Learn how to make horseradish – these are incredibly spicy preserves that can add a kick to your sandwich and clear your stuffy sinuses in seconds.

preserved homemade horseradish with vinegar in a jar with a spoon.

Ever thought about homemade horseradish? I didn't, until recently.

Why? Well, buying fresh roots of horseradish around here can be a challenging task, I might have seen some a couple of times throughout the years, but really not often. And once I did actually buy a small root and paid so much for it, it really put me off from buying it again.

But then, recently, I realized my friend has a huge horseradish plant in her garden, she's been having that for years, but somehow I had never really taken notice of it until now.

So when I needed some fresh horseradish root to put into my green tomato pickles, I asked her if she has a small piece of horseradish root for me. “A small piece?”, she asked. “I have a whole bush if you want it.”

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How is horseradish made?
How do you grind horseradish?
How long does fresh horseradish last?
How to use it?
Recipe
How to Make Prepared Fresh Horseradish

So she came in the evening with these large horseradish roots packed in newspapers, full of long “mustaches” and coated in dirt and told me that they are hard to get out of the ground, but I could get 20 times as much if I wanted (and if I dig for it myself... 🙂 ).

No, I did not need that much, the amount she brought me was enough to get me through the winter, I would say.

As it was quite a large horseradish root, I grated and froze most of it and only preserved a smaller amount in vinegar. Keeping the preserved fresh horseradish for long is not really an option, it will lose its hotness in the end, so I prefer to make small amounts and use the frozen horseradish for a fresh batch.

I always have a small jar of store-bought horseradish, often the creamed variety, in my fridge, I use it mostly when making beetroot salad or on sandwiches, and I am particularly thinking of smoked trout or leftover cold meat sandwiches.

I love that pungent, fiery flavor, horseradish sauce takes any regular sandwich or salad dressing to a whole new level.

horseradish root for homemade horseradish

How is horseradish made?

Wash the horseradish root thoroughly.
Peel it well removing all the brown spots.
Quickly rinse the peeled horseradish again to remove any lingering dirt. Dry well.
Grate the horseradish, add some salt and vinegar and stuff into small jars.
Seal the jars well.

How do you grind horseradish?

Do make sure that you open a door or a window when working with horseradish. Or you could work outside if possible. Grating it will definitely clear your sinuses, but not only, but it will also make you cry.
That is the main reason I actually prefer to process the horseradish root in the food processor, my Vorwerk Thermomix TM5, it takes seconds and it is better for my eyes.
Otherwise use a box grater, the side with the small shredding holes.

How long does fresh horseradish last?

Vinegar stops the action of the enzymes contained by horseradish, so the moment you add the vinegar is pretty important. If you add the vinegar immediately after grating the horseradish, the final product will be milder. If you wait for a few minutes before adding the vinegar, the preserved horseradish will be stronger.
Make sure that the jars containing the horseradish are very well-sealed. I remember my grandmother saying that horseradish loses its power over time and that it is important to seal the jars very well.
She would use cellophane for that, I prefer twist-off jars, but I have found out that adding a tight layer of sticking plaster around the lid helps as well.
I prefer to make small amounts of the preserved horseradish, it does lose its sharpness when kept for long.
You should consume the fresh horseradish within 2 or 3 weeks as it will definitely lose its power after that.
Keep the jars sealed in the fridge.
After opening one jar, keep it in the fridge and consume as fast as possible, it will start losing its fierceness once opened, so it should not be kept long after opening it.

How to use it?

For sandwiches:

With smoked trout or smoked salmon, cucumber slices and dill.
Beetroot and feta with parsley or dill.
Cold meats, leftover roast.

For sauces:

Mix some in white sauce and serve with fish, roast meat or poached vegetables.
Filling for Beetroot Pancakes.
Dressing for beetroot salad: onions, horseradish, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and herbs.
Regular dressing for a salad: add ½ -1 teaspoon to your regular dressing.

Horseradish sauce:

Creamed horseradish: mix together 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste. Enjoy with fish, roast, shrimps or vegetables.
Cocktail sauce: mix prepared horseradish to taste into ketchup

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