Preserving Fresh Horseradish

Aside from herbs, horseradish is one of the last items we pull from the garden. Traditionally, horseradish is dug in months ending with the letter "r", before the ground freezes. While not shelf stable, ground horseradish combined with white vinegar will safely stay in the refrigerator for a year.

I prefer the smaller roots which are tender with good flavor without the sinus clearing/eye watering properties of the large roots. Additionally, leaving larger roots behind ensures a horseradish harvest next year.

To grind, I recommend the use of a food processor. I've used a box grater but a processor grinds the woody roots finer and controls the odor.

Horseradish is a perennial. Leaving a few roots will ensure next year's harvest. 

This is about the size of roots I like to grind. The bigger the root the more heat.

Remove dirt and green tops from roots and peel using a vegetable peeler. 

 Coarsely chop roots and place in the bowl of a food processor.
Adding a small amount of white vinegar will help the roots break down. Pulse a few times,
then let the processor run, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally. 

Process until root is finely chopped. Be careful when lifting the lid as ground horseradish
emits strong vapors which can cause coughing and  eye watering.

Cover horseradish with white vinegar in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
Store in refrigerator for up to a year. 

Most of our processed 'radish goes into homemade horseradish sauce, which is a perfect accompaniment to roasted or grilled beef and pork, roasted vegetables and deep fried foods.

Horseradish Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

3-4 Tbsp ground horseradish, depending on taste

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Enjoy!