How to Make and Can Homemade Yellow Mustard – Easy DIY Recipe

Welcome back to Plow and Pantry! I’m Alicia, and today we’re diving into another exciting canning project as part of the March Canning Madness collaboration hosted by Cosmopolitan Cornbread. If you're a fan of home food preservation or just love stocking your pantry with delicious homemade staples, this one’s for you.

In this video tutorial and guide, I’ll walk you through how to make and can your own yellow mustard using pantry staples like mustard powder, vinegar, and spices. It’s simple, affordable, and perfect for long-term storage.

Why Make Homemade Yellow Mustard?
Making your own mustard gives you full control over ingredients, flavor, and texture. Store-bought mustards often contain preservatives and added sugars, while this homemade version is all-natural and customizable.

Best of all, mustard is one of the easiest condiments to can safely at home thanks to its high acidity.

Ingredients for Homemade Yellow Mustard
Here’s what you’ll need to make a batch of delicious DIY mustard. This recipe is scaled up to make about four half-pint (8 oz) jars:

3 cups yellow mustard powder (organic, purchased from Azure Standard)

4 cups cold water

3 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons turmeric

½ teaspoon garlic powder (freeze-dried from the garden)

½ teaspoon paprika

2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity minimum)

Tip: If you're just making a single jar, you can cut this recipe into a quarter. I’ll include a chart with measurements for single and quadruple batches at the end.

Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix and Cook the Base
In a non-reactive pot, combine mustard powder, water, salt, turmeric, garlic powder, and paprika.

Stir well and heat on medium-low, whisking occasionally.

Let it cook for 25–30 minutes until it forms a thick paste. Be sure to keep windows open—vinegar and mustard can get quite pungent!

2. Add Vinegar
Stir in 2 cups of vinegar and continue cooking until the mixture resembles the consistency of store-bought mustard.

This will help mellow the sharpness of the mustard over time.

3. Prepare for Canning
While the mustard cooks, sterilize your half-pint jars in a water bath canner.

Once mustard is hot and thickened, ladle into jars leaving ¼-inch headspace.

Debubble each jar and wipe rims with vinegar to ensure a good seal.

Apply lids and rings until fingertip tight.

4. Water Bath Canning
Process jars in a boiling water bath:

10 minutes for elevations under 1,000 ft

15 minutes for elevations over 1,000 ft

Don’t start your timer until the water reaches a full boil.

Tips and Variations
Storage: Let mustard sit for a few days before tasting—it mellows into a smooth, classic flavor.

Variations: Add honey for sweetness or use different vinegars (apple cider, white wine) to change up the flavor profile.

Jar Sizes: Use quarter-pint jars for gifts or half-pint for regular use.

Recipe Chart: Single vs. Quadruple Batch
Ingredient Single Batch Quadruple Batch
Mustard Powder ¾ cup 3 cups
Cold Water 1 cup 4 cups
Salt ¾ tsp 3 tsp
Turmeric ½ tsp 2 tsp
Garlic Powder ⅛ tsp ½ tsp
Paprika ⅛ tsp ½ tsp
Vinegar ½ cup 2 cups

Final Thoughts
Homemade mustard is not only fun and budget-friendly to make—it's also incredibly satisfying to pull a jar from your pantry knowing you made it from scratch. If you’re looking for a quick win in the canning kitchen, this DIY yellow mustard recipe is a great place to start.