Dijon Mustard has been so well known and accepted by people as a condiment that it is actually protected by law. The French government established criteria for classifying Dijon mustard due to its fame and importance before it was used as a condiment on foods such as sandwiches, burgers, or charcuterie boards.
Interestingly, before there was Dijon mustard, there had already been many types of mustards made and used throughout Europe. Mustard is not a new condiment; it has been consumed by people in Europe and around the world for hundreds of years before the invention of Dijon mustard as we know it today.
The distinct taste of Dijon mustard gave it credibility. Unlike yellow mustard, whose flavor is a bright tangy flavor, mustard characteristics include a smoother texture and much sharper and more complex flavor profile than your typical yellow mustards. As a result, Dijon mustard’s pale coloring and mild heat have become popular for everything from table-settings to culinary dishes around the world.
To make a great Dijon mustard, you need to use the right ingredients. Brown or black mustard seeds, which have more heat than yellow mustard seeds, are typically used in traditional Dijon mustard recipes. The other key difference is the type of liquid being used. Classic Dijon mustard recipes contain wine (white), wine vinegar or verjuice (juice from unripe grapes) as their main liquid component, rather than just using vinegar like regular mustard does.
Mustard has actually been made for thousands of years prior to the creation of Dijon. Mustard was used both as food and as a medicine in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and once the Romans had established their empire over Europe, they brought along with them the use of mustard seeds and therefore established the use of mustard into the French culture.
By the Middle Ages, mustard was being produced seriously by many regions throughout France, and many monasteries in the northern part of France were bringing in large amounts of income from mustard production as their production grew.
The area around Dijon in Burgundy eventually became significant for the production of mustard, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that the mustard we know today as Dijon mustard would finally reach France.
In 1752, Jean Naigeon changed the mustard-making process by replacing vinegar with verjuice. This ingredient change yielded a milder, less acidic, yet bigger and more complex mustard. This approach was very successful and the result was that dijon mustard became one of the major culinary sensations.
The increase in dijon mustard’s popularity transcended France into the kitchens of professionals, home cooks, and food aficionados alike due to its wide-ranging applications. Dijon mustard was delicious when paired with meat (e.g., chicken, duck, pork), salad dressings, sauces, marinades, and thousands of other recipes.
Due to the huge rise in demand, the need for quality standards was increasingly recognized. Mustard was already state-regulated in France, but with the establishment in 1937 of the legal definition of dijon mustard, the standards became far more specific. Mustard producers were mandated to use only brown or black mustard seed and could only use certain liquids (e.g., white wine or verjuice) in the mustard-making process. Further, under the original Dijon mustard regulations, additional flavourings were prohibited.
At one time only dijon mustard made in France was considered to be authentic. Since that time, as international trade and evolving food regulation have taken their toll, international authorities have come to recognize dijon mustard as a category of mustard and not simply a geographic reference.
As long as they adhere to the core preparation methods used to prepare Dijon-style mustard, there are numerous companies in various nations which are able to manufacture their own Dijon-style mustard products today. Although there have been some updates to the regulations regarding the definitions of what is and is not “Dijon” in the past decades, the actual taste is still the same and it is one of the reasons why, over the centuries since it was created, customers have continued to seek out Dijon mustard.
Adventurous eaters can enjoy making their own Dijon-style mustard with a surprising amount of fun and satisfaction. The process of making your own Dijon-style mustard starts by mixing brown mustard seeds with yellow mustard seeds, along with some spices, like garlic powder, white pepper and some salt. Once the spices are properly mixed with the mustard seeds, you will want to add a liquid, such as white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white wine, and then allow your mixture to rest and develop flavor before blending until reaching the desired consistency. When finished, you will end up with an incredibly fresh and exciting mustard that has a very strong and distinctive flavor.
One of the biggest surprises to those who make their own Dijon mustard is just how much more potent it can taste than the product you buy at your local grocery store. The initial burst of flavor will typically be caused by the heat of the freshly ground-up mustard seeds, making the flavour of the mustard stand out right from the beginning.
Dijon mustard is not just a condiment that adds flavour to your food — it has an amazing history. While most condiments have been around since ancient times and through the Middle Ages, it was finally in the 1800s that the French developed modern-day Dijon-style mustard (Original Recipe Mustard). And with that development came the production of vast quantities of Dijon mustard for government contracts and other processes, such as instant pudding.
When you open your next jar of Dijon mustard, think about what you’re actually eating — a tiny morsel of cooking history that has survived empires, led to a Guard of Dijon due to France’s abundant crops, and a place in every kitchen in every nation around the globe.
