The thing about fresh horseradish is that it doesn't stay fresh very long. In the refrigerator, the prepared radish begins to lose its fire in a matter of days although I will keep it for five or six weeks. With the holidays upcoming, I want to have some really good radish on hand for making cocktail sauce or as a condiment for beef meals. Many a Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve has found me out in the snow with a pan of hot water and a fork, thawing the soil and digging in the mud. While that can be done, I have learned to plan ahead. The ungrated roots can be kept in the refrigerator for weeks without losing any quality. I have tried freezing the roots, but they lose texture and heat immediately.
The weather has been mild and clear, the recent rain has drained away and the ground is not very frozen. The weather is supposed to get colder and wetter this week so I figured I had better get out there. The roots I want are an inch to two inches wide. The larger roots at the crown are very dry and coarse, and the smaller ones whittle away to nothing when you peel them. I look for a good sized crown, two or three seasons old, on the edge of the clump that is sending roots outward.
These outward growing roots are the ones that are trying to colonize and spread your clump into areas where you don't want it. This nice root (above) is headed for the railroad tie retaining wall and will eventually send up sprouts in the walkway on the other side.
I ended up with a lot of bits and pieces that I threw in the compost, but they could all be replanted today to create a larger crop. I saved out the two roots I wanted, rinsed them at the outdoor spigot, then in the garage utility sink, and finally brought them in the house. I don't want to put any effort into scrubbing these, I just want them mostly clean to store for later.
I cut off the crowns and cut each root in half to fit into a gallon sized freezer bag.
This goes in the hydrator where it can stay for a month or so. There is enough here to make about two pints prepared.
Excellent post! Thanks for the accompanying pictures which add a lot. I'm already realizing I initially planted our horseradish root in a not-very-desirable spot. Ugh. It will probably be like the Jerusalem artichokes I spent years eradicating them from the raised bed where I put them. They did NOT stay in the bed. At one point, I thought the traveling roots were going to take over the acreage. Anywho, great knowing how you handle your horseradish roots. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThey say Horseradish is "invasive". I've found that what they really mean is "persistent". It doesn't wander far on its own, but it is hard to get rid of anywhere you put it. If you do not disturb the neighboring soil, it doesn't spread outward very quickly, but where ever you break the end of an outward growing root, it will send up a new crown at that point. Find a better spot for yours now where it doesn't have any immediate neighbors to bully. It will take you several years to clear the spot it is now, but that process will give you fresh rootstock for new areas for some time to come. And for Heaven's sake, never let the flowers set seed. I only have one clump that ever flowers but if I do not break off the flowers before they go to seed it quickly becomes surrounded by seedlings.
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