July is horseradish month. Who knew it had its own month? This large, long tapered root has a thin light brown skin protecting the white flesh that can add some zing to your food. Horseradish is a member of the cabbage family and is related to mustard. It is considered an herb and is used to make one of the world’s most popular condiments. To celebrate horseradish month, let’s take a look at horseradish, its culinary and medicinal history.
Horseradish is an ancient herb native to eastern Europe and western Asia. It is one of the five bitter herbs that Jewish people eat during the Passover Seder. The Greeks and Romans used it medicinally in smelling salts, to ease toothaches, as a rub for joint and low back pain, and for coughs.
Around 1300, it was used as a cough expectorant in England and Scandinavia. It was the Germans who added crushed horseradish and a little vinegar together to be used as a condiment for fish and meat. By the 1600’s, European chefs were using it regularly with meat and fish. It was also used to make horseradish ale (not sure that would be all that good).
There is a website dedicated to horseradish called Horseradish Information Council. There is an annual festival held every year in Collinsville, IL. About 60% of the 24 million pounds of horseradish grown each year comes from the Collinsville area. Most of this is harvested to produce prepared horseradish.
Fresh horseradish is available year-round, peak season being fall and spring. When purchasing horseradish, choose firm roots with no soft or green spots, blemishes, or signs of mold. Prepared horseradish can be purchased in two forms: coarse or fine ground. Coarse is usually more pungent as it requires more chewing which releases more volatile oils. Fresh can be stored for a week in the fridge, prepared up to 6 months also in the fridge. The prepared can be frozen to keep several months longer.
Here is a helpful conversion rate for the various forms:
1 Tablespoon freshly grated = 2 Tablespoons prepared
1 Tablespoon dried + 1 Tablespoon vinegar + 1 Tablespoon water = 2 Tablespoons prepared
Horseradish growers use a wide range of herbicides and pesticides so it is best to choose organic. Horseradish is very potent so wear gloves and work outside or have very good ventilation; the fumes from cut horseradish can burn your nose and eyes. Horseradish should always be served in a glass or ceramic bowl as it will tarnish silver.
Serving Ideas
Horseradish synergistically works well with meat and fish, but it can also compliment eggs and poultry. It can be added to sauces, soups, pickles, and salad dressings. If you are adding it to a cooked item, it is best to do so at the end, remove the item from the heat source, then add the horseradish right before serving. This will preserve the flavor. It is also used in some Blood Mary recipes.
Medicinal Uses
Horseradish has had limited studies done to show health benefits, but here are health benefits:
- Topically a horseradish poultice can be used to ease sciatica, gout, and facial neuralgias.
- Ingesting horseradish protects against food borne illnesses such as Listeria, E. coli, staphylococcus aureus, H. pylori, salmonella, and other food pathogens.
- Gallbladder health is helped as horseradish increases bile secretion which is important for digesting dietary fats and oils. Bile is also helpful with secreting cholesterol and waste from the body. If you have gallbladder stones or obstructions, avoid horseradish in large amounts.
Horseradish is considered safe for most people when eaten in small portions. Taking it medicinally should only be done under the care of a healthcare provider.
Fun Facts
- Horseradish is still planted and harvested by hand.
- Horseradish was one of the first convenience foods; it was first bottled for sale in 1860.
- In the American south, it is rubbed on the forehead to relieve headaches (I would caution on this one!).
- Horseradish peroxidase is used to remove a number of pollutants from wastewater.
- In Germany, horseradish schnapps is still brewed.
I think horseradish is one of those foods that you either love or hate, which are you? For me, spicy foods are not something I gravitate towards. I was able to purchase a small root, and I am going to make my own prepared horseradish for use in cooking. What is your favorite way to enjoy horseradish?
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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