Mustard adds zippy flavor to almost anything you make in the kitchen. Adding dried cherries and brown sugar to this condiment gives it a tart sweetness, making it the perfect partner for poultry or pork. Mix some of our cherry mustard into chicken salad for a simple twist on your next sandwich, or dunk a crunchy pretzel straight into the jar for snacking.

What to buy: Cherry juice can be found in the beverage aisle of your local supermarket; look for 100 percent juice with no sugar added. We like the Just Tart Cherry from R. W. Knudsen.

Game plan: Allyl isothiocyanate, the oil in mustard seeds that gives pungency and heat, tends to dissipate over time, so the longer the mustard sits in the refrigerator, the less spicy it will become.

This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Mustard project.

  • Yield: About 1 cup
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 20 mins, plus 2 hrs marinating time 

Ingredients (9)

  • 1/4 cup cherry juice (no sugar added)
  • 1/4 cup ground mustard, such as Colman’s
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped dried cherries

Instructions

  1. Combine the cherry juice, ground mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk until evenly combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  2. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer over low heat. Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl of mustard and place the bowl over the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mustard has thickened to the consistency of olive oil, about 10 minutes. (Check to make sure the water isn’t boiling by periodically removing the bowl from the saucepan using a potholder or dry towel. If the water is boiling, reduce the heat so the eggs don’t curdle.)
  3. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, add the dried cherries, and stir to combine. Transfer the mustard to a nonreactive container with a tightfitting lid and cool completely. Seal the container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.