Horseradish root is really interesting. If you manage not to pierce the outer skin of the root you will barely notice an aroma. Once you cut, grind, or expose the root it starts to breakdown and the cells release an extremely pungent and flavorful oil we know as horseradish!
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| diced horseradish ready to be ground |
3 oz horseradish root. cleaned and diced.
white vinegar I used 2.5 tbls
Place diced horseradish into food processor or mixer & grind and chop until the desired consistency is achieved. Add vinegar to neutralize the smell. The longer you let the ground horseradish sit before adding vinegar the stronger 'horseradish' flavor there will be. For a light flavor add more vinegar right away & for a strong flavor wait 4-6 minutes and add less vinegar.(note: make sure you are in a well ventilated room with a fan going and a window open, as the aroma given off is EXTREMELY strong. Strong enough that, like an idiot, when I disregarded this warning and took a big huge whiff off the lid of the grinder after running it, and resting it for 3 min. I instantaneously let out a huge yell and ran from the room. My sinus' haven't been that clear since my disco days!) Once vinegar added briefly process again. Pour off excess liquid and refrigerate. The longer the horseradish sits the 'weaker the taste will be. However the 2-3 months at most it will be in the refrigerator shouldn't see much loss of flavor. It's great to mix with a favorite mustard or mayo to give it that extra zing!
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| result: 1 full jar + some extra |
I cannot stress enough the warning that you should be in a very well ventilated room and preferably wearing a mask or dishtowel over your mouth and nose. When I got a big whiff of just the cap I screamed holy fuck that is hot and ran away in real pain. don't be like me, at least cover your mouth and nose with a t-shirt. you will smell the horseradish but it won't be nearly as painful.
6 comments:
I loved your post! My wife's family makes horseradish every year and last year was our turn to make it. It came out awesome. Her family adds a pinch of sugar along with the vinegar. I can relate to the STRONG smell. I used to bounce at a club in the Hamptons and have had the luxury of getting pepper sprayed while doing my job. I can say that a whiff of fresh horseradish isn't that far off from a whiff of pepper spray!
Mike - I left one of the bigger horseradish plants to overwinter and will be making some red horseradish (with beet juice) for my Russian family! I can't wait to present them with some!
The smell was truly painful and a good reminder for future horseradish making endeavors!
Mmm, homemade horseradish! Soooo good! LOL about the "holy f*** that is hot" part - true! We try to process it outside. I've never saved roots over the winter to replant in spring; they over-winter fine in the ground here in zone 5. (N. Illinois) Plus, no matter how carefully I dig, thinking I got the whole plant, there's *always* some bit that gets left behind and re-grows on its own! You can't hardly get rid of the stuff! Some people think it's a pest for that very reason. I disagree - just eat it! [Grin.] I currently have a batch of tomato juice on the stove that I'm going to add some horseradish and other goodies to, and can homemade bloody mary mix.
Diana - homemade bloody mary mix sounds like a really great idea!
We froze a shopping bag full of striped roma tomatoes because we didn't have time to cook them down for sauce. I will have to try some bloody mary mix along with the ketchup I plan on making with these bonus tomatoes!
That's just how I make horseradish and it comes out awesome. So much better than the store bought kind.
Standing on line at the grocery this September, I complemented the woman in line behind me on the heady fragrance of her dill. She explained that she was making Polish dills but had not been able to find horseradish leaf at the store. By the afternoon she was harvesting leaves from my patch, plus cherry leaves from the orchard. The key to quality Polish dills as it turns out.
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