Brown mustard is much spicier than yellow mustard, but can be used in the same way as yellow mustard – this is a matter of personal taste. Yellow mustard is a very typical European condiment, but more and more people are turning to the original mustard as spicy and fresh becomes more popular. Like all mustards, brown mustard develops its pungency only when it comes into contact with saliva or liquid. As an ancient healing and seasoning agent, mustard is mentioned in many stories, myths and wisdom.
Here’s what you should know about brown mustard.
Brown mustard is much spicier than yellow mustard, but can be used in the same way as yellow mustard – this is a matter of personal taste. The mustard plant is an annual and flowers in yellow, then forms pods in which the brown mustard seeds mature with their spherical shape. Just before the mature pods open to release the seeds, they are harvested and laid out to dry for a while. Then the pods are threshed and the grains are sorted out. After the grains are sieved, they are refined with wine, must or alcohol. The plant needs a dry and warm climate to develop well, then it grows tall quite quickly. The brown mustard plant grows up to 1.80 m high, quite a bit higher than the other varieties. The mustard plant is undemanding and germinates quickly, its deep roots aerate and loosen the soil. Brown mustard has little in common with the conventional white mustard, because strictly speaking, brown mustard is not a mustard plant at all, as it belongs to the cabbage genus. Brown mustard has a nutty flavor with an aromatic, piquant spiciness,but is much sharper than the yellow mustard. A burning, horseradish-like pungency rises tinglingly up the palate only after the mustard has been in contact with saliva. Not only the choice of mustard seed is decisive for the degree of pungency, but also the malting – the finer the mustard seed is ground, the sharper it becomes. At least eight weeks of maturing time should be given to the mustard so that it can develop its full aroma, finer flavors come to the fore and the aggressive pungency diminishes. Among gourmets, Dijon mustard is the most popular – it is made only from brown mustard. Probably, the brown and black mustard originated in the Near East and Central Asia, but it is impossible to determine exactly. In any case, its history can be traced back to Asia more than 3,000 years. In China, it was already cultivated and used for seasoning at that time. It is known that the Chinese already appreciated the pungency of brown mustard at that time. On the old caravan routes, its path then led via India to Arabia. Today, the largest cultivation areas for brown mustard are in Nepal, India, China, Holland, Hungary, Russia, Canada, France and Germany. Whereby Germany and France belong to the smallest cultivation areas. The famous Dijon mustard has been produced by the mustard makers in Dijon since the 13th century – and only from brown mustard varieties. In ancient Rome, doctors recommended it for hair loss, snakebite, lice, leprosy and as an aphrodisiac. Making brown mustard is not difficult, because the recipe has remained unchanged for two thousand years. After a quality control is carried out and the mustard seeds are subjected to a thorough cleaning, the grains come between rollers and are ground very fine, fine or coarse into grist, which can then be de-oiled. Not all manufacturers do this, Dijon mustard has always never been de-oiled so that the full flavor is preserved. Likewise, most organic manufacturers keep it and prefer not deoiled mustard. The mustard develops its typical bouquet when salt, water, vinegar and possibly spices have been added and the mash has had time to ferment. Only then can the mash be stirred and ground until a creamy and smooth paste is obtained. During this procedure, the mash must not heat up to more than 50 degrees, so that the essential oils are not lost. Then the maturing process takes place in jars, tubes or still in vats until it has found its characteristic spicy flavor. In the past, the crushed mustard seeds were mixed with must, today it is usually brandy vinegar or other vinegars or quite noble with champagne – what remains is the name “Mostrich”.
Importance for health
Brown mustard not only has excellent flavor variations to offer, it is also good for our health. Although the Greek mathematician Pythagoras was of the opinion that mustard sharpens the mind – this has not been proven to this day, but that mustard makes lively and quite fit is known. Brown mustard also stimulates the appetite and fatty foods are digested more easily. Pathogens and germs are rendered harmless by the antibacterial effect of the mustard oils. For external use, mustard is a recognized natural remedy. Mustard plasters, mustard poultices or mustard baths help with rheumatism or joint complaints as well as with respiratory diseases. The digestive juices are stimulated by mustard, fat digestion is promoted and it helps to process animal protein and hard-to-digest food.
Ingredients and nutritional values
| Nutritional information |
Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 27 | Fat content 0.4 g |
| Cholesterol 0 mg |
Sodium 20 mg |
| Potassium 384 mg | Carbohydrates 4.7 g |
| Protein 2,9 g |
Dietary fiber 3.2 g |
Brown mustard seeds have a protein content of about 28% and 20 to36% of mild mustard oil. The carbohydrate content is 18-22%, plus mucilage and glucosinolates (sinigrin) and allytsenf oil, which is the flavoring and pungent tasting ingredient. It is only when the seeds come into contact with liquid after grinding or crushing that the contents become active and transform into tear-irritating pungent isothiocyanates, also called mustard essential oil. This is also the reason why the brown mustard seeds first have a nutty and mild taste, which only gains pungency after prolonged chewing due to the salivary fluid.
Intolerances and allergies
Sensitive people should not overdo the use of brown mustard,
This is because side effects such as skin redness and irritation can be unpleasant. Normally, the substances contained in the mustard seed itself are perfectly sufficient to preserve the mustard, but some manufacturers add the antioxidant sulfur dioxide (E 224) to their product, which can trigger nausea, headaches or even asthma attacks in sensitive people. Cures with brown mustard seeds, which are supposed to clean the intestines or stimulate digestion, are also not recommended for people with sensitive stomachs or problematic kidneys.
Shopping and kitchen tips
Brown mustard stores very well. Enemies for the mustard flavor are heat, oxygen and light. In the refrigerator, brown mustard keeps well closed up to a year without losing sharpness and aroma.
Preparation tips
To hearty dishes such as cabbage dishes, as well as fish and meat dishes, brown mustard fits perfectly. Marinades and chutneys get a fresh spiciness from brown mustard seeds. For salads, the yellow flowers, inflorescences and spicy, pungent leaves are wonderful. In cold marinades with silver onions, pickles or even herrings, the mustard seeds have enough time to release their aroma. And as an ideal addition to sausages, the brown mustard is known at every corner since eternal times, popular and not to think away.