Back to Basics

• Spicy brown mustard is typically made from white wine vinegar, brown mustard seeds and a variety of spices such as turmeric, ginger and allspice. Try it in place of the usual yellow mustard to bring out the smokier flavor in hot dogs, bratwurst and hamburgers. Use it by itself as a dip for pretzels, or stir it into mayonnaise for a savory coleslaw or potato salad dressing, or for spicy deviled eggs. For an even hotter kick, mix some hot pepper sauce into the mustard for dipping with chips or veggies.

Spice Up Marinades and Rubs

• Spicy brown mustard combines well with other ingredients to create versatile rubs, marinades and flavorings for meat and beans. Mix up mustard with garlic powder and other spices. Dredge pork chops in the mustard mixture, then flour, and brown in an oiled skillet. To add zip to baked beans, stir in bacon, ketchup, spicy brown mustard and beer. Mix together mustard, mint and shallots as a lamb rib roast rub. Whip up some spicy mustard chicken skewers by marinating chicken pieces and veggies in mustard and white wine vinegar. Mix mustard with a packet of fajita seasoning and meat in a slow cooker for stuffing fajitas.

Sauce It Up

• The creamy texture of spicy brown mustard makes it a natural to add to sauces. Try mixing mustard with salt, pepper and light brown sugar as a topping for baked salmon. Or blend mustard with mascarpone cheese as a sauce for grilled swordfish. To kick up a steak, simmer spicy brown mustard, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar ,and ladle it over a steak with gorgonzola. Combine cream of celery soup, parmesan cheese and mustard, then drizzle it over asparagus.

Thinking Outside the Bread Box

• Although it may sound strange, spicy mustard can even add a subtle punch to bread recipes. Try your hand at onion-mustard monkey bread by basting bread dough with a mixture of mustard, butter, onion, chives and thyme before allowing the dough to rise and bake. Or, combine mustard with ingredients like cloves, soy sauce, mustard and raisins to add flavor and texture. If you're using a bread machine, simply follow the manufacturer instructions for adding additional ingredients during the kneading cycle.