Post by Jack of all Trapping on May 6, 2013 22:35:47 GMT -5
i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj585/jsma739228/005_zps2720a240.jpg Horseradish is a perennial vegetable belonging to the mustard root family. I love horseradish and use it on everything from steak to eggs. I mix it with mayo, mustard, sour cream, etc for great dips!!
I have 2 plants that have been growing going on 12 years now. I harvest one in the Fall after the first good frost, and one in the Spring. They say you should only harvest it in a month with a "R" in it. I grow my plants in buckets with the bottoms cut out. This makes the root(s) grow straight down, more or less. This way they don't wander all over the place. I use my own compost and put it in the bottom and on top of the bucket. Horseradish don't need much attention after that. I don't use manure on my roots. It causes then to split off into 2, which decreases the HOT. Cut off any small sucker roots that form. This also decreases the HOT. When harvesting I save the leaves and mix them in a salad. I pull my bucket straight up by the handle. This raises the roots a bit. I then uncover the roots by hand. I stick a tined fork under the root and pry up a bit and the roots pop out of the ground. Make sure you get all the roots. 2nd year roots taste lousy. I cut off the crown of the main and replant it in the bucket for next season. If I have too much radish to process, I put some(unwashed) in a wooden box of moist sand. I then place it in my root cellar. Just like carrots. My cellar stays a constant 34 to 40 degrees so it last for months. I place the unwashed roots I am going to process in a brown bag and place in the fridge for 3 days. The brown bag won't let light in so the root won't turn green. The 3 waiting days in the fridge increases the HOT by as much as 3x's. I then wash the roots in COLD water and peel them. I cut into smaller pieces and course grind them by hand. I use a very little of vinegar to keep it from turning brown. Don't use much vinegar or you will lose the HOT. Some add salt and some add sugar. Its all good. I then place in jelly jars and put in fridge. Better and hotter than anything you find at the market. Enjoy!!!
I have 2 plants that have been growing going on 12 years now. I harvest one in the Fall after the first good frost, and one in the Spring. They say you should only harvest it in a month with a "R" in it. I grow my plants in buckets with the bottoms cut out. This makes the root(s) grow straight down, more or less. This way they don't wander all over the place. I use my own compost and put it in the bottom and on top of the bucket. Horseradish don't need much attention after that. I don't use manure on my roots. It causes then to split off into 2, which decreases the HOT. Cut off any small sucker roots that form. This also decreases the HOT. When harvesting I save the leaves and mix them in a salad. I pull my bucket straight up by the handle. This raises the roots a bit. I then uncover the roots by hand. I stick a tined fork under the root and pry up a bit and the roots pop out of the ground. Make sure you get all the roots. 2nd year roots taste lousy. I cut off the crown of the main and replant it in the bucket for next season. If I have too much radish to process, I put some(unwashed) in a wooden box of moist sand. I then place it in my root cellar. Just like carrots. My cellar stays a constant 34 to 40 degrees so it last for months. I place the unwashed roots I am going to process in a brown bag and place in the fridge for 3 days. The brown bag won't let light in so the root won't turn green. The 3 waiting days in the fridge increases the HOT by as much as 3x's. I then wash the roots in COLD water and peel them. I cut into smaller pieces and course grind them by hand. I use a very little of vinegar to keep it from turning brown. Don't use much vinegar or you will lose the HOT. Some add salt and some add sugar. Its all good. I then place in jelly jars and put in fridge. Better and hotter than anything you find at the market. Enjoy!!!
