Oktoberfest Beer Mustard

After my success with the fig mustard, I thought I would try another.  The Ball book had this intriguing one that looked really simple.  Lots of dishes, but simple.

I was able to get all the spices easily enough at Sprouts from their bulk section, so I wouldn't be stuck with more than I could use.  The malt vinegar was a little more difficult.  I found one labeled "Fish & Chips" malt vinegar.  Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of it.  At least it's a small bottle.  Expensive, but small.

The Ball book recommends you pick a strong beer.  I'd say anything stronger than the average Bud or Corona.  I happened to have some Sierra Nevada on hand, but if you like beers that kick you in the butt go ahead and use a Stone.

Now, you'll notice that this is a lot of mustard.  I got a full cup more than the recipe said I would, and I thought I had boiled it down pretty thick.  Fortunately, this recipe is easy to cut in half or thirds.  You could use the rest of the bottle on a small loaf of beer cheese bread, beer ice cream, or just drink it to keep you company while you're cooking.

This is also a very easy recipe, if you're looking for something to get you into canning that you can't mess up.  If the seals fail, you get a very long time in the fridge to use the mustard.  Vinegar, alcohol, and sugar are all preservatives.  I still had to pop a couple in the freezer for much later, but most of the seals held.

12 oz (one can or bottle) beer
1 C brown mustard seeds
1 C water
1/2 C malt vinegar
1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 C dry mustard
1 Tb onion powder

1.  In a medium stainless steel saucepan, combine beer and mustard seeds.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat, cover, and let stand at room temperature until seeds have absorbed most of the beer, about 2 hours.  For those who soak their own beans, this is similar to a quick-soak method.

2.  If canning, prepare jars and lids for a 3-cup yield.  The book says five 4 oz jars, but I got that and a half-pint out of this.

3.  Purée everything in the saucepan with a blender or food processor to break up the seeds.  This is when you get to decide how chunky you want your mustard.  I left mine pretty grainy, to look more homemade.

4.  Return mixture to the non-reactive saucepan and whisk in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Some of it is still going to scorch to the bottom, but do your best.  Reduce heat to medium and boil gently, stirring frequently, until reduced by a third, about 15 minutes.

5.  If canning, ladle into hot jars.  Wipe rims, set lids, and screw down rims.  Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Check seals when cooled, then store.  If not canning, allow mustard to cool to room temperature before transferring to a container for the fridge, so there isn't condensation on the lid.

Makes about 3 cups

Difficulty rating