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Tag: Horseradish

Preserving Horseradish

It’s time to harvest horseradish!

So how can horseradish be preserved? There are no canning instructions, but it can be pickled and stored in the refrigerator. Vinegar helps to tame the strong flavor. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a recipe for Pickled Horseradish Sauce. Remember, this is stored in the refrigerator only.

The heat and pungency in horseradish comes from the compound allyl isothiocyanate, a mustard-like oil. Vinegar tames this compound, but timing matters! Waiting longer after grinding to add vinegar, the hotter it will be! Learn more from Penn State Extension.

Horseradish can be dried. Clean and peel roots. Grate or slice into 1/4-inch pieces. No blanching is required. Spread on dehydrator trays in a single layer. Dry at 140°F for 6-10 hours until very brittle. Grind into a powder or leave as pieces. To use, mix with a little water before adding to recipes.

Preserving Horseradish

Horseradish makes its greatest growth during late summer and early autumn. For this reason, delay fall harvest until late October or early November, or just before the ground freezes.

Store horseradish roots for fresh grinding in dark plastic wrapping in the refrigerator. Protect the roots from light to prevent their turning green.

The most common way to preserve horseradish is pickled. This pungent sauce is stored in the refrigerator. For instructions see http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_horseradish.html

Make a Horseradish-Tomato Relish using this recipe from Oregon State University

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