Drying and Storing Herbs
Drying
Herbs
Drying your own herbs
isn't really difficult, and much of it is common sense. First, always
harvest your herbs on a dry day, preferably with a few dry days being had
beforehand. Do not pick herbs with dew on them, but do try to pick
them early enough in the morning that the sun hasn't warmed them too much.
To retain herb quality, the actual drying of the leaves needs to be done as quickly as possible. For soft-leafed herbs like Basil, lemon balm and mints, oven-drying is the best way to go. heat the oven to a low heat (200F), place the herbs in the oven, keep the oven door open and bake the herbs until they are dry. Usually a few hours, but do keep a close eye on your herbs because they can quickly go from dried herbs to burnt herbs.
For soft, shrubby herbs you can tien them in bunches and hang them in a dry shady place like an attic, shed, or cupboard for a day or two. Make sure they have plenty of ventilation though, and are not near any strong odours.
Storing
Herbs
For dry herbs: As soon as herbs are
dry, crumble them slightly and place them in dry bottles or jars which
have an air-tight lid. Keep them in a shady place, completely away
from heat and direct light. Redry herbs immediately at any sign of
moisture. This also goes for store or farm-bought herbs.
For fresh herbs: You can freeze herbs, although this method often dulls the flavour of the herbs and reduces them to limp, blandness. Although basil, mint, sage and parsley seem to work quite well. To freeze herbs, place them in a small container or zip-lock bag, seal and freeze.
Another way of preserving herbs is in oil. Always use virgin, first-pressed oil and make sure that the leaves are completely dry after washing them. Preserving this way will keep the herbs only as long as the oil is good, usually six months.
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Page last updated: July 23, 2000
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