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.
For more intensely flavored homemade condiments, also check out this curry tartar sauce and this Sriracha bbq sauce.
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Recipe ingredients:
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.
Ingredient notes & substitutions:
- 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 for this recipe. It adds a subtle sweetness that balances the sharpness of the mustard seeds and the intense acidity of the vinegar. Suggestion: Zest the oranges before juicing them and use the zest to make this flavorful orange pepper seasoning!
- You can substitute unseasoned rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar, if you prefer.
- Yellow mustard seeds is what dry mustard (also called mustard powder) is made from. If you have a bunch of yellow mustard seeds you can grind them into powder in a spice grinder. Use the dry mustard in spice rubs, like this tuna steak seasoning, or mix it with cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich. Or, use the mustard seeds whole to make refrigerator sweet pickles!
How to make it:
See full ingredients & 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.
Top Tip:
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.
Tarragon mustard uses:
Use this mustard for:
- rustic and grilled sandwiches
- smoked salmon and other smoked fish
- bratwurst and other sausages
- charcuterie and cheese boards
How to store it:
Store the mustard in a glass container the fridge.
How long does it keep?
This homemade mustard keeps for at least a week in a closed glass jar in the fridge.
More delicious tarragon recipes:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thanks!
Full Printable 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.
- Transfer the mix into a food processor and add salt and 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.*** Store the mustard in the fridge and use it up within about a week.
Daniela
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.
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! :-)