Give Store-Bought Honey Mustard A Restaurant-Quality Kick With One Ingredient

Honey mustard is a versatile sauce worth keeping on hand for dipping, salads, marinating — you name it. But maybe store-bought honey mustard just doesn't have quite the oomph you love from the honey mustard at your favorite restaurant. Fret not! Chef Michael Vignola has the perfect solution. Vignola, who currently leads the kitchens at The Corner Store, Catch, and Catch Steak as the corporate executive chef for Catch Hospitality Group, shared his secret for restaurant-quality honey mustard with Mashed: "a pinch of Chinese mustard." 

Chinese mustard (like those little packets you get with Chinese takeout) has an intense heat and a sharp bite, which can cut through the sweetness of honey mustard. Think of it as a kind of horseradish-like punch to the sinuses. Some store-bought honey mustard can come across as too sweet, so Chinese mustard can help create a more balanced and complex flavor. A little goes a long way, though. Just a "pinch," as Vignola suggests, is all you need to add depth without eliminating the sauce's signature sweetness or overwhelming your taste buds. 

Whether you like dipping fries in honey mustard or slathering it on your sandwiches, this tip will make a generic store-bought bottle of honey mustard taste restaurant-quality without a high price tag. By blending in just a hint of Chinese mustard, you'll get a tangy, spicy edge that can take your dips and dressings to the next level.

If you're wondering what makes Chinese mustard spicy, it's because it is made from brown mustard seeds, which are spicier than the white mustard seeds used in yellow mustard common in America. Chinese spicy mustard is known for a sharp bite that quickly fades, as opposed to a spicy hot sauce that lingers on the tongue, making it the perfect match for the sweetness of honey mustard.

To elevate store-bought honey mustard with the Chinese spicy variety, simply stir it into the sauce until it's blended smoothly. We recommend starting with a small amount and then increasing it to taste. If Chinese mustard is just a bit too strong for you, you could instead use English mustard (like Colman's original English mustard). It's made from a mixture of brown and white mustard seeds, giving it a more moderate kick. But fans of the heat might want to opt for something like S&B Oriental hot mustard powder mixed with cold water for the most pungent flavor. The cold water will activate enzymes for a more intense effect than you'll get from already prepared versions.

This amped-up version of honey mustard is particularly good with crispy fried chicken, as the spice helps cut through the fattiness while retaining that sweet flavor that complements savory chicken. But you can try it on just about anything — sandwiches, salads, vegetables, as a glaze for finishing grilled meats, or even to upgrade your steak marinade.