Horseradish is one of my favorite herbs.
It works wonderfully with beef, seafood, and even in a cranberry relish.
Once you start your first horseradish plant, you will always have a fresh supply of horseradish.
This perennial herb takes a lot of room.
It can grow 24-inches in height and 18-inches wide. It thrives in full sun but can tolerate some shade. For best results, make sure the soil pH is 5.5 to 7.0.
Horseradish can be started from plant and/or root during the spring, summer or fall. When dealing with plants, dig the hole twice as deep as the root mass. Place the plant in the hole and fill in around the roots. Make sure when planting plants that they are not planted too deep. The vegetation should be level with the soil line.
When dealing with the roots, it is always better to plant them when they arrive. If that is not possible, place the root in the plastic wrap and loosely cover. Place this in the refrigerator.
To plant horseradish root, dig a hole 1-foot by 1-foot and loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole with a rake. Lay the root at a 45-degree angle and fill in with compost making sure the top of the root is just below the soil surface. Make a mound of compost on top to compensate for the settling of the soil.
Harvesting occurs after a frost has occurred. One-year old plants have the most robust flavor and in doing so are the best to harvest. Dig or pull the plants out of the ground and cut off 6- to 8-inch pieces that are about the diameter of a pencil or small finger. These pieces will be replanted for next year’s crop. The remaining horseradish is washed and readied for preservation.
Once harvested and the new starts have been removed, it is now time to process the horseradish. To do this requires a few tools. These include a vegetable brush, sharp knife and/or vegetable peeler, grater, measuring spoons, two mixing bowls, and sterilized jars with lids. Also you will need horseradish, white wine vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Begin the process by first scrubbing the horseradish root with the scrub brush. Make sure to remove as much of the soil as possible. Next, peel the root with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife. Finely grate the root with a hand grater and place in one mixing bowl. Once all the horseradish has been grated, begin to measure it by tablespoons into the other bowl.
For every 3-tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish add 1-tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1-tablespoon sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly and place in sterilized jars. Once full, place the lids on and seal. Place the sealed jars in the refrigerator. Horseradish processed this way will keep for six months.
To use your hyperlocal horseradish, simply mix with yogurt, cream or mayonnaise in a ratio that is to your liking.
So until we blog again, roast beef and horseradish are like peas and carrots, they always go together. But unlike a box of chocolates, hyperlocal horseradish will never surprise you with bad results.
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