The Trick To Substituting Dry Mustard With The Classic Bottled Condiment

All too often when making honey mustard chicken thighs or barbecue pork for pulled pork sandwiches in the slow cooker, you may reach into the fridge for some prepared mustard only to find you used the last of it at your backyard gathering. Not to worry, if you have dry mustard, you can easily substitute for the classic bottled condiment. However, the trick to getting the right taste and consistency is to use the right combination of water and vinegar.

When you are using dry mustard, you will find that needs the extra moisture; however, if you just use water, you will end up with a spicy even bitter taste. If you just use vinegar, you will get a mild spiciness that doesn't rise to the same flavor as your favorite brand of this condiment. But if you use a combination of the two, the flavor is more in line with what your taste buds know and love. That said, you also need to get the proper ratio. 

Generally speaking, for each tablespoon of bottled mustard, you want to use one teaspoon of dry mustard combined with one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of water (which works in reverse as well!). Remember to use a non-reactive bowl for these ingredients. Using metal bowls can cause your mustard to have a not-so-pleasant aftertaste. After you whisk the three ingredients together, allow the mixture a little time to set so the flavor can fully bloom and mature. 30 minutes should do the trick. If you want more heat to your mustard, you could swap out the water and use beer with the vinegar.  

Of course, using dry mustard as a substitute for the bottled version has other benefits. Depending on what you are making, you can customize your mustard creation by sweetening it with a little sugar or honey. But don't stop there. Consider adding your favorite spices or herbs, or even giving a squeeze of your favorite citrus.