Prepared mustard is low in calories and packed with minerals, plant compounds, and other ingredients beneficial for health. Yet, serving sizes are generally small, so you may not get many nutrients in a single serving. Reports of using the mustard plant for medicinal purposes date as far back as B. Historically, it was believed to treat ailments ranging from scorpion and snake bites to asthma, arthritis, and more 1 , 6. Though the research is limited, some studies suggest that mustard may have potential health benefits:.
However, more human studies are needed. Additionally, many studies were performed using compounds concentrated from mustard. Prepared mustard may not exert the same effects. Animal and test-tube studies suggest that compounds in mustard may have potential health benefits in concentrated doses. However, prepared mustard itself may not have the same effects. Prepared mustard is a common ingredient in sauces, condiments, salad dressings, marinades, and other tasty recipes.
Keep in mind, prepared mustard contains liquid. For every teaspoon of whole or ground mustard, add 2—3 teaspoons of water or vinegar to help ensure your recipe is the right consistency. For a healthy whole grain mustard, simply soak 1 tablespoon each of yellow and brown mustard seeds in 3 tablespoons 45 mL of apple cider vinegar overnight.
Pulse the soaked seeds with 2 tablespoons 30 mL of water and a pinch of salt in a food processor to your desired consistency. Some say homemade prepared mustard tastes best when allowed to rest in the refrigerator for 2—3 days. Prepared mustard is simply a ready-to-eat mustard spread. There are various types on the market today. Of course it goes without saying that trying to enjoy bratwurst or a soft pretzel without this type of mustard is an impossible task.
What whole-wheat bread is to white bread, this mustard is to its more homogenous, creamy cousins. It's made from a mix of whole and ground seeds, usually the brown kind.
The most extreme version of this mustard: pickled mustard seeds—aka mustard caviar —in which the seeds are left whole and bloomed in just enough liquid to hold them together as a spread. The shelf life of mustard, whatever its form, is pretty impressive. According to Jordan, whole mustard seeds and dry mustard retain their flavor for years. Keep both in a dark, cool spot in your pantry.
Likewise, jarred mustards, even flavored ones, won't go bad the way milk does, though over time they lose their zing, says Levenson.
Oxidation can change the way food looks and tastes. The best way to keep all your mustards fresh and their flavors lively is to refrigerate them—before even opening them, if you have room. Yellow mustard seeds also called white are the mildest, while brown and black seeds much hotter and more pungent.
That said, the liquid used to moisten those seeds and bind the mustard also has a large impact on its pungency. See, dried mustard seeds or powders have no real heat on their own. It's not until they're combined with water that natural enzymes present in the mustard will work to liberate pungent compounds from their dormant state.
The more acidic the liquid, the slower this reaction will take place, and the longer the final heat will last. Mustards made with vinegar will have a long-lasting, slow burn, while those made with less acidic liquids like pure water, will be extremely pungent when freshly prepared, but lose that punch more quickly. The temperature of the water can also affect heat level—hot water will deactivate mustard enzymes and break down some of the pungent compounds, while cold water will keep them all intact.
The mildest mustards with the longest shelf life are made with yellow mustard seeds and plenty of vinegar, while the hottest mustards are made with black or brown mustard seeds and cold water.
Even though the volatile mustard oils can be stabilized to a point by this acidic reaction, bottling, and refrigeration, they still gradually lose their heat over time. That's why it's always best to look for mustards with expiration dates over six months from the day you buy them, to ensure you're getting the hottest, most flavorful mustard possible. Making mustards at home is relatively quick and easy, and will result in a more pungent product than what you can get off the shelf because mustard oils are at their most potent right after the seeds have been ground.
With homemade mustards, though, you'll encounter another byproduct of breaking a mustard seed—bitterness. Mustards are naturally slightly bitter, but if you've ever tasted a freshly ground mustard, you know how unpleasant it can be at the extreme. Fortunately, it only takes two to three days for this bitterness to mellow and the mustard to be usable.
Whether store bought or homemade, it's good to understand the differences between the many mustards out there, so you can make the best use of this versatile and delicious condiment. The gold standard for American mustards is the yellow variety.
Its bright yellow color comes from the sole use of finely ground yellow mustard seeds, as well as the powerful coloring spice turmeric. These two ingredients are mixed with vinegar and water, and sometimes a few other mild spices, to create a thick, squeezable sauce. On the mustard heat scale, yellow seeds are at the bottom, which is why this variety doesn't deliver that sinus clearing punch, but a good yellow mustard should still have a clean, sharp mustard flavor.
Because of its mellowness, yellow mustard is rightfully an all-purpose product, as much at home on hot dogs and hamburgers as it is mixed into dressings, barbecue sauces, and marinades.
Get the recipe: Yellow Mustard ». Honey mustard is exactly what its name implies—a mixture of honey and mustard. This is usually done in a one-to-one ratio, but can be adjusted based on personal taste. Since the goal of honey mustard it to bring sweetness to a sauce that's known for its heat and bitterness, yellow is the most common mustard used, because it starts with an already mild flavor that's easy to tame further with honey. Rate It! Add A Review Now!
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