The Key to Buying the Best Dijon Mustard



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METHODOLOGY

Twenty-one Cook’s Illustrated staff members sampled 10 supermarket Dijon mustards plain and on boiled hot dogs, rating them on spiciness, texture, and overall appeal. Products were selected using data on top-selling national brands of mustard compiled by Chicago-based marketing research firm IRi.

Read the Label

The three best indicators of a strong, spicy Dijon are right on the label.

1. FAT CONTENT: Even a small amount indicates more mustard seeds—and stronger flavor.

2. SELL-BY DATE: Fresher mustards are spicier, so buy jars as far from their dates as possible.

3. PRESERVATIVE: Sulfur dioxide is more effective than tartaric acid at staving off oxidation and, thus, preserving heat.

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40 Comments

  1. i LOVE mustard, but all jarred mustard i've ever bought always disappoint without fail. they're always way too salty and never pungent like the good ones i'd had in restaurants that left me scratching my head for years.
    until few months ago, when i bought a can of colman's mustard powder, and i'll never ever buy jar mustards EVER again. 
    all it takes is the powder and water and 15 minutes, and then whatever flavor profile you desire (vinegar, honey, mustard seeds for grain style, etc.).

  2. You forgot the most important thing about selecting a Dijon mustard. It needs to be from Dijon! There are many fakes out there, made in Des Moines or somewhere. Buy mustard from the Burgundy region of France, and you should be golden. After visiting Dijon and Beaune many times, my conclusion is that the very best product comes from a moutarderie called Edmond Fallot, in the town of Beaune, about a forty minute drive from Dijon itself. They make a mustard called Moutarde de Bourgogne, literally “Burgundy Mustard”. According to French law, one can make Dijon mustard using seeds from anywhere, but Burgundy mustard must be made with seeds grown in the Burgundy Region, around Dijon. It’s spicy, folks!

  3. I buy Maille thats made in France but i find them too salty and not enough heat on its own. Need to always mix it into something else to make it better. The best is Colmans powdered yellow mustard that you need to mix with cold water to get a spicy mustard. Skip the prepared version, too salty but still alright.

  4. Hey! HEY, HEY Dan, down here! READ ME PLEASE! I've got an idea for your next video. What's the difference between salts? Why is there kosher salt? What kind of dishes benefit from Himalayan pink salt? Like pepper, is unground (is this a word?) salt better? See, Dan, isn't this a great topic for you next video? ☺😊😁

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