Fresh from the dirt: Horseradish Sauce

The holidays. A time for family, traditions, and of course, delicious food. For our family, that often means a beautiful standing rib roast. While I usually love hosting, I have to admit, sometimes the pressure of pulling it all together can stifle my culinary creativity. This year, however, was different. My sister graciously took on the hosting duties, freeing up my mind to wander and dream up ways to elevate the feast.

And then it hit me: the horseradish growing in my garden!

This wasn't just any horseradish. This horseradish has history. Planted by John’s father in the mountains of Western North Carolina, it was later transplanted to our farm in Alamance County, where it has thrived. A living connection to family and tradition, right there in my backyard.

My first few attempts at harvesting and making fresh horseradish sauce were, admittedly, a bit disappointing. But I'm a firm believer in learning from my mistakes. So, I did some research and discovered the secret to unlocking the true potential of this fiery root.

It turns out, I was harvesting the wrong size of root. My husband, John, recalled his mother's advice: always use roots smaller than your pinky. Wise words, indeed, and likely perfect for enjoying the horseradish raw, as John remembers sharing that nostril-opening burn with his mom while digging the roots. However, for making the sauce, it seems a different approach is needed.

Enter Alan Bergo, the Forager Chef. His description of the experience – "do you like hot fire, weeping and agony?" – resonated with me instantly. And the best part? You can control the level of "fire" to your liking!

The general consensus is that horseradish roots should be dug in the colder months, ideally after the first frost. There's some debate about whether to dig in months containing the letter "R" or months ending in "R." In our southeastern region, that likely means October, November, December, and even January and February.

The key to my newfound horseradish success was the size of the root. Instead of the small, pinky-sized roots I'd been using, I harvested a 2-3 inch root. That made all the difference!

Here's how I transformed that humble root into a vibrant, flavorful sauce:

Fresh Horseradish Sauce

Ingredients:

• About 1 cup fresh horseradish root, cut into cubes

• About ½ cup water

• ¼ cup white vinegar (adjust to taste)

• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

• ½ tsp sugar (or to taste)

Instructions:

1. Wash the horseradish root thoroughly and peel it.

2. Grate or finely chop the root. I used my powerful Ninja blender, which worked perfectly.

3. Add the horseradish to the blender. Grind it until finely chopped.

4. Slowly add the water and white vinegar, blending until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Add salt and sugar to taste.

6. Caution: Be extremely careful when removing the blender lid. The fumes can be intense! It's best to open it briefly and step back to avoid a face full of horseradish vapor.

The result? A horseradish sauce that was both fiery and flavorful, the perfect complement to our standing rib roast. It added a welcome kick to the meal, a testament to the power of fresh, homegrown ingredients.

This year's holiday feast was made even more special by the addition of this homegrown horseradish. It was a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary flavors are found right in our own backyards. And it was a delicious tribute to family traditions, both old and new.The holidays usually include a beautiful standing rib roast for dinner and this year did not disappoint. I often host the meal and must sadly admit taking on the hosting task might leave me a bit less time for creativity . This year one of my sisters hosted so my brain was a bit more rested and full of ideas for helping to make the feast superb.

Then I had that head smacking moment … the horseradish growing in my garden!

Horseradish with history! Planted by John’s father in western NC. We transplanted it to our farm in Alamance County NC. It thrives!