9 Surprising Uses For Mustard (that don't involve a sandwich)

Oh mustard, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...there's yellow, spicy, honey, dijon, horseradish, whole grain...muscle relaxant?!

Yes, just when you thought your favorite condiment couldn't get any better, I present to you 9 unusual uses for mustard that go beyond sandwich-making.


But first, a little mustard history!

Way back when, the Romans were first introduced to mustard seeds by the Egyptians. They mixed unfermented grape juice with ground mustard, and called this concoction "must" - hence mustard!

Step 1: Soothes Sore Throats

Your favorite team just had their big game, and after cheering them on your throat is feeling a little raw. Hopefully you have some leftover mustard from that tailgate party on hand, because it will get you root-root-root-ing for the home team in no time.

Combine mustard, the juice of one half of a fresh lemon, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of honey, and one half cup of boiling water. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Take some in your mouth and gargle! Warning: this concoction will not taste or smell good. After a few rounds of gargling, your throat should be feeling a lot less sore.

For the truly adventurous and brave, put one cap of mouthwash into the mix before gargling. This will increase the nastiness of the taste, but will also heighten the benefits.

Comments

[REA]

The smell of mustard can also ward off cats. We keep a bottle at the dinner table to keep our cats from jumping on and coming close to our food.

[hgirtman]

DON'T DO THIS. COLD WATER ONLY FOR BURNS, unless you like having raw burned flesh scrubbed with a brillo pad at the ER. It may work, but you're opening yourself to a chance of serious infection. Just don't do it.

[8bit]

Although I enjoy being afraid of things, don't you think you're taking this one a bit far?

[ddalton2]

Please see my above comment on using the egg whites. The bacteria present in mustard could cause similar infection and serious injury to an open burn.

[bodaciousbrittany]

As a culinary student, let me tell you guys the best thing I learned for burns: Egg whites. Dip the burn (which is usually on hands for those of us in the kitchen) in egg whites, let it dry, then dip it again. It'll burn like crazy for a second, but the egg whites create a seal.

[rmoradell]

i must agree on this, since the egg whites (dont ask me why) kinda extract the heat off of the burned or burning skin, and leaves slim to no marks or blisters ;) a pressure cooer blowed up on my mothers face a couple of years ago, half her face was RED AS HELL and starting to blister a few seconds after the blowup, she used eggwhites as a facemask on the burned parts and there were no traces of any kind. (also applied aloe vera crystals after a few hours on the remaining burn marks

[ddalton2]

http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/eggwhite.asp

Please don't use egg whites for burns. Raw eggs could (read: probably do) contain bacteria, which could seriously harm you if applied to an open wound. Cold water is the best thing.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-burns/FA00022

[kingkurosaki]

Apparently eating a small dab of mustard helps get rid of heartburn.

[Delfairen]

I use a little English mustard powder to take the sweetness out of tinned tomatoes when I make chill and bolognese. Its the only think I have found to remove the sweetness of American tinned tomatoes compared to the European tinned tomatoes. You don't taste the mustard at all.

[mrsthursday]

that's a good one- why IS everything soo bloody sweet in the US/Canada??? It's a wonder we're not all 500 lbs!

[taransa]

Surprised to not see charlie horse relief on the list! Straight apple cider vinegar in warm water is best but anything with vinegar helps (pickles, mustard etc)

Great list though!

[thingy]

Yellow mustard gives an interesting patina to steel. Apply an let sit for an hour or so. The longer it sits, the stranger the patterns that are raised.

[gnach]

That's from the vinegar, acetic acid.

[ilpug]

this works with pretty much any goopy mildly acidic food stuff. make a paste form cornstarch and vinegar, and spread it on. you should have the same effect.

[AmyLuthien]

I've heard that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so only do this if you really like the guy!  :D

[bonecholampworks]

I remember being slathered with mustard whenever I got a cold as a kid.
The good old fashioned "Mustard Plaster"...

[joshpaz1]

i burnt my leg when i was younger and my aunt told me to put mustard on it and i was hesitant but seeing how im mexican and we have crazy remidies i tried it and it really helped

[unaffiliatedperson]

lol

[nefra1]

where do you get mustard oil? just mustard?

[videogamemaster]

You may be able to find it in the same grocery store aisle as Olive Oil, Vinegar, and Sesame Seed Oil.

[Honora]

I met a Russian pediatrician working in a beauty salon here in New Zealand. She said it bothered her to see kids going around barefoot in NZ with runny noses. She said in Russia the child has mustard wiped onto the soles of their feet, then covered and they are put to bed to get rid of their colds.

[ilpug]

i successfully ignored my urge to make an "In Soviet Russia..." joke here.

[porcupinemamma]

Lots of excellent ideas and suggestions. Putting mustard on a burn however, is not something you should ever do. Speak with nurses and doctors who work on burn units at hospitals, or paramedics (I am one) and you will learn about the very real danger you are inflicting upon yourself.

[ilpug]

very true. the best thing to do is go to the local pharmacy and get some silvadine cream. this is the best burn medicine i have found so far, and instantly reduces pain. plus, its cheap, and lasts for years.

[supertoria12]

funny, i actually like the smell of skunk. i'd rather smell it than mustard too.

[romaine]

"Your weed count significantly decline."
Be careful with this! Mustard can become the weed, very difficult to get rid of.

[nefra1]

a wonder drug

[peacenique]

Ummm...WOW, I'm going to try it on a burger!! **wink**

[chicopluma]

mustard bunny!!

[chicopluma]

if your boyfriend tries to bite you, he's not a zombie

[chicopluma]

I lunch a spicy instant soup when my nose is a pain, but this can be very usefull now that I don't have any soups left

[avanner77]

I think you mean "this concoction will not taste OR smell good" in the first step.

[kazmataz]

all fixed - thanks!

[gbearpdm]

A teaspoon of mustard ingested will make your leg cramps go away.

[Edmundo096]

Interesting use, never heard of this one. Thanks!

[dwahoo]

BBQ-ers --You can use plain yellow mustard in the cheap large containers on meat before you smoke it. Smear the mustard all over the meat and add your favorite rub if you'd like, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight before smoking the meat. It works great on Boston Butt, pork shoulders, fresh ham, etc. It tenderizes the meat as well as assisting the permeation of the smoke and/or rub. When the meat is done, there is no flavor or color of mustard remaining.

[Best_Intentions]

@ NamOoni1974

Yes I can attest to that use of it. It sounds totally non-intuitive but if you swallow a tea-spoon of mustard (French's or get fancy if you want) it kills heartburn for me faster and better than TUMs. The effect will last all night too.

[daisyrock1]

If you live where there are fire ants you know those buggers have a right painful sting! A little mustard on the bite and it feels better fast and if you caught it in time you won't get those nasty white blister thingies! I have use mustard for this several times and even the cheap stuff works!

[Asmodeous]

"but the first scent you'll be greeted with will be that of delicious mustard" nice creative writing!

[crazyndhed03]

I used to work in a fast-food restaurant and was always burning myself on the heat registers. My manager told me to use mustard (yellow) on a fresh burn, and it works amazingly. I can personally verify that one. Stops the pain, and decreases the likelihood of any scarring.