Drying Herbs

[Shewolf]

What tips do you have for drying herbs? What type of containers? I've been saving my son's glass baby food jars to put in the dried herbs. I save the plastic ones for starter pots.

[Jacquie]

In the summer when I harvest my herbs I place them flat on a window screen then put another window screen over them ( it is windy in OK), clamp those together and hang them out to dry..literally..
later in the fall when I cut the plants back I remove the leaves and dry them on my dehydrator.
I also cut fresh herbs and place them into ice cube trays and fill with water, when frozen I place the cubes into ziploc bags labeled, Italian, French, etc.
then all winter when I make soup and stew I toss in a cube or two and Presto..FRESh herbs instead of dried up ones!

[Longtail]

be aware that some herbs are better frozen, Basil, chives, oregano. we discovered that a while back and no longer dry them.

[Shewolf]

I'm definitely taking notes on these threads. I can't wait for my little herb seeds to sprout. When you freeze the herbs, do you freeze whole leaves or do you chop them up first?

[LuvsToPlant]

I freeze mine whole...
and ground my dried leaves
with mortor and pestle.

[Blanesgarden]

As for Basil, you change the color of the leave by which way you dry it.
Hang it outside, and the leaves will darken.
I dry mine inside, in a Bowl, put up in sunny window, and they dry green.
Thanks for the freezing tip, Im gona try that this year too;)

[Shewolf]

Of course some of those little herbs will make it into canned salsa and sauces while fresh! Yummy way to save them! Will the leaves still darken if using the paper bag method? Does darkening effect the flavor? I need more pots...

[lorna-organic]

I leave my dried herbs on the stem. That prevents loss of volatile oils. I store them in various containers or zip lock bags. I run two fingers along the dried stems, when I want to use them, to remove and break up the leaves. Dried herbs are generally more potent than fresh herbs, meaning one uses less dry herbs in cooking than fresh herbs. Freezing herbs would fall under the fresh category. The only herb I freeze is basil, which I first turn into pesto, then I freeze it.

[HerbalBetty]

I'll also use screens to dry herbs. Often, I'll put the screens in the back of my Jeep (it has tinted windows) and let the warmth of the closed vehicle dry my herbs in no time. You do have to be careful though. I had several screens of mugwort drying one time and I wanted to run down to the store. I opened the door, hopped in, started driving and started feeling a little woozy! "Honest officer, it's mugwort, a completely legal herb!"

[lorna-organic]

Betty's post reminded me that drying herbs in the shade is preferable to drying herbs in sunlight. The sun evaporates volatile oils (flavor and essence).

[pepperhead212]

IMO there are few herbs that can be dried and still taste as good; that said, thyme, bay, sage, rosemary, and oregano taste good dried, but not the same - I think different essential oils are lost at different rates, esp. with sage, rosemary, and oregano. Basils, cilantro, parsley, chives, tarragon, lime leaves, mint, and marjoram are all herbs I use fresh, or freeze them for when I am not growing them. I used to grind basil up with a little oil, then freeze it in popsicle containers (http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c18/pepperhead212/?action=view&current=DSCF0162.jpg), which made it easy to use in smaller amounts.

When I freeze tarragon and mint I clean it and measure it out into portions the recipes usually call for, then I put it in some small foodsaver packets I make up. Keeps forever this way. I also do this with lemongrass at the end of the season, plus things like galangal, so I don't have to clean it and measure it out for a recipe.

[hookangel]

:D:rolleyes::D:eek: LOL Betty!!

[LuvsToPlant]

Anything dried should ....be in a dark airy place...
One thing I freeze is whole basil leaves. Great for fresh Pesto!

[Ohiorganic]

Dried basil is essential if you are doing long cooking-fresh or frozen will lose all flavor after 1/2 hour in the pot or roaster but dried will keep on imparting flavor. So there is a definite place for dried basil in culinary uses. It cannot be used for pesto or a great herb butter (you do need fresh or frozen for that) but it most certainly has use.

[love2playinthedirt]

I have only tried drying rosemary & thyme, so far. I have one of those 3 wire basket things that are connected by chains hanging in my kitchen window(note-the window is in a pretty shady spot). I left the rosemary & thyme on the stem. Put a paper towel down then a layer of rosemary, then another paper towel and another layer, I did this for about 8 layers. Then did the same in the next basket with the thyme. The wire baskets are cheap (I think I got mine for $1), get good air circulation, and worked perfect. I ended up with a mason jar each of rosemary & thyme-and my kitchen smelled great for the 1st few days of the process. Think that I am going to grow some lavender & chamomile this year and try drying them the same way.

[lorna-organic]

The recommendation for adding dried herbs to cooking is that the herbs be added five minutes before the cooking process is completed. That helps the herbs to retain their medicinal properties, and add, flavor. To get the most flavor from spices heat them in a hot skillet for a minute before using them. The direct heat releases volatile oils. Layering can also be done. The desired amount of herbs or spices can be added a little bit at a time throughout the cooking process. This creates a depth of flavor, although the longer an herb has been cooked the less medicinal properties it has.

Try using lavender when cooking meat. You might be pleasantly surprised. I made a vegetable, noodle, beef soup yesterday to which I added lavender, thyme, tarragon, parsley, tumeric and a tiny bit of sage. I used salt sparingly and added quite a bit of finely ground black pepper. The vegetables were turnip, carrot, onion, celery and rutabaga. The soup is terrific.

[Shewolf]

Great info! None of my herbs have sprouted yet, but my tomatoes and beets have.

[LuvsToPlant]

Yes I agree Lorna...
Herbs should be added the last 5 - 10 min. of cooking

[Shewolf]

How does one extract the oil from an herb?

[LuvsToPlant]

Two main ways...gently heating in an oil base
Or in the sun in an oil base.
On what lines are you thinking?
I have done for cooking oils, herbal baths....

[TastyofHasty]

From Jerry Baker's Great Green Book of Garden Secrets (from library):


Here's an old-fashioned secret -- mints and parsley lose their flavor in drying, unless you use a salt solution as a fixative. Here's how to do it:

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to each quart of water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Wash the herb leaves, place them in a strainer, and immerse them for 2 or 3 seconds in the boiling salted water. Then shake off the leaves, and place them on a screen to dry.

I tried this with drying mint last year; after being dunked in the salt water, the mint dries VERY FAST just hung up in bunches clothes-pinned to a hanger, puts out a LOT of mint scent as it's drying, too. It's pretty good, dried, as I recall. I have one bunch left in a ziplock.

[Shewolf]

Two main ways...gently heating in an oil base
Or in the sun in an oil base.
On what lines are you thinking?
I have done for cooking oils, herbal baths....
I'm not sure really. I've never done it. What do you recommend.

[Dramaqueen]

I will never dry herbs. Why grow lovely fresh herbs only to dry them and used them with less the flavor of fresh herbs?

I make lovely herb mixes with ms fresh herbs and only OLIVE oil blended and they store well with intense color and flavor for as long as I need them both in the fridge or in the cupboards but I put them in the fridge. You have all the fresh taste of garden herbs all year round, just my two cents;)

I have also frozen some but still prefer the fresh flavors by grinding them in olive oil and storing in glass jars. I dont put much salt as that discolors it. Some herbs I dont put salt at all. And when you add vinegar that also will discolor it.

[Shewolf]

I will never dry herbs. Why grow lovely fresh herbs only to dry them and used them with less the flavor of fresh herbs?

I make lovely herb mixes with ms fresh herbs and only OLIVE oil blended and they store well with intense color and flavor for as long as I need them both in the fridge or in the cupboards but I put them in the fridge. You have all the fresh taste of garden herbs all year round, just my two cents;)

I have also frozen some but still prefer the fresh flavors by grinding them in olive oil and storing in glass jars. I dont put much salt as that discolors it. Some herbs I dont put salt at all. And when you add vinegar that also will discolor it.
Thanks! I'll have to remember that!

[blackberrygrl]

Try using lavender when cooking meat. You might be pleasantly surprised. I made a vegetable, noodle, beef soup yesterday to which I added lavender, thyme, tarragon, parsley, tumeric and a tiny bit of sage. I used salt sparingly and added quite a bit of finely ground black pepper. The vegetables were turnip, carrot, onion, celery and rutabaga. The soup is terrific.

That sounds a lot like Herbs de Provence. I use it on chicken all the time. Never thought to use it on red meat.

[Orgarden]

I learned to dry herbs between two furnace filters bungeed to a box fan from the show Good Eats (at least I think that was the show). They dry quickly and moisture in the air is no longer a problem (some herbs would take so long drying they would mold before fully drying). The only drawback is that the herbs tend to dry flat which is perfect for decoration but not for crumbling.

[Robby]

Hi. I just tie mine with a little garden twine and hang them in the shed during the fall. Sometime after the New Year I put them in any container that I have emptied. We try to reuse just about everything that we bring home from the market. I made some chicken and rice soup last night and put a pinch of thyme and a bigger pinch of basil in it. You will love having herbs available anytime you want them. Enjoy.:)