Horseradish Shelf Life: How Long Does Horseradish Last?

Condiments usually have an expiration date printed on the bottle. This may not necessarily reflect when the condiment actually goes bad. What the bottle doesn’t tell you is how long the sauce will actually last after the seal of the container has been broken. Once the container has been opened, horseradish sauce usually lasts for just about three to four months. The life of the sauce is even further reduced if the condiment is not stored in the refrigerator.

Purchasing Horseradish Sauce

When purchasing horseradish sauce, the first thing you need to look at is the expiration date, as is the most important thing. Make sure to buy a bottle of sauce with an expiration that suits you best. You don’t want the sauce to expire just before a social gathering. Next, look at the manufacturing date. The more recent the date, the better. This means that your bottle of horseradish sauce comes from a new batch. While, for most companies, it doesn’t have much of an effect because of standardized tastes, it is always better to have fresher items.

Storage of Horseradish Sauce

Horseradish sauce has natural elements that cannot survive in the harsh environment that exists outside of the refrigerator. The refrigerator helps to decrease the bacterial activity and works to increase the life of the sauce. For the longest possible life of the sauce, remove from the refrigerator only whilst serving and even then, try to return the bottle to the refrigerator as soon as possible. The refrigerator stops the bacteria from growing and reproducing. If left unopened, the horseradish sauce can remain perfectly edible for as long as stated by the expiration date.

Handling of Horseradish Sauce

Horseradish sauce should be stored according to the instructions stated on the bottle. If you are preparing your horseradish sauce at home, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. First, prepare the root outdoors because the characteristic bite is usually the sharpest when the oils released by the roots are first exposed to air. Next, wear gloves and protective eyewear to save your eyes from any harmful effects of the natural oils of the horseradish. Last, but the most important thing, make sure that you do not touch your eyes after coming into contact with horseradish. Avoid this. This could be very harmful to your vision.

Cooking with Horseradish Sauce

I think we can all agree that Horseradish Sauce is a great gift from the heavens above. It is the perfect condiment to add to just about everything. From sandwiches to steaks, it gives its unique flavor to everything. It is best served with meats or as a dip with a wide variety of chips. Most people are pretty used to good old ketchup or the dips available in the markets today. Horseradish sauce provides a different taste that is both unique and delicious. Horseradish sauce is absolutely loved when served with fish and fried food items. You can either purchase the mass produced stuff, or you can make it yourself at home in less than 30 minutes. Both are equally great.