Freezing Basil

[Joan]

I read that you can freeze basil leaves but run a risk of the leaves turning black. I am wondering if any of you have kept basil over winter, how you have done it and with what results? I love my basil and grew lots this year.
Thank you
joan

[Christine]

Hi! I'm new to the site. My Grandmother told me to place the basil in a blinder and grind it up, then place it in an ice cube tray and add water. Once they are frozen you can place then in a freezer bag. It's nice to just get a cube out and add it to my sauce when cooking.
Hope that helps.
Christine

[winter_unfazed]

Isn't drying the common method of preserving basil?

[Joan]

Thanks for the suggestion. We are trying some in ice cube trays tomorrow. Will let you know how it works out.

[poky garden gnome]

My wife's Grandmother used to keep basil in the freezer, by putting a layer of kosher salt in a canning jar, then one or two leaves, then layer of salt etc etc etc. When she needed fresh basil for on top of pizza etc, she would bring the leaves out and use them. Worked very nicely. Hope that helps.

[Joan]

That is a method I have never heard of but sounds worth a try. Will have to wait till next year, we have it all frozen now. Thanks

[organic4ever]

Joan: Everyone has given good advice regarding chopping up and freezing. My luck has waffled on doing that a few times. Personally, making pesto and freezing that seems to work the best. And, there is always the fact that growing basil on a sunny windowsill, even in the cold months, is cool too. It's one of the easiest!

[legend680]

Hi organic - I tried the potting basil and bringing it inside method, but after 3 weeks and that sunny window sill, it looks pretty sad. I did tie and dry lots of it, using the whole leaf method to keep the flavor in until used.

[Joan]

We sure have a range of methods here don't we! I really appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks so much!

[don_maples]

I still have Red Reuben from Summer of '04 that was just washed, packed and frozzen. It will freeze-dry inself if not well sealed and is still usable. The purples seem to keep their color well. I have Osmin Purple seedlings in a South window; will report its' outcome.

[Pharmerphil]

basil does well in a well lit window, I have done the ice cubes and it is fine, I usually just use my excalibar dehydrator, found it Unused, at a yard sale, with owners manual...20 bucks :eek: What a find :p

[organic4ever]

Hey Don! When you mentioned 'Osmin Purple' seedlings, were you referring to another variety of basil?? Do you have anymore information about it you could share? I'm always on the look out for other varieties. I'm guilty of finding something I like to grow and fog out about other things out there. Much appreciate anything else you can provide about it. Happy Holidays!

[mudmaestro]

It's now December 23 and most of my transplanted sweet basil are doing well in the big living room window--just not growing very fast. This is an experiment for me. The rest of the basil left outside passed away the first of november, so it's already a success to me!

[legend680]

Hi Joan - most frozen herbs whole will turn darker and turn soft. I think the best way is to dry them - they are wonderful and last forever. I just tied bunches of them and hung them in a place where they would receive air all around them - but no humidity, it slows the process. I hang them inside. I like the previous thought of grinding and freezing in ice cube trays too, good for cooking all kinds of things. Happy New Year!

[don_maples]

Sorry for my misunderstanding and the delay. Osmin Purple is a fairly new variety developed by Swiss breeders to improve purple basil. My window plants are pale and leggy indicating that the Winter Sun, at the low, 33.5 latitude is still too little. Sources for Osmin are Johnnys and Pinetree.

[Marty Maraschino]

I did as mentioned earlier and made several batches of pesto and froze it in little one cup containers. It is soooo great! YUM. I have tried to conserve it but am down to one container left. So I've decided I have to grow loads of basil this year to last me until the next summer.

[don_maples]

The Osmin Purple in my window is still pale, but its' flavor is great - fruity!

[Bellepepper]

Every spring/summer/fall, I dry herbs. Including basil. I also make pesto with basil and parsley and do the ice cube tray thing. I have never had good luck growing basil in the "window sill". Always have a bug problem.

[SunflowerMeg]

Wow, what a "bunch" of great ideas! :p

I have previously been cautioned that freezing or drying basil was no good...that drying took away the flavor and freezing bruised it. But I used my dehydrator on basil and the flavor and smell seemed to stay intact. And as many have mentioned, the pesto/freeze method works great. My son grows basil with the grow lights and they have worked well. We generally keep fresh basil year-round. And such a treat!!! :)

[stonysoil]

mine turns black in the freezer but the quality still remains good for cooking i just dry the leaves slighlty bag them and freeze them... this year my basil crop was huge. i wish i liked pasta more i tend to favor rice dishes

[legend680]

I have frozen basil with good success. It has not turned black. It does get limp however. I hang it in bunches to dry and do not remove it from the stems, it seems to taste better.

Good luck,

Ros

[Gary]

I've been growing basil in my garden for quite a few years now. The secret to preserving basil is to chop the basil in the food processor with enough olive oil that all the basil gets coated with oil. This keeps it from turning dark in the freezer, and when you need basil to make something wonderful like basil vinaigrette, or Pesto with Whole Pine Nuts, you just let it thaw and proceed like it was fresh basil. I've used my frozen basil in things calling for fresh basil. Whenever I get that taste of basil in the cold of winter, it brings back the feeling of summer.

Here are Step-by-Step Instructions on how you can freeze your basil to use all through the winter. First, you've got to have some basil growing that needs to be harvested.
Basil will actually produce more if it's vigorously trimmed a few times each year. Just be sure to leave on a few leaves that's where the plant gets its food. I pinch off all the basil leaves, discard the stems, and wash the leaves very well in a salad spinner. Spin them as dry as you possibly can.
Put a couple of handfuls of the basil into the food processor at a time.
Drizzle about 3 T extra virgin olive oil over the basil and pulse about 15 times, until all the basil is coarsely chopped and coated with olive oil

I have two sizes of these little plastic containers with tight lids that I use to freeze the Herbs in. You can also use the cubed ice trays; freez the trays with the basil inside and then when frozen empty into a ziplock bag. Remove one or several cubes when needed.
You can use other herbs as well; our freezer has a lot of wonderful frozen things like basil, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves, lemon juice, lime juice, chipotle chiles, bay leaves, ginger root, and more!Have FUN experimenting with Herbs!
Gary/Louisville

[Gary]

I have had a question regarding Ginger.
There are several ways you can keep your ginger. Fresh ginger does not last very long. If you buy fresh ginger the ones with the pink nips or eyes, you can plant them in a container to grow. The roots grow close to the surface and you can dig out a piece/cut it and replant it, just make sure it has some eyes for re- sprouting. You will have to determine how often you do this.

Fresh, unpeeled root should be wrapped in paper towels, placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated up to three weeks. It can also be tightly wrapped and frozen up to two months in a heavy freezer ziplock bag. (To use frozen ginger, slice off a piece of unthawed root and peel and grate or slice while frozen. Re-wrap unused portion tightly and return to the freezer.) Some folks find it soggy once thawed completely.

Peeled gingerroot can also be stored in Madeira or Sherry wine in a glass container in the refrigerator up to three months. However, storing peeled ginger in wine will impart a wine flavor to whatever dish you make.
Gary/Louisville

[mrtomatoexpres]

my greatgrandma did the same as christine's grandma i do the same i put to cubes in a bag that is unuff for sauce i put it at the end of cooking so i do not lose the flavor same with every herb