Yellow Mustard Seed (also called White Mustard Seed) is botanically called Brassica alba (sometimes identified as Sinapis alba or Brassica hirta) and is from the family Brassicaceae. Other members of this family include black mustard, brown mustard, horseradish and wasabi. This group shares hot and pungent chemicals known as isothiocyanates (pronounced iso·thio·cy·a·nate). This chemical is the plant's defense system against grazing animals that, when chewed, releases these burning chemicals. The isothiocyanates lay dormant in the plant and are only released when the plant is disturbed.

Yellow Mustard is also known as moutarde blanche (French), weisser senf (German), senape biancha (Italian) and mostaza silvestre (Spanish).

Types of Mustard Seeds

Mustard seeds are the small round seeds that come from several different types of mustard plants. The seeds are approximately 1-2 mm in diameter and the seeds are also known as fruit pods. Mustard seeds are harvested from three different plants: white mustard (better known in this country as yellow mustard), brown mustard and the very hard to find black mustard.

White mustard seeds are a light straw yellow color (almost a tan color) and are slightly larger than the other two varieties. White seeds have the mildest pungency and are native to the Mediterranean region.

Brown mustard seeds, Brassica juncea, are indigenous to the sub-Himalayan plains of Northern India. These possess a more intense "mustardy" flavor than yellow mustard.  

Black mustard seeds, Brassica nigra, are most popular in South Asian cuisine and are native to the Middle East. The seeds are sharp and more pungent than other two varieties. Black Mustard Seeds are very hard to get a hold of and most black mustard seed found in this country is actually brown mustard seeds being sold as the more expensive black mustard seeds.

History of Mustard Seeds

Like many spices, mustard has a colorful history. Food historians believe that mustard seeds were first cultivated around 3,000 BC. Legend has it that Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), in his battle over Persia, sent King Darius III (381-330 BC) a sack of sesame seeds to signify the great size of his army. King Darius responded by sending back a sack of mustard seeds to show not only the size but also the feistiness of his army. In 331 BC Alexander the Great, and his sesame seeds, prevailed and conquered Persia.

Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) who authored "Natural History", one of the first encyclopedias, is also credited with writing a recipes describing one of the earliest condiments that mixed crushed mustard seeds with vinegar. Ancient Romans were also known to have occasionally used crushed mustard seeds to season their food.  

Between the 5th and 8th centuries Romans introduced mustard seeds into what is now modern day Europe. Mustard sauces are among the most mentioned sauces in cookbooks from both medieval (400-1400 AD) and Renaissance (1300-1600 AD) times. Mustard sauce was used on meat or on fish, and people of this period consumed a lot of cold roasted meat; understandably, mustard sauce added a bit of heat to their meals.  

Monks, in what is now modern day France, planted mustard seeds in the monastery's grape vineyards and made "must", which was a mixture of ground mustard seeds and unfermented wine. The word mustard is derived from the Latin phrase "mustum ardens" which roughly translates to "burning wine".

Monasteries would have a monk called the "mustardarius" whose primary responsibility was mixing the mustard sauce for the local community. Pope John XXII (the Pope from 1316-1334) was such a lover of mustard that he created the position of "Grand Moutardier du Pape", which means "Grand Mustard Maker to the Pope".

In 1855, Maurice Grey had created a mustard machine that dramatically increased the amount of mustard that could be made, but he was unable to secure the financing he needed. In 1866, he finally partnered with Auguste Poupon, another Dijon, France mustard manufacturer who would finance the machine. The Grey-Poupon partnership produced their first mustard in late 1866.

The House of Maille has been producing mustard and vinegars since 1747 in Paris and is still going strong today. Ben Franklin, who was America’s first ambassador, was on a commission to France (1776-1778) is said to have brought home some of their mustard when he returned to America.

Mustard Seed Cultivation

Mustard has been a major specialty crop in North America since mustard seed imports from Europe were halted during World War II (1939-1945). This shortage of mustard led resourceful American farmers to begin cultivating mustard in our country and by the 1950s, California and Montana had become the major production areas in the US. By the 1960s, the Upper Midwest also began harvesting various types of mustard and today North Dakota is the leading producer of domestic mustard.

The Mustard plant is considered an annual herb with seedlings that emerge rapidly but then mature slowly. Under optimal growing conditions, mustard plants will cover the ground in about 4-5 weeks. During times with less rain, the tap roots will grow down as far as 5' into the soil to efficiently find stored soil moisture. Fully grown, the plant will be 30" to 45" tall (depending on the type, variety and environmental conditions). White Mustard matures in approximately 80 to 85 days, while Brown and Black Mustard takes a bit longer at 90 to 95 days. During harvest, the stems of the plant are cut once the seeds are fully developed, but not quite ripe. This helps to prevent the pods from splitting open and releasing their seeds. Each mustard plant produces between 20-40 pods each, and each small pod holds approximately 6 seeds.

Major commercial producers of mustard seeds include Canada, China and India but mustard seeds are also grown in Nepal, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine and the US.

Our Yellow Mustard Seed is cultivated by various famers in North Dakota, Montana, and Manitoba. 

Cooking with Yellow Mustard

Cooks in England pair mustard with ham and roast beef. In the Caribbean, ground mustard is added to sauces for fruit and in India cooking the seeds in hot oil enhances the nutty flavor before adding it to chutneys, curries, and sauces. Mustard seeds are also popular in pickling spices.

Use ground mustard in bean, cheese, ham and pork dishes, chowders, cocktail sauce, deviled eggs, barbecue sauces and in soups.

Ground and whole mustard seeds add flavor to barbecue rubs, dressings, and mayonnaise as well as grilled and roasted beef, cabbage, strong cheeses, chicken, curries, dals, fish, and seafood, cold meats, rabbit, sauces (hollandaise sauce in particular) and sausages.

Mustard works well when paired with bay, chili, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, honey, nigella, parsley, pepper, tarragon and turmeric.

Some of our favorite recipes using mustard are - Apple and Bacon Baked Beans and Red Lentil Soup with Vadouvan.

Making Your Own Mustard

If you are making your own mustard for the first time, it’s important to know that the temperature of the liquid you use when mixing is critical. You also need to keep in mind the intensity of heat level you desire before you start mixing the mustard powder.

If you're looking to maximize the heat level, then mix the ground mustard with a very cold liquid. If you want a milder mustard flavor, mix with a hot liquid. If you do decide to use some whole seeds, dry roasting these will enhance both the aroma, as well as intensifying the flavor.

The end flavor of your mustard will ultimately depend on the type of liquid that you mix your mustard with. Vinegar will give you a small tang, wine a spicier pungency and beer a more extreme heat. Water provides the strongest flavor, but will not stop the enzyme's activity, and therefore does not make a stable mustard (meaning water produced mustard has a shorter shelf life).

Making your own prepared mustard is easy. Grind your mustard seeds in a coffee grinder (in our home kitchen we have one coffee grinder dedicated to only grinding spices) and then pour the mustard powder into a bowl. Add enough vinegar, wine or beer to completely cover the powder (our rule of thumb is about ¼ cup of ground mustard to 3 tablespoons of liquid). Let sit for about 20 minutes and then add in other spices and herbs and mix into a smooth paste. You may need to add a bit more liquid depending on how much additional seasoning you add.

Some of our favorite spices and herbs to use in making homemade mustard are garlic, ginger, mint, smoked paprika, pepper, tarragon and turmeric. Experiment and develop your own unique flavor.

Here’s a simple recipe to make your own whole grain mustard -1/3 cup whole yellow mustard seeds, ¼ cup dry ground mustard, ½ cup cold water, 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 tablespoons honey (or ¼ cup granulated honey). Mix thoroughly, transfer to a jar, close tightly and place on your counter for several days to "cure". Check your mustard ever day or so until the desired heat level is achieved. Once it has reached the ideal flavor and heat level, store in the refrigerator, as that will bring the mellowing process to an almost complete and immediate halt. It will typically last several months in the fridge.

Flavor Profile of Yellow Mustard

Yellow mustard seeds have no noticeable aroma but once ground, they become a bit more pungent. Dry roasting the seeds before use releases an earthy aroma and a nuttier taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

We get lots of questions on mustard seeds and mustard seed powder. Here are some of the most frequently encountered.

Q: What’s the difference between yellow mustard seed and white mustard seeds?
A: There is often some confusion between yellow mustard seeds and white mustard seeds. Yellow and white mustard seeds are the same thing. In fact these seeds are mostly a straw yellow color.

Q:What is a prepared mustard?
A: A "prepared mustard" or "made mustard" is dry mustard that is mixed with spices and herbs and then a liquid is added such as beer, water, wine or vinegar. A whole grain mustard is the whole mustard seed that is mixed with spices, herbs and then a liquid.

Q: What is a dry mustard?
A: Dry mustard is when the mustard seed is ground up (may also be called ground mustard or mustard powder).

Q: What is the difference between mustard powder and mustard flour?
A: Mustard flour is extremely finely ground mustard seed. Mustard powder is a coarser grind of the mustard seed. Our mustard powder is coarser than mustard flour would be.

** This product is certified kosher.

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