Many people, including myself, consider keeping a jar full of Dijon Mustard nearby a necessity when eating a salad, giving it the same importance of the Salt and Pepper Grinder Set and the Olive Oil Dispenser. But sometimes you just find yourself with an empty jar of Dijon mustard just when you were about to start eating your salad, which is an unfortunate yet relatable thing. But what I have learned through my long experience in the kitchen is that almost anything can be replaced without a huge difference in taste or experience. I mean, if you can use your Apple Slicer instead of your Avocado Slicer, why couldn’t you find a good Dijon substitute?
That’s why I have dedicated some of my time on researching the best substitutes for Dijon mustard, in the unfortunate case of you running out of it, or simply looking for a change I guess.
First, I’m going to explain what Dijon mustard is for those of you who don’t know, how to prepare it, and what’s its use in the kitchen. Then, I’ll cite what I think are the best 7 substitutes of Dijon mustard and how to use them properly.
Dijon mustard: Origin and Recipe
Dijon mustard got its name from Dijon, the historical capital of the Burgundy area in the eastern part of the ever-beautiful country of France. Maybe that’s why you have a big chance of encountering it when you’re browsing a French Cookbook. Although this region is famous for the wine it produces that can be found in any Wine Fridge, its traditional mustard managed to become one of the best mustards ever produced in the world.
Although this traditional mustard was first made in the late 17th century, it still holds its iconic taste and original recipe. Mainly composed of brown mustard seeds and white wine, with a pale-yellow color, and a creamy and smooth texture.
In addition to the main two main ingredients, the mustard contains what you would call a ‘’secret ingredient’’, verjuice, that translates to green juice from French, which is unripe grapes juice.
This juice is what provides the Dijon mustard with its unique flavor which has made it one of the best mustards, and one of most desired types of mustard around the world for more than 250 years.
If you wish to recreate this sought and authentic flavor, then you need to get your hands on some of the verjuice and the region’s unique white wine, which is not an easy task. It’s time to get your Grapefruit Spoon, Juicer, Juicing Book, and Wine Opener, huh?
But, many people find that mixing vinegar and lemon juice can result in a somewhat similar substitute of verjuice. You can purchase the wine from almost anywhere, but if you happen to not have it in your local stores or you think that it’s somewhat expensive, then any Chardonnay grapes-based wine made can do the trick just fine.
With all these substitute ingredients, you’d have to call the product a ‘’Dijon-style’’ mustard and not an actual Dijon mustard, but if you really seek to make the true thing then look no further than here.
Just make sure that you have the ingredients that I have mentioned above, then simply ground up all the mustard seeds at your disposal, then purée them with white wine, vinegar, and salt. Just make sure to dip the mustard seeds in water for one night prior to using them and to keep the final product in the fridge for one full day before serving it.
The thing is, I highly doubt that anyone, you included, has these ingredients laying around in their kitchen’s cabinet, just waiting to be used the moment you run of out of Dijon mustard. That’s why I think that once you run out of mustard, managing to make some more is not really a viable option due to the time it takes for it to be ready and the overall scarcity of the authentic ingredients.
Then let’s imagine a scenario where you can’t really go out to the local shop and buy some ready-made Dijon mustard, or you’re like me, and you don’t like using ready-made mustard. What is the best Dijon-mustard substitute in any of those cases?
Before we move on with our quest of finding the best substitute of Dijon-mustard, how do you effectively use the Dijon-mustard in the first place?
Dress your salad:
I love when my salads are dipped in Dijon mustard. I don’t know about you, but for me personally, Oil and vinegar don’t do the trick, I think a little bit of flavor combined with heat is a must!
Marinate your meat:
Immersing meat that has been prepared on an Indoor Grill in Dijon mustard will help tenderize it for an overall better enjoyment of eating it. The mustard works really well with lamb, and you could make a puree out of Dijon mustard, wine, and garlic, for an even more satisfying experience.
Add Honey
Another neat trick is adding some honey to your Dijon mustard, which helps create a well-balanced and highly enjoyable combination of sweet and spicy flavor. It works great when applied to something like chicken fingers. I bet imagining that made your hand unconsciously reach to the Jar Opener, right?
Glaze them veggies
Carrots themselves are really great, and it’s even better if you know how to properly glaze them. And if you are going to do that, you should probably consider using some of your Dijon mustard on them which makes them even more enjoyable and tasty than they already are.
The Holy Combo
If you happen to be roasting some pork in your roaster oven, consider using some of that Dijon mustard of yours to rub it for a delicious juicy combo. This works well with turkey and chicken too and is in my opinion, one of the best combinations that include Dijon mustard.
Spicing things up
For a fantastic cheese dip, simply stir some Dijon into it, and enjoy your pretzels and crackers dipped in a pure golden spicy mix.
Mac and Cheese
Yet another cheese related combo, for a creamier and spicier macaroni, simply dip some of that tasty Dijon mustard in it. Your Cheese Plates will never feel lonely again.
Fish Sauce
If you aim to enjoy most of your fish, mix some of the Dijon mustard with a bit of butter and dip any fish of yours in it, no matter the size, and enjoy this exceptional combination!
What is the Best Dijon Mustard Substitute
Now that I’ve mentioned what I think are the best ways to use your Dijon mustard, I’m going to point out the easiest solutions to make/use when you run out of Dijon mustard, and you’re in dire need of some as soon as possible.
Some of these solutions are quite simple and could be obvious for many of you, but some are more complicated and require some attention, but at the end of the day all of them will do the job just fine.
Spicy Brown Mustard
If you happen to be the type of person who enjoys spicy food and would go for a hotter flavor than a milder one, then you may want to consider switching from Dijon mustard to some spicy brown one. Due to the minimal presence of vinegar in the spicy brown mustard, spicy ingredients overshadow the taste of the mustard.
What characterizes the brown mustard is that it features a coarse texture that goes well with nutty-based spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Moreover, it works very well with deli food such as sandwiches or sausages. Personally, for my family and me, we must have spicy brown mustard when eating hot-dogs.
Yellow Mustard
Arguably the most commonly used mustard in the US, yellow mustard is an obvious solution to substitute Dijon mustard. It is also available in almost every house, and it’s also the simplest solution to make yourself, but if you’re not into that sort of thing, you can find ready yellow mustard almost everywhere.
Sure, the taste will drastically differ, due to the less spicy and mild flavor of the yellow mustard. That and the fact that Dijon mustard contains a higher amount of sodium than yellow mustard. However, yellow mustard can prove to be a healthy choice due to the fact that it contains an essential vitamin which is vitamin C, alongside Turmeric which is anti-cancerogenic.
Honey Mustard
If you happen to have a taste for sweet flavors, then you can replace Dijon mustard with some Honey mustard. It works well with chicken, pork, salads, French fries and a huge variety of steamed or grilled veggies too.
If you happen to have some extra yellow mustard then you can easily turn it into honey mustard by simple mixing equal amounts of both, but you’re not limited to these two, you can add some herbs like rosemary or thyme to make the flavor more interesting.
Horseradish Root & Honey & Sour Cream
If you wish to recreate the spicy & sweet taste of Dijon, you might want to consider combining sour cream and honey with some horseradish root. In order for this combo to work, you first need to grate the horseradish root. Once that’s done, puree the root alongside the two other ingredients. The final product will be a spicy and sweet flavor that resembles that of the Dijon mustard.
Just make sure to not overuse the horseradish roots due to its rather spicy nature, because if you happen to use more the required amount of it, its spiciness will overthrow the flavors of the other ingredients. Honey, on the other hand, is responsible for the sweetness of this Dijon mustard substitute while the sour cream is used to bring about the tangy flavor that this solution has.
Wasabi
If you’re the kind of person who loves spicy food and can stand a lot of heat while eating something, then this Japanese paste is the perfect substitute for your Dijon mustard. Just make sure to use a tiny bit of it to heat up your meal, because, in comparison to the Dijon mustard, Wasabi is extremely spicy.
Although the paste is Japanese in origin, it can be found in almost every supermarket in the states. If you happen to be preparing sushi, make sure to use some wasabi as this is probably the most common use of it in Japan.
You just need to make sure to buy high-quality, authentic wasabi, because unfortunately, a number of cheap imitations exist and trust me, they don’t taste anything like the real thing. Additionally, Wasabi contains high amounts of Zinc which is good for your immune system.
Dry Mustard, Mayonnaise, White Wine, Sugar & Water
Probably the most complicated solution of them all, as the name already suggests, this solution requires a number of different ingredients.
Here is a quick rundown of the process of making it:
Get 3 tsp of dry mustard, 3 tsp of mayonnaise, 1 tsp of cool water, 1 tsp of white wine vinegar, and some sugar. First, you have to dip the mustard seeds in white vinegar for 48 hours then make a smooth paste out of all the ingredients listed above using a mortar and pestle.
Turmeric, Chili Peppers, Garlic & Salt
Mixing turmeric, chili peppers, garlic, and some salt can replicate the flavor of Dijon mustard almost perfectly. The final product will have a bright yellow color due to the turmeric, which will provide a high amount of minerals such as Iron, manganese, that are important for your health.
The salt will provide the overall taste while the pepper adds the desired hotness to the mix. Just make sure to ground the ingredients and mix them well for optimal results.
Conclusion
As I have demonstrated above, there are many solutions to the problem of running out of Dijon mustard in your house. However, you need to realize that even if you nail each and every one of these solutions, none of them will taste like a true Dijon mustard. That’s why I recommend you to constantly shop for some of that ever-desired Dijon mustard to completely avoid this problem.
What are you still here for? Get your Salad Spinner and Salad Dressing Shaker and treat yourself to a healthy dinner!
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