My father made it for years and we used small bottles like baby food jars and froze them. then we would take one out when we needed one.

The acidity of the vinegar should keep the color white for the month or so it's good.

Note that lemon or lime juice will also help keep the color (and I believe, though I don't know, should preserve the hotness level.)

Freezing should work well--leave room for a bit of expansion (~10%) of the ice.

Note that processing horseradish is closely related to chemical warfare work--best to do it outside in a "well-ventilated" OUTSIDE (WINDY is good!) area.

One of the largest grower processors is located about 25 minutes from here--they use gas masks while processing.

This processing problem is, in and of itself a good reason to make a larger batch and freeze it is small doses.

The 'bite' of any particular brand of horseradish will very some with shelf-time, but the main reason that they tend to 'bite' less than fresh is that the market mostly prefers that strength. There are brands with more 'bite.'

Note also that you do NOT want to plant horseradish anywhere except it's permanent multi-year location. It is very difficult to eliminate once established as every tiny bit of tuber must be removed or you will have new plants.

If you learn to recognize the plant (and it's pretty easily identified,) or ask gardeners around town, someone will happily give you a tuber for your own plants--or just to grind.

Nobody ever has a shortage of the stuff once established.

Hi,

you wanted a recipe that'll keep for a long time. Just make sure your vinegar is a sound pickling strength (6-8%) and follow the recipe without using water. The strength will diminish over time, but not the flavor. Seal tight in many small jars (acid proof) and keep all in the fridge.

Tip:- Exposure to air activates the enzymes that produce the heat, the longer the exposure the hotter the sauce. I peel and chop them under water, then process them without adding the liquid/vinegar until various times have elapsed (0-10 mins).

I haven't tried this, but apparently ice-cream with horseradish sauce (zero heat, lemon juice not vinegar) is served in some top-end restaurants!

Also, try Horseradish.org (there's someone for every kind of obsession...).

Great tips, thanks Bryn! ~Elise

I have been making horseradish for about 15 years. Never used water or salt. Just used white vinager but I strain every batch and squeeze out some of the juice enough to keep a nice texure and use for mixing. I will add small amounts of vinger when needed. It seems to work great because my longest horseradish in the fridge was over 3 years old with no color change, personally I think it got stronger. I have canned horseradish and for a good trick is to tell the person if they want the full effect they should smell it when they open it.

I always had trouble keeping my horseradish white, untill a friend of mine who makes it also told me to wrap the jar in a BROWN BAG, keep in Ice box. No trouble since.

When is the best season to dig the root?

Great question. I have no idea. ~Elise

Thanks for all the information; I just bought a horseradish root today-my brother is here visiting from FLA & insists that commercial horseradish sauce isn't as strong or good as freshly grated. So I began searching for information and advice & I like the comments added here.

The best time to dig up horseradish is in the spring time, late spring; if you wait to long it does get tough and is not very good.

After peeling and then cutting up the root into pieces would that not be a good time to freeze it in small bags and then just remove it from the freezer when you want to make some sauce?

You could try it that way. Let us know in the comments how it turns out for you if you do. ~Elise

I dig my horseradish in the fall and the last couple of years it has been bitter, any comments.

I used your method to make some horseradish for a fresh potato salad and it was great! posted a how to for the root as well as recipes for creamy horseradish sauce and the horseradish potato salad here: http://theweekendgourmande.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/kitchen-firsts-homemade-horseradish-potato-salad/

I buy several roots at a time especially when it is on sale. I wash the roots and then wrap them in freezer paper. When I want to make fresh horseradish, I take out a root, cut it into small pieces for processing, The frozen root seems to give me a better and finer grind, I wait the ten minutes before adding the vinegar and I only use the least amount of water when it is grinding. All of the people I give this to say that this is the way horseradish should be. Fresh and hot and yes I tell them to sniff when the jar is open.

I have been growing Horseradish for years. I have three nice plants in my yard. Any time I want some I just dig up a part of the root. “If you cut off the top of the root with the green part you can replant it in the same spot you pulled it from this will start a new plant” I peel off all the outer layer cube and put into a food processer I have found that if add a little water and about a 2 oz “Vodka” with just a splash of lemon juice it will stay longer in the refrigerator and a lot longer in the freezer. and retains the flavor and heat for months. I have heard people put it in bottles but I find a high quality freezer bag works better.

I have been making my own horseradish for the past five years and I have read two different ideas when it come to adding vinegar. One was that by adding vinegar it stops the radish from getting hotter but one of the above posts says that by adding vinegar it makes the radish hotter. WHICH is correct?
Also, should you grind up the radish and freeze it or should you freeze the whole root?
Thanks for your comments!

From what I understand the vinegar keeps the horseradish from losing too much heat. It will mellow out over a few days anyway, but would lose its punch faster without the vinegar. As for freezing, I would freeze the whole root, then defrost before processing. But don't hold me to that, as I haven't actually tried freezing either the root or the ground root. I do know that the roots don't suffer when they are in the ground over winter, so freezing them should be fine. ~Elise

I am trying to make the hottest horseradish that can be made. Can anyone help me? TY Eric

Most of the horseradish I have found at the chain grocery stores has a dried out factor. So, I have learned that if you soak a dried root for about 24 hours, it gets hydrated to seem fresh. It may not be quite as good as just dug up root, but it have the "sinus clearing factor" and can provide the bite you want. My mom's (79 yo) tried and true preparation is grating the root, then a short bake in the oven, and finally adding vinegar, salt, sour cream and a little sugar for a great creamy horseradish sauce. The longer you bake it, the milder it will be. However, the kitchen can be eye watering and sinus clearing.

hi
i live in new zealand central north island
where its very frosty in winter when is best to
plant and harvest also will it grow in a pot
many thanks
paul

No idea, you may want to consult a gardening site for that information. ~Elise

I have several times put refrigerated (not frozen)cubed horseradish roots through a propeller type food proccesser reducing the cubes to chunks smaller than lentils and then spoon mixed this horseradish with a couple ounces of white vinagar. Although the fumes from these simple preparations caused intense irritation to my nose and eyes that assured me of the potency of my horseradish, and although the mixtur were promptly refrigerated in sealed jars and consumed with fish a half hour later, the horseradish was in both cases tasteless and dull.I have no idea what I must do differently to preserve some horseradish heat and taste for even a matter of less than an hour.

I have quite a few horseradish plants growing and spreading, and want to make Horseradish Honey to soothe sore throats and coughs, has anyone tried this? I tried it recently and felt the horseradish wasn't quite as hot as I would like; wonder if it needs a bit of acid (rice vinegar maybe) added to the honey to bring out the heat and alkaloids?

Peter - I worked in a restaurant (about 25 years ago) that did exactly that. To get the coarse grate with the long shreds, we would use the shredding plate on a commercial Hobart mixer. I don't remember the proportions, but the two ingredient differences that I can remember are (1) we used cider vinegar instead and (2) we also added some sugar. I also remember the restaurant preparation having more moisture than this one.