Homemade Spicy Guinness Mustard

I've never made homemade mustard before, but I wanted to create something special to accompany my corned beef brisket in the coming weeks. I was going to do a more traditional mustard until I came upon this recipe from Saveur. What could be better than the combination of beer and mustard? Guinness mustard is the perfect condiment to accompany my upcoming St. Patty's Day feast.

Making homemade mustard probably sounds like a lot of work. The good news is, it's not! Simply throw all of the ingredients in a bowl, let it sit out for a day or two, and then toss in a food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. It's that easy. The best part is, it lasts in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. That means many months of delicious sandwiches. Since this recipe produces a good amount of mustard, you'll have enough leftover to give away as gifts. I can't wait to surprise our dinner guests with this spicy unexpected homemade treat.

SPICY GUINNESS MUSTARD:

Slightly tweaked from Saveur, Issue 117

Ingredients:

1 12-oz. bottle Guinness Extra Stout 

1¾ cups brown mustard seeds (see notes below)

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (I used ½ tsp. pepper because I included yellow mustard seeds in my batch, which are plenty hot)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized non-reactive bowl. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 days to allow the mustard seeds to soften and the flavors to meld.

Transfer the mixture the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping every so often to scrap down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula (process until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mustard begins to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes). Transfer the mustard to several glass jars with tight fitting lids. Refrigerate overnight to use immediately, or refrigerate up to 6 months. 

Yield: 4 1/2 cups

Notes:

• I used a combination of brown, black, and yellow mustard seeds. Yellow mustard seeds are hot and peppery, while the brown and black are a bit more mild. There is little different in taste between brown and black mustard seeds, so use whatever you can find. These are generally cheaper if you buy them in larger packages at specialty spice stores, such as Kalustyan's in NYC (123 Lexington Ave.).
• As expected, the potency of the mustard will mellow a bit as it ages.