An A to Z guide to choosing, storing, preparing, and cooking fresh produce and recipe ingredients.
Lew Robertson/Getty ImagesHorseradish
The spicy hot 6- to 12-inch root of the horseradish plant is used in sauces accompanying meat dishes. Prepared horseradish,
which has been chopped and steeped in vinegar (white) or beet juice (red), provides the kick in Bloody Marys and condiments
like cocktail sauce.
Season: Year-round; peaks in late fall and early spring.
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How to Choose Horseradish
Look for firm, unblemished roots with no sprouts or greenish tinges. -
How to Store Horseradish
Wrap fresh horseradish in a slightly damp paper towel and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze grated root in an airtight container for several months. Once opened, bottled horseradish should be refrigerated; it will lose its pungency after a few months.
How to Prepare Horseradish
Grating fresh horseradish maximizes its flavor and bite. (Be sure to wash and scrub it first.) It will lose its pungency soon after, so use or freeze it immediately. -
How to Use Horseradish
Prepared or grated fresh horseradish is often used as a condiment with roast beef sandwiches and is one of the five bitter herbs on the ritual Seder plate for Passover. Mix prepared horseradish into mashed potatoes if you’re looking for a dish that cuts the sweetness of another flavor on the plate.
—Jenny RosenstrachReal Simple Real Simple Horseradish Recipes Recipes:
Find out what's in season in your area right now, then locate a farmers' market near you.
