If you’ve ever bitten into a freshly grilled brat and thought…man there’s something missing. Or assembled a masterpiece of a deli sandwich and were left wanting still a little more taste. Yup. I know exactly how you feel.
Enter the perfect mustard.

Robust flavor. Tongue tingling spice. Beneficial bacteria that help repair the gut and aid in digestion. Can I get an amen?
Homemade and fermented. Now that’s something I can get my taste buds excited for!

Why fermenting?
Because it’s healthy for your gut and it enhances the flavor of whatever you’re making. In this case, that’s the mustard seed. It’s fun to do, once you’ve learned the process, and man am I glad I tried it.
This is a simple ferment that doesn’t require burping or an air lock or even a long period of waiting time like other ferments do.
Fermented Spicy Mustard
What you’ll need:
- 3/4 cup Yellow Mustard Seed
- 1/4 cup Brown Mustard Seed
- 1 medium onion
- 2/3 cup distilled water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbs sea salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Using a processor or spice grinder, grind up the yellow and brown mustard seed. The finer you grind it the spicier it gets. I like to leave a little whole seed for a rustic texture in the mustard.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until everything is incorporated.
Pour into a clean pint sized canning jar. You may have a little left over. I just put the rest into a smaller jelly jar. Add an air tight lid to your jar and put your mustard in a dark corner of the kitchen or cabinet.
You’ll want to let your mustard ferment for at least 24 hours. I promise, don’t try the mustard right away, no matter how good it smells. You can ferment for 24-72 hours. The longer you ferment the more rich the flavor will become.
When fermenting is done, put the jar in the fridge. Your mustard will keep refrigerated up to 6 months.

Don’t like your mustard spicy?
The mustard seed is naturally spicy, especially brown mustard. The more fine you grind it the more it releases that spicy flavor. But if you don’t want spicy mustard you can add a 1/4 cup honey to the mustard after your ferment is done for a rustic honey mustard flavor.
The heat in your mustard will mellow over time in the fridge. But mine probably won’t last that long.
Be well.
