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  • Writer's pictureby Arielle Illia

Spicy Highbush Cranberry Mustard



Several years ago in our attempt to progress towards becoming more self sustainable and omitting processed foods from our diet, we stopped buying condiments and other common flavorings, this included: salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, barbecue sauce, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, and much more, however the one beloved condiment we could not find in our hearts to give up was mustard. It is a classic condiment that most folks either love or hate, and one we use frequently in the Illia house, it also happens to be undoubtedly simple and affordable to make in the comfort of your own home.


The first road to embark on is what type of mustard you would like to make, which in turn means choosing what mustard seeds you will use. Although there are more mustard seeds than the list that follows, these are the three most common mustard seeds you will encounter.


Yellow Mustard Seeds - most common, mild flavor. The traditional American hot dog mustard.


Brown Mustard Seeds - spicy, similar to horseradish, often used in combination with yellow seeds and for coarser ground end products. These include spicy brown, stone ground and dijon to name a few.


Black Mustard Seeds - pungent flavor, typically used in Asian Cuisine.


Another common inclusion in mustard recipes is mustard powder, made from yellow mustard seeds, which can also be utilized in a variety of cooking.


We happily selected brown mustard seeds since we tend to gravitate towards spicier foods as a whole. This recipe can easily be modified by swapping out the brown seeds with yellow mustard seeds, lending to a more mild yet still zingy mustard. We included jalapenos for additional heat and native highbush cranberries for a tart contrast to the bold mustard seeds. What resulted was a spicy, coarse, flavorful mustard with just a hint of vinegar.


 

For the recipe:

  • 2/3 cup brown mustard seeds

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

  • 4 cups highbush cranberries

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 3 jalapenos

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup mustard powder

  • 1 tablespoon turmeric


Recipe yields 7 quarter-pint jars.


Instructions


1. Bring both white wine and red wine vinegar to a simmer in a small sauce pan.


The variation of vinegar is up to you, balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar would be fun to experiment with, we love white wine vinegar and went with red wine vinegar to match the red theme with the highbush cranberries.


2. Remove sauce pan from heat, add mustard seeds and cover for an hour.



3. Heat highbush cranberries and water to a simmer in a medium sauce pan for 15 minutes, mash occasionally to release berry juice.


If you do not have access to highbush cranberries you can substitute 2 cups of cranberries and do not need to strain the skins.



4. Strain highbush cranberries through a colander, you will have approximately 2 cups of juice.


5. Add seeds and liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until slightly coarse.



6. Add highbush cranberry juice and jalapenos, blend until preferred coarseness.


7. Return blender contents to a medium sauce pan and heat on low.


8. Prepare water bath canner, clean 7 - 4 ounce mason jars with hot soapy water and set aside or process for 10 minutes in boiling water.


The National Center for Home Food Preservation advises cleaning canning jars with hot soapy water if the item is going to be processed by a water bath canner or pressure canner for a minimum of 10 minutes. Boiling for 10 minutes (or sterilization per the NCHFP) is not currently recommended, however you can still opt to presterilize the canning jars this way, we are comfortable with the soap and warm water method.


9. Place 7 new canning lids in a small sauce pan with water and bring to a simmer.


10. Add sugar, mustard powder, and turmeric, stir into mustard blend and return to a simmer.


We debated on the addition of beet powder, however decided on adding turmeric powder to enhance the color of the mustard. Aside from the nutritional benefits of turmeric and beet root powder they can also serve a dual purpose as natural food coloring agents.


11. Using a canning funnel, distribute mustard into cleaned mason jars, leave 1/4 inch headspace.



12. Wipe rims with vinegar on a clean cloth and top jars with new hot canning lids, screw bands on fingertip tight.


13. Process jars for 15 minutes in a water bath. Check seals after 12 hours and refrigerate any jars with failed seals.



Enjoy!


 

Spicy Highbush Cranberry Mustard Recipe


Ingredients

2/3 cup brown mustard seeds

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

4 cups highbush cranberries

1/2 cup water

3 jalapenos

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup mustard powder

1 tablespoon turmeric


Recipe yields 7 quarter-pint jars.


Instructions

  1. Bring both white wine and red wine vinegar to a simmer in a small sauce pan.

  2. Remove sauce pan from heat, add mustard seeds and cover for an hour.

  3. Heat highbush cranberries and water to a simmer in a medium sauce pan for 15 minutes, mash occasionally to release berry juice.

  4. Strain highbush cranberries through a colander, you will have approximately 2 cups of juice.

  5. Add seeds and liquid to a blender or food processor and blend until slightly coarse.

  6. Add highbush cranberry juice and jalapenos, blend until preferred coarseness.

  7. Return blender contents to a medium sauce pan and heat on low.

  8. Prepare water bath canner, clean 7 - 4 ounce mason jars with hot soapy water and set aside or process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

  9. Place 7 new canning lids in a small sauce pan with water and bring to a simmer.

  10. Add sugar, mustard powder, and turmeric, stir into mustard blend and return to a simmer.

  11. Using a canning funnel, distribute mustard into cleaned mason jars, leave 1/4 inch headspace.

  12. Wipe rims with vinegar on a clean cloth and top jars with new hot canning lids, screw bands on fingertip tight.

  13. Process jars for 15 minutes in a water bath. Check seals after 12 hours and refrigerate any jars with failed seals.

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