Stone ground mustard consists of partially ground brown mustard seeds and may be made with wine instead of vinegar in the style of Dijon mustard. The coarse grind of the seeds and the wine factor into its unique mouthfeel and pungent flavor profile. If you are out of this condiment and need something with a similar flavor profile, here is a look at some of the best stone ground mustard substitutes.
Your best bet: Make your own stone ground mustard
You can make a stone ground mustard substitute in several ways. One of the more straightforward methods is to soak whole brown mustard seeds in vinegar and add them to one of the smooth prepared mustards like Dijon or yellow mustard. This gives you a combination of smooth and whole seeds that will approximate the mouthfeel of stone ground mustard.
A second way is to grind whole mustard seeds yourself. Use brown mustard seeds for the best results. Stone ground mustard is characterized by its mix of whole, cracked, and ground seeds. To get precisely this kind of variety in your prepared mustard, you can use a mortar and pestle to grind your seeds. Historically, stone ground mustards have been made using a stone mill called a quern. Querns use two millstones to get stone ground mustard seeds to the perfect texture. The mortar and pestle allow you to get something close on a smaller scale.
To make your ground and partially ground mustard seed into a paste, you will need to add a liquid with some acidity. Your best and most traditional options are white wine or wine vinegar though some recipes suggest honey.
A decent second choice: Spicy brown mustard
Because it is made with brown mustard seeds that have their bran left on, spicy brown mustard can provide much of the flavor and color that you want from stone ground mustard. It is a bit hotter than stone ground mustard, but you can get away with that by using a little less. Spicy brown mustard typically has less acidity, which makes it a closer match for stone ground mustard.
In a pinch: Yellow mustard
Popular in the United States and strongly associated with hotdogs, yellow mustard can stand in for stone ground mustard when there are no better alternatives. It can provide the mustard flavor and strong acidity that will work in most applications that require stone ground mustard.
Yellow mustard won’t give you the mouthfeel of a stone ground mustard since it is a smooth mustard. It is also quite a bit more acidic and less spicy than stone ground mustard, which may not be ideal for some dishes. Use less of it or add a little sugar to neutralize the acidity and a little cayenne to increase the spice level. Lastly, there is the color. The garish yellow color comes from turmeric and may affect the appearances of pale dishes that sometimes require stone ground mustard.
Other alternatives
Horseradish is a root vegetable that belongs to the same family as mustard. It has the same compound that gives mustard its heat and flavor. As a result, prepared horseradish can do a reasonably good job of standing in for whole grain mustard.
Dijon mustard is a smoother alternative to stone ground mustard, but it can still work in many of the same dishes. Because Dijon mustard often uses wine instead of vinegar, it can be a close match to stone ground mustards made in the same style.