering the flavor of the recipe, then you can also use cornstarch slurry or breadcrumbs.
Bill Savage says
Hi Mike, just made 3 jars of your habanero whole grain mustard. So easy to do . I used a blonde belgian beer with the apple cider vinegar.1 each for my sons in law and 1 for me ,makes a lovely xmas present as they both like hot food.
Mike H. says
That's good to hear, Bill. Enjoy!
Bill Savage says
thanks Mike .
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Bill!
Stephen jackson says
hi how long will the mustard keep
Mike Hultquist says
This should last many months in the refrigerator.
Stephen jackson says
thank you just made it will let you know how it went l8tr
Mike H. says
Please do! Exciting.
Richard says
Hello Mike,
Another good one. I do not have fresh chillies: only dried and frozen (the dreaded Reaper).Your thoughts on which, if at all, would be better?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Richard. Honestly, either could work. Dried are GREAT for this, as you can grind them down into a powder and mix them in. Frozen does work, no problem.
Pam says
Hi Mike!
Do you have a recipe for a creamy hot mustard? My husband grows Reaper, jalapeños and Ghost peppers and loves the “River Rat” hot as hell mustard! Thought if you had are recipe I would make him some with his peppers!
Thanks
Pam
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Pam! Try this Homemade Yellow Mustard Recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/homemade-yellow-mustard/. You can mix in hot peppers and powders to spice it up however you want. This one uses mustard powder, so it will come out much smoother/creamier. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!