Freshly dug horseradish roots with crowns:

Topped roots soaking in cold water prior to peeling:

Peeled roots soaking in clean water prior to chopping:

Chopped roots ready for grinding:

Equipment setup ready for grinding of root chunks:

Grinding of root chunks in progress:

Grinding of root chunks completed:

The finishing process which consists of mixing sugar, salt, and vinegar with the horseradish and processing the mix down to a finer texture. The container at bottom holds the final product.

The final product which consists of three quart jars of freshly ground horseradish (YAY!):

This yield was from only a quarter of my horseradish bed. I traded the other three quarters to a group of hunter friends in exchange for fresh venison summer sausage, assuming a successful hunt. They are going to process their horseradish during the off-hours at the hunting cabin. Way more horseradish than I would ever need or use anyway, so it was a good trade.

The project took approximately eight hours total, from digging roots to bottling.

This entire project is always done outside. Processing this much horseradish is just too noxious to do indoors, and it would overwhelm anyone foolish enough to attempt doing this in the house. We know - we tried it ONCE a long time ago. It seems that everyone has to make this mistake once in order to see how bad it truly is. Believe me this mistake is never made twice by anyone.

Good stuff. It can be used just as it is as a garnish, or it can be used as a base for other recipes like creamed horseradish. It goes great with prime rib or pork tenderloin. I like it for breakfast with ham and eggs. I also love it mixed with Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce or mixed with ketchup for the classic cocktail sauce. I also mix it in with some of my homemade hot sauces for an added punch. So many delightful ways to use it.

All that is left to do is to replant the crowns and the rejected root pieces back in the bed and water them. This will ensure a decent harvest for next year.

Dad taught me how to do this project when I was a kid. I took over back in the 1990s. This family tradition has been kept alive for almost fifty years now. This is the first year that he is no longer around to reminisce about his horseradish experiences, and I really missed that.

We give most of the horseradish away as early Christmas gifts to family and friends who we know enjoy it and appreciate the effort that goes into making it.

Have a good one, folks.
-Tom

I replant crowns and scrap root pieces and harvest from the same bed every year. Between those growing and the broken roots below ground sprouting there is always a full, lush bed growing by midsummer. The bed has been in its location a bit too long now so I have been fertilizing the plants a couple times a summer. I do not know if it absolutely needs it, but I do it anyway. I just completed planting a new bed in a new location so I can see if I get an improved harvest next year. This new bed will be only the fourth one in almost fifty years.

I prefer roots that are in the range of half inch diameter to one inch diameter because they are the easiest to process. The smaller diameters may seem a hassle but they peel, chop, and grind very easily.

Horseradish has a serious spreading habit so by harvesting every year I keep the bed size in check, another benefit of yearly harvest.

I got all my crowns and root pieces replanted and watered yesterday. We had a nice little rain overnight which was nice to see. The project is now fully completed.

Have you ever frozen the finished product? We tried this, using baby food containers.

kudos!

rockiecarol - Yes, spreading around root chunks by working the soil near a horseradish bed can be problematic. Tilling or plowing a bed under can create an absolute nightmare. It can take many years to get rid of an old bed organically, even several years using chemicals. It is a tough plant that must be respected.

I have heard of freezing it but have never tried doing that. Don't know why, just have always considered it a treat, something to look forward to enjoying while it is in season.

You also reminded me that last year I dehydrated and powdered horseradish as an experiment and it worked out great - much better than the stuff you can buy from the spice aisle at the store. I was going to do a bunch this year but completely forgot! I guess the horseradish projects are not over this year. I actually have a small backup bed that I can go dig up. I will dry some and will also grind some for freezing to give that a try.

Another GW member I have been in contact with harvests the leaves and uses them for cooked greens. I look forward to trying them next season. Always something to learn from folks on GW. :)

I am down to one quart jar remaining. Anyone who wants some gets a full jelly jar with a Christmas bow on top, to remind them that this is an early Christmas gift from me. First come first served basis until it is gone (with a few exceptions) . When word gets around that the horseradish has been processed, friends and neighbors start knocking on the door and the phone starts ringing LOL.

-Tom

1.) "How large a bed did you need to get that much finished product?"

My main horseradish bed measures approximately 5 feet be 8 feet. The three quarts of finished product shown in the photo is from approximately one quarter of the bed. The last time I harvested and processed the entire bed I got two gallons of finished product. The math does not work out because the bed has gotten larger than it used to be.

2.) "Did you buy the root stock from a seed catalog or did you use grocery store roots?"

I do not know from where my father originally got the root stock as he was growing it before I was born. Also, I do not know whether grocery store roots are viable or not. I assume they would be viable as long as no growth inhibitor is applied to them.

3.) "Can you tell us the recipe you use (ratios)?"

Many recipes and instructions available on the web. Just search using keywords "prepare horseradish" or "process horseradish". The recipe I have always used:

2 cups ground horseradish
2/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar

4.) "Whats the shelf-life for the product and process BWB or Pressure canner?"

I have never had a problem storing it for up to six months but IMO it is much better to enjoy it when it is fresh, within two months. I do not use any canning process, I simply store the finished horseradish in the refrigerator in glass canning jars. When putting finished product into jars, pack tightly and remove air pockets. As the horseradish is consumed I reduce the jar size in order to have as little air in the jar as possible.

As discussed previously, freezing the finished product is another storage option. I have never done this, and I did not get to try it this year but look forward to trying it next harvest.

Note that processing horseradish is time sensitive. The vinegar and other ingredients should be added within ten minutes of grinding the roots. If not, the horseradish will start to discolor and possibly turn bitter. Storage life may also be affected.

Hope this helps. Things are getting a bit busy with the holiday season upon us but I will try to respond to future questions a bit faster.

Happy Holidays,
-Tom

The horseradish up here thrives after going through our typically brutal Minnesota winters. It sprouts soon after the snow melts off the bed, while the ground is only thawed at the surface. They are incredibly hardy plants. I understand why some people do not like them but they serve my purposes well.

-Tom

Mark

Posted by sconticut 6b (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 9:54

Your photos brought back many memories. We followed the same annual ritual right down to the hand grinder. In later years we found a food processor cut the time and the tears significantly. Never did add sugar, though. We did not hot process the product but just stored it in the fridge where it lasted for a considerable length of time. I do not think that there is any bacteria that would DARE to attack it!
Great stuff.