This easy homemade tarragon mustard is made with yellow mustard seeds, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and dried tarragon. It has an intense sharpness that makes it perfect for rustic sandwiches.
Recipe ingredients and notes:
To make homemade mustard you need mustard seeds, seasonings, and an acidic liquid, such as vinegar or citrus juice. For the recipe here I used orange juice and apple cider vinegar as the liquid and salt and tarragon as seasonings.
- The amount of tarragon listed in the recipe will yield a very subtle tarragon flavor. Add more tarragon if you prefer a stronger flavor.
- I recommend to use freshly pressed orange juice, rather than bottled juice, for this recipe. Fresh juice adds a subtle sweetness that balances the sharpness of the mustard seeds and the intense acidity of the vinegar.
- You can substitute unseasoned rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar, if you prefer.
How to make it:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Add mustard seeds, orange juice, vinegar and water to a glass liquid measuring cup or a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
Step 2. Transfer the mix to a food processor and add salt and dried tarragon.
Step 3. Process until the mustard becomes smooth. Fill the mustard into a glass jar with a lid. Let it sit in the fridge for 2 days before starting to use it.
Recipe note:
Please note that the 2-day resting period before usage is very important. The mustard starts out incredibly bitter but all the bitterness disappears within 2 days of preparation.
What to use the mustard for:
- rustic and grilled sandwiches
- smoked salmon and other smoked fish
- bratwurst and other sausages
- charcuterie and cheese boards
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it in the comments below! Thank you!
Full Recipe
Homemade Mustard with Tarragon
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- citrus juicer
- glass liquid measuring cup or glass bowl
- plastic wrap
- food processor
- glass jar
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup yellow mustard seeds
- ⅓ cup freshly pressed orange juice (you need about 1 ½ oranges for that)
- ⅙ cup apple cider vinegar*
- ⅙ cup cold water
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon**
Instructions:
- Add mustard seeds, juice, vinegar and water to a glass liquid measuring cup or a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 hours.⅓ cup yellow mustard seeds, ⅓ cup freshly pressed orange juice, ⅙ cup apple cider vinegar*, ⅙ cup cold water
- Transfer the mix into a food processor and add salt and tarragon.¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried tarragon**
- Process until smooth. (This will take a few minutes. Keep processing until the mustard seeds are breaking up and the mustard thickens.)
- Transfer the mustard into a glass jar, cover and let sit in the fridge for 2 days before starting to use it.***
Notes:
More tarragon recipes you might enjoy:
- This gourmet grilled cheese sandwich is stuffed with Bourbon caramelized shallots.
- This maple mustard marinade adds great flavor to chicken breast.
Daniela says
I have made multiple attempts to make mustard from scratch with no good success. I would like to try your recipe and I was wondering if I could substitute the tarragon with fresh one and how much I ahould use. Thank you for the recipe.
Nicole B. says
Hi Daniela,
So far I've only made this recipe with dried tarragon but I don't see any reason why you couldn't use the fresh herb. I would use a little more of the fresh tarragon than dried because the flavor in dried herbs is more concentrated. Let me know how you like it and thanks for stopping by! :-)