Roasted Red Pepper Mustard

This is the kind of homemade condiment that puts the supermarket jar to shame. Sweet bell peppers get charred until blackened, then steamed, peeled, and puréed into a smoky pulp that gets folded into a real-deal yellow mustard base built from dry powder, mustard seeds, and two kinds of vinegar.

The sherry-and-red-wine reduction with garlic and allspice (strained back into the mustard) is what gives this its grown-up complexity. A double-boiler finish thickens it to mayo consistency without scorching, and a week of refrigerated mellowing tames the raw mustard heat into something rich and aromatic.

Pro Tips

• Char the peppers until completely blackened, not just spotted. The deep char is what produces the smoky flavor that defines this mustard. Halfway-roasted peppers taste raw.
• Let the mustard mixture mellow the full 2 hours after first whisking. Skipping this step leaves a sharp, almost ammonia-like bite from the dry mustard.
• Use a heavy nonaluminum saucepan only. The acidic vinegars and wines react with aluminum and create a metallic taste that ruins the batch.
• Don’t rush the double-boiler thickening. Direct heat will split the mustard or burn the bottom. Steady simmering water and frequent stirring are what produce that silky finish.

Variations

• Swap red bell peppers for poblanos or Hatch chiles for a smokier, slightly spicy version.
• Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the cayenne for an even deeper smoky note.
• Use this as a glaze for roasted pork tenderloin in the last 10 minutes of cooking, or whisk into vinaigrettes for sandwiches and grain bowls.