Bavarian Sweet Mustard Recipe

In this Bavarian sweet mustard recipe, I’ll show you how to make your own sweet mustard. Known as Weisswurst mustard, it’s a Bavarian classic and a real treat.

Sweet mustard makes a great change from classic mustard. It’s perfect with homemade Leberkäse, Weisswurst or Kassler, and works as a marinade or dressing too.

You’ll find many more sausage and charcuterie recipes on my site. If you like trying different mustards, give my fig mustard a go too.

Active preparation takes about 25 minutes. Allow 3 to 4 weeks for the mustard to mature.

Here you’ll find the complete sweet mustard recipe to read through. Have fun and good luck making it!

A little story about sweet mustard

Johann Conrad Develey invented sweet mustard in Munich in 1854. He mixed hot Dijon mustard with caramelized sugar, spirit vinegar and a secret spice mixture. Adding brown Farin sugar was the breakthrough, and sweet mustard soon became a Munich classic.

Because it’s often eaten with Weisswurst, it’s also called Weisswurst mustard.

Bavarian sweet mustard – What do you need to make it?

The equipment to make Bavarian sweet mustard

Spice grinder or mortar

A spice grinder lets you grind the mustard seeds finely. A mortar crushes them, giving a coarser result. Either an electric or manual tool is fine.

Preserving jars with screw-top lids

Use these to seal and store your mustard airtight. Rinse the jars with hot water before filling them.

Make Bavarian sweet mustard – Step-By-Step Instructions

1

Grind the mustard seeds

Put equal quantities of yellow and brown mustard seeds in the spice grinder and pulse until fine. Important: Use short bursts rather than grinding continuously. If the seeds get too hot, they develop bitter compounds. You want fine mustard flour, not coarse pieces.

2

Stud the onion with cloves

Halve the onion and stud it with the cloves. You don’t need to chop the onion; it only flavors the liquid and is removed afterward.

3

Prepare the spiced liquid

Put the clove-studded onions, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and juniper berries in a pot with the water. Give everything a good stir.

4

Bring to a boil and steep

Bring the liquid to a boil, then let it steep with the lid on for about 15 minutes. Let it cool completely afterward.

5

Add sugar to the mustard flour

Mix the raw cane sugar into the mustard flour and stir thoroughly to distribute it evenly.

6

Strain the liquid and add vinegar

Pass the cooled liquid through a fine sieve so no bits of spice end up in the mustard. Add the vinegar to the liquid, then stir it into the mustard and sugar mixture.

7

Stir the mixture

Stir thoroughly. Within a few minutes, the mustard mixture will noticeably thicken. That’s normal and a good sign.

8

Let it oxidize for a day

Put the mixture in a sheltered, warm spot in your home for one day. This lets the mustard oxidize and develop a little heat. Stir occasionally so it matures evenly.

9

Fill the jars

Fill clean jars with the sweet mustard and close them tightly. Tip: Wipe the rims clean before putting the lids on so you don’t have a mess when opening them later.

10

Let the mustard mature

Put the jars in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks. The initial heat subsides during this time and the full, sweet flavor develops. Your sweet mustard is ready. Enjoy!

Two more sweet mustard variations

Although the recipe above is very close to the original and is the one I always use, I’d still like to show you 2 more variations.

Sweet mustard with honey

This variation replaces the spiced liquid with a simpler method using caramelized sugar and honey.

Ingredients: 200 g yellow mustard seeds, 100 g sugar, 40 g honey, 120 ml white wine vinegar (5 % acidity), 140 ml water, 1 pinch ground cloves, 1 pinch salt

Method:

1. Grind the mustard seeds finely as in the main recipe.

2. Bring the water to a boil, then pour it hot (not boiling) over the mustard flour and let it stand for 10 minutes. Let it cool.

3. Slowly caramelize the sugar in a dry pan. Don’t stir; just move the pan back and forth so the sugar doesn’t burn.

4. Mix the caramelized sugar with the honey, vinegar, salt and ground cloves, then stir it into the mustard mixture.

5. Purée with an immersion blender as coarsely or finely as you like. Use short bursts rather than continuous blending so the mustard doesn’t become bitter.

6. Fill jars and let the mustard mature in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Quick sweet mustard made with Dijon mustard

If you’re short on time and don’t have mustard seeds at home, this version is ready in 10 minutes.

Ingredients: 200 g wholegrain Dijon mustard, 200 g brown sugar, 1 pinch ground cloves

Method:

1. Slowly caramelize the sugar in a dry pan.

2. Add a small splash of water to the caramelized sugar and dissolve it completely.

3. Stir in the Dijon mustard and ground cloves until evenly combined.

4. Fill jars. You can serve it immediately, but it tastes even better after a day in the refrigerator.