Wild horseradish sauce is quick and easy to make and results in a delicious, spicy condiment with none of the preservatives found in its store-bought counterpart.
Traditionally served with beef and oily fish, horseradish sauce is super versatile, can also be used in salad dressings and sandwiches, and is fantastic stirred into mashed potatoes. Like many aromatic wild plants, its volatile oils diminish when cooked, so use it raw to make the most of its punchy flavour.
What is wild horseradish?
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is an aromatic perennial in the Brassicaceae family that has a history of cultivation worldwide for thousands of years. During the Middle Ages, the leaves and roots were used for treating asthma, arthritis, cancer and toothaches. Today it is used primarily for its aromatic root, which is grated and used as a condiment.
Well established in Britain, horseradish is an ancient introduction and a native of Asia. Believed to have naturalised in this country from medieval garden escapees, wild horseradish loves disturbed and damp ground. We most commonly find it growing on roadside verges in our location.
Horseradish plants have tall dock-like leaves reaching up to 1m from the ground and large tapered roots. Their leaves are shiny and have a wavy edge, and their flower stalks have many tiny, white cruciform flowers that appear in clusters on the long stem.
When crushed, the leaves give off the smell of horseradish.
What part of the horseradish plant can you eat?
The leaves, flowers and roots of the horseradish plant are edible.
Young horseradish leaves have a strong, bitter flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. Try adding them to salads, pickles or cooked as a potherb. Horseradish root, best harvested in early winter, can be used as a culinary herb in sauces, powders and vinegar for flavouring meats, vegetables and pickles. It is intensely flavoured and traditionally used in the UK to make horseradish sauce.
Like many wild herbs, horseradish contains volatile oils and can be poisonous if eaten in large quantities. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid consuming large amounts of horseradish, as should those suffering from hepatitis, acid reflux, thyroid disorders, hyperacidity and inflammatory bowel disorders.
A note on foraging.
- Only collect and eat wild foods that you are 100% sure you have identified correctly.
- Common sense says that if you entirely strip an area of wild food, you will damage that habitat, so only collect where food is bountiful and take reasonable amounts.
- Be aware of what happens in the area you are harvesting in. Plants near busy roads may be absorbing emissions from vehicles. If nearby fields are sprayed with pesticides, chances are some will also make their way onto wild plants. And if watercourses are polluted, your native plants will drink that water.
Note: Wild horseradish root cannot be harvested without permission from the landowner (this includes common land) as it involves digging up the plant.
Ingredients needed to make wild horseradish sauce.
- Horseradish root
- Vinegar of your choice, I use apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Water
- Small glass jar
Horseradish sauce is best made in small quantities as it starts to lose its volatile oils once processed. Refrigerated, it should keep well for about a month without additional preservatives.
Store unpeeled horseradish roots in damp sand. Horseradish does grow easily from root cuttings, so be aware if stored for too long, it will likely sprout.
How to make wild horseradish sauce
Traditionally, you grate the horseradish when making horseradish sauce. Since the volatile oils in horseradish have the same effect as onions on the eyes and can be pretty unpleasant if you breathe them in, I find it much easier to process using a mini blender.
Wash the horseradish root, peel using a sharp knife and chop it into pieces.
Process in a mini processor with a generous pinch of salt and enough cider vinegar and water in equal parts to allow the root to blend into a relatively smooth consistency.
Transfer immediately into little clean jars sterilised in a warm oven for a few minutes and seal with a lid.
Refrigerated, homemade horseradish sauce should keep well for about a month without additional preservatives.
How to use wild horseradish sauce.
Horseradish sauce is traditionally paired with beef, venison, oily fish, beetroot and tomatoes. Below are some other ideas for its use.
- Serve as a condiment with red meats.
- As an alternative to Wasabi in sushi
- Mix into mayonnaise or sour cream as a salad dressing.
- Add to tomato-based dishes for an extra bite.
- Use instead of mustard with sausages, burgers and cheese toasties.
- Add a spoonful to cheese sauce.
- Stir into mashed potato.
- Wild horseradish also makes fantastic ground ivy and horseradish vodka.
