Hang on to your sinuses, we’re making horseradish! Jump to Recipe

If you plant horseradish in your garden, it will be there forever. No matter how much you dig it up, there will still be some left to come back. If you move it to a new location, you’ll have horseradish in both places. It’s just a fact.

nn

Luckily, horseradish is delicious! When you prepare your own and store it in the fridge, it mellows in intensity. It is tasty mixed with sour cream on steaks and roasts, so I always make sure to dig and prepare it before our annual Christmas Eve Prime Rib. December is the right time to dig horseradish, as the cold weather brings out the sweetness in the roots, which are storing up all their energy for a big burst of growth in the spring.

n

Home-Made Prepared Horseradish

nn

Ingredients

n
• As much horseradish as you can dig up from the yard.

n

• Vinegar- I use my own pear cider vinegar, use your favorite.

n

• Salt

n

• Cold Water

n

Tools

n
• EYE PROTECTION- please be careful

n

• Vegetable scrubber

n

• Vegetable Peeler

n

• Sharp knife and cutting board

n

• Food Processor with small grater attachment, although the blade will also work.

n

• A Big Bowl

n

• Jars and lids, to store the horseradish. I like half pints.

n

Directions

n

Before you start: a warning. Horseradish is FIERCE. It contains powerful aromatics to protect itself from animals trying to chew it. Once you begin grating the roots, it will release those chemicals and you will be unhappy. Open a window, wear goggles, do not breathe the fumes coming out of the food processor. If you are concerned about allergies, do not attempt this.

n
1. Dig up your horseradish, and scrub it clean enough to peel.

n

2. Weigh the horseradish to get an idea of how much salt and vinegar to use. About t teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup vinegar per pound of horseradish, although use your own judgement and season to taste.

n

3. Peel the horseradish and cut it into manageable chunks.

n

4. Grate the horseradish in the food processor with the small grater wheel, or pulverize it with the blade. USE PROTECTION

n

5. Collect the grated horseradish in your big bowl, and add your salt and vinegar. Leave the room as much as you need to stay safe. Wipe your eyes so you can see.

n

6. Taste the horseradish carefully to make sure it is salty and vinegary enough for you.

n

7. Pack it into your jars, leaving a bit of headspace, and then top them off with cold water.

n

8. Put clean lids on the jars, label and date them, and put them in the refrigerator. They will keep for at least 3 months, becoming more mellow as time goes by. Watch for oxidation and off-flavors, you’ll know when you don’t want to use it. The salt, vinegar, and temperature will keep it from growing anything dangerous.

n

Use prepared horseradish mixed with sour cream on meat dishes and in soups, mixed with ketchup for cocktail sauce, or eat it with a spoon if you dare!

nn

n

Did you try it?

Let us know what you think! We’d love to see pictures and hear about your results.

nn

Please join our mailing list for regular but not exhausting email updates, and follow us on twitter, facebook, instagram and pinterest. See Below!