Mary Bergin

Special to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A heat wave near Eau Claire has lasted 90 years and shows no sign of easing.

The epicenter is Huntsinger Farms, and the heat source is horseradish, grown and processed on the farm since 1929. The business is a global leader in horseradish production today.

Ellis Huntsinger, a German immigrant, farmed to feed his family during the Depression. What he discovered, says great-grandson Eric Rygg, is that the land was particularly suitable for growing horseradish, a vegetable pungent enough to clear the sinuses and water the eyes.

He says the combination of fertile soil and cold temps during winter are conducive to developing a consistently hardy, hot horseradish root.

That paved the way for Huntsinger Farms and subsidiary Silver Spring Foods to be known as the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish, selling products ranging from 8-ounce jars (for consumers) to 400-pound drums (for food manufacturers).

One hot market

The demand for horseradish “is growing in double digits” because of a persistent interest in hot and spicy foods, says Rygg, president of Silver Spring Foods.

“Consumers keep reaching for … condiments to satiate their desire for heat and flavor,” the Wall Street Journal reported this year. “The demand is fueled by growing immigrant populations, thrill-seeking food shows, pop culture references and diners’ increasing familiarity with global cuisines.”

The newest of Silver Spring’s 50-some products is Applewood Smoke Flavored Horseradish, a creamy sauce to accompany grilled and other foods.

The Horseradish Information Council describes the root as versatile, good for enhancing any meal of the day. Shake or stir ½ teaspoon horseradish into tomato juice for a Bloody Mary eye opener. Or blend horseradish with sour cream and add a dollop to roast beef or tenderloin.

How much heat you taste and smell depends upon the type, amount and age of horseradish used.

“You have to keep horseradish cold to keep it hot” in flavor because of an enzymatic reaction that occurs when the root is underground, Rygg explains.

Expanding the business

He says the family business is unusual because it both grows and processes large amounts of horseradish. The company plants, harvests and turns horseradish into products for grocery shelves.

Silver Spring Foods is five miles north of Huntsinger Farms.

Ellis Huntsinger began the work by growing, reaping, storing, grinding and bottling a few acres of horseradish. Now the company grows horseradish on at least 9,000 acres: 7,000 on the outskirts of Eau Claire and 2,000 near Bemidji, Minn.

“We harvest and plant simultaneously in spring and fall,” Rygg says. “The plant stays in the ground 12 to 18 months. Remove it earlier, and you’ll get a lower yield. Let it sit longer, and it will be more fibrous, with less flavor.”

The company grows and harvests more than 7.5 million pounds of horseradish per year and favors disease-resistant Big Top Western out of the dozens of horseradish plant varieties.

Why?

“It grows the best here, has the best flavor and heat,” Rygg says.

His researchers track what happens to horseradish after harvest at Silver Spring, and a goal is to extend the life of eye-watering flavor.

Measuring the heat

Lovers of hot peppers consult the Scoville scale to measure the heat of what they eat, and a two-year project is under way in Wisconsin to accurately measure horseradish heat.

Methodology was developed at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, says Rygg, who predicts that findings will be published in a year or two.

“Then we apply what we learn to the farming side of the business.” It’s premature to be more specific than that.

The Scoville scale was set up by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. The higher the number, the hotter the heat. A bell pepper has zero Scoville Heat Units, while police-grade pepper spray has up to 5.3 million SHUs.

The heat of ground horseradish is loosely compared to a habanero chile (100,000-350,000 SHUs), but it is difficult to be precise because the plants aren’t in the same botanical family.

SHUs measure the chemical capsaicin in a pepper. At the root of heat in horseradish and wasabi (a Japanese cousin) is allyl isothiocyanate, a colorless oil, and that is what researchers intend to measure.

Rygg hopes the scale will become known as the Huntsinger heat index, and “it will help us keep our edge” in the ever-competitive marketplace.

Hot destination in 2020

Huntsinger Farms will host the next Farm Technology Days July 21 to 23, 2020. Rural neighbors will share the spotlight, says Eric Rygg of Silver Spring Foods.

He expects these businesses to participate:

Ferguson’s Orchards, whose apple crops include 40,000 Pazazz trees, a sweet-tart cross between the Honeycrisp and a “top secret” apple.

Superior Fresh, which uses aquaponics to raise leafy greens, Atlantic salmon and steelhead trout.

Marieke Gouda, whose cheeses win international awards and are made with cow’s milk from the family farm of the cheesemaker.

Chippewa Valley Bean Co., a longtime and major producer of red kidney beans that are sold internationally.

Huntsinger Farms uses a five- to seven-year crop rotation of corn, soybeans and snap beans to support horseradish production.

Farm Technology Days is the state’s largest outdoor event devoted to agriculture; the location changes from year to year. The annual gathering, which began in 1954 as Farm Progress Days, focuses on advancements in agricultural research, technology and production.

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Easy ways to use horseradish

Substitute horseradish for butter and salt on cooked vegetables.

Stir a spoonful of horseradish into meat stock when making soup.

Use horseradish to zip up the flavor of potato salad, cole slaw or baked beans from a deli.

Add horseradish to applesauce that will accompany a pork entrée.

Mix 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish into 1 cup mashed avocado and spread inside celery ribs. Sprinkle with paprika and chill.

Combine 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 2 tablespoons dry white wine, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ½ teaspoon hot mustard as a basting sauce for ribs on the grill.

Source: Horseradish Information Council

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Five fast facts

Horseradish has been used as an aphrodisiac, cough medicine, treatment for rheumatism and to relieve headaches.

Germans named the root meerretich, which means “sea radish,” because it was grown near water.

In England, horseradish was used in a liqueur to invigorate tired travelers.

Horseradish is planted and harvested by hand.

Horseradish has 2 calories per teaspoon.

Source: Horseradish Information Council

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RECIPES: Sneak in the Heat

All three of these recipes are from Silver Spring Foods and use the company’s prepared horseradish, which is horseradish roots that are ground and chilled after being naturally preserved with distilled vinegar, water and salt.

Serve this stew, a modified Rachel Ray Food Network recipe, with warm or toasted pumpernickel or French bread.

“We always add more horseradish because some of the heat cooks out, but it leaves a nice flavor in this stew,” the horseradish producer-processor observes at silverspringfoods.com, where additional recipes use the company’s products.

We cut this recipe in half, served two hungry adults and had enough leftovers for a third person. We peeled five medium, yellow-flesh potatoes and cut them into spoon-size chunks before adding them to boiling water.

Horseradish Beef Stew

Recipe tested by Mary Bergin

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 ½ pounds beef stew meat (cut in cubes)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup flour for dredging

5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bottle (12 ounces) warm lager beer

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 cups beef stock

3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or more to taste

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Dry off meat with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Coat each piece of meat with flour.

In a Dutch oven, stockpot or 5-quart pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.

Split meat into two batches. Put first batch into pot and cook until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Remove meat and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to pot and brown remaining meat.

Lower heat to medium-low and add final tablespoon of oil. Cook onions, garlic and bay leaf 6 to 8 minutes, or until softened. Stir in tomato paste. Add beer and cook down until liquid is reduced by about half. This should just take a couple of minutes.

Mix in Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and prepared horseradish. Add beef cubes. You may need to add water to cover the meat. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer about 2 hours.

Toward last 15 minutes of cooking time, bring water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add potatoes. Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain off water; add butter and chopped parsley to saucepan and gently stir to coat potatoes.

To serve: Divide potatoes among soup bowls. Use ladle to spoon stew over potatoes.

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Lots of restaurants serve garlic mashed potatoes, and this recipe is similar, only horseradish is what gives the spuds an extra kick of flavor. We cut this recipe in half (using six medium, yellow-flesh potatoes) and ended with enough to serve four to six.

Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish

Recipe tested by Mary Bergin

Makes 6 to 8 servings

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 ¾ cups half-and-half cream

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup drained prepared horseradish

Use a heavy pot and cover potatoes with salted cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, about 25 minutes.

As potatoes simmer, in a medium saucepan, bring half-and-half, butter, salt and pepper just to a simmer, stirring until butter is melted. Keep hot, covered.

Drain potatoes in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl and mash by hand (or with a ricer or food mill for smoother consistency). Stir in hot half-and-half mixture, then horseradish.

From Silver Spring Foods: Mashed potatoes can be made one day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature, then reheat in a microwave or double boiler, stirring occasionally.

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For this appetizer, we used a can of tiny shrimp, rinsed and chilled.

Party Dip

Recipe tested by Mary Bergin

Makes 2 cups

5 ounces fresh, canned or frozen shrimp

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

¼ cup chili sauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Dash of hot sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut shrimp into very small pieces and mix well with other ingredients. Chill and serve with pretzels, party crackers or chips.