Grainy Maple Sriracha Mustard
A funky fermented sweet and spicy mustard, full of texture, with a peppery kick.
Equipment
- Spice grinder (or, mortar and pestle)
- Small mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Yellow mustard seed Or, a combination of yellow and brown seed
- 3 tbsp Mustard powder
- 1 tsp White peppercorns Or, 3/4 tsp white pepper
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup Maple syrup Real maple syrup, not table syrup!
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Making the Mustard
- Divide the mustard seed in two equal portions.
- Pulse half the mustard seeds in the spice grinder until they are broken up, but not powdered. Look for most of the seeds split in half. This adds additional texture to the mustard.
- Grind the white peppercorns in the spice grinder until reduced to a fine powder.
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Mix well with a spoon until the mixture is completely combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Set aside out of sunlight at room temperature to allow the flavours to marry and fermentation to take place.
Fermentation
- For very acidic, sharp mustard: Let sit overnight before use.
- For acidic mustard: Let ferment for 3 days before use.
- For a balanced mustard: Let ferment for 5 days before use.
- For mellower, funky mustard: Let ferment for 7 days before use.
Storage
- Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Notes
White pepper - leave it in or take it out
I have done this both ways. White pepper is pretty overpowering. I really like the flavours I get from the well-fermented version of this recipe (7 days) with the white pepper. There's a very cool wave-like series of flavours you get with that combination. First the funk, then the spicy-sweet, then the pepper kick as a finish. But if you're looking for a slightly less-bold flavour, reduce the white pepper to 1/4 tsp or leave it out entirely.
A note on fermentation
You can use the mustard right out of the bowl when you mix it all up or you can let it ferment for a while. Longer fermentation will change the balance from spicy and acidic to a rounder, more funky taste, which will affect how you use it a little bit.
A "younger," less-fermented mustard is better for veggies but the funkier one is better with meats. At least in my experience.
At the 7-day mark, you should see some activity in the mustard. A little bit of bubbling here and there is a good indicator that your mustard is ready to go.
Where do I use this?
Anywhere you'd use a honey mustard or a Dijon you can swap this in and get more complex flavours and textures.
Meats
This mustard is excellent on grilled meats. It's really nice on pork, phenomenal on a barbecued sausage on a bun, very good on a burger. I would say that it's okay with ham, but not where I'd go first as a pairing. I also really like it in a sandwich with roast turkey or salami and some sharp cheddar cheese.
Veggies
One of our favourite uses for this mustard is to toss some steamed or roasted green beans in it. Add a glug of good extra-virgin olive oil and a little salt. It also makes a very good addition to a vinaigrette.