Mustard Menu Mania
The Pretzel Crisps at Sweetbriar in New York are accompanied by a spicy-creamy ricotta mustard for an elevated take on a street-food and stadium classic.

Photo Credit: Sweetbriar

Mustard Menu Mania

Mustard’s attributes makes it the perfect workhorse ingredient for modern menu development

Mustard is a menu development dynamo, bolstered by four key attributes:

  • Its bright pungent flavor profile is well-positioned to complement today’s discerning tastes, with assertive tang and hits of savory spice.
  • Mustard’s varying texture plays of smooth, coarse crushed mustard seeds and chunky (with inclusions) provide chefs with flavorful development alternatives.
  • Mustard’s versatility across all dayparts and most areas of the menu makes it a must-have SKU.
  • Its impactful ability to elevate big flavor with only a small amount of product equates to menu cost efficiencies.

Mustard works beautifully as a complementary background note or prominent flavor callout. Here are five applications to spark ideas for culinary development:

  1. WET RUBS

    • Whole-grain mustard-crusted roasted pork loin rolled in fresh herbs and crushed pretzels
    • Yellow mustard-hot paprika-rubbed, smoked bone-in chicken thighs
  2. MARINADES

    • Pale ale-mustard-orange-sumac-marinated grilled lamb loin kebabs
    • Maple mustard-black truffle-marinated grilled salmon fillet
  3. SAUCES/GLAZES/DIPS

    • Fresh green bean casserole with maitake mushroom-brown mustard-cream sauce and fried onion strings
    • Bourbon-mustard-glazed roasted butternut squash with cranberries
  4. CONDIMENTS

    • Prosciutto, shaved ricotta salata and apricot mostarda bocadillo
    • Fried chicken breast sandwich with Dijon mustard-dill aioli
  5. SALAD DRESSINGS

    • Chinese hot mustard, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, plum purée, tahini and ginger
    • Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, cider vinegar, carrot juice, mango purée, honey and cumin