How to Preserve Herbs | 2 Easy Ways
Simple techniques for preserving the flavors of the herb garden!
There’s something incredibly satisfying about plucking fresh herbs from your indoor herb garden or the market, their vibrant colors and aromatic scents promising to elevate any dish they touch. However, the fleeting nature of fresh herbs often leaves us scrambling to use them before they wilt and lose their potency. But fear not! With a few easy preservation techniques, you can capture that freshness and enjoy the flavors of summer all year round.
In this guide, we’ll explore two straightforward methods to preserve your fresh herbs: drying and freezing. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener with an abundance of basil or a culinary enthusiast looking to make the most of your grocery store haul, these techniques will help you extend the life of your herbs without compromising on flavor or aroma.
Whatever method you choose, be sure to harvest herbs after the flower buds appear but before they open. That way, you’ll be sure to get the highest concentration of essential oils. Early morning is the best time to pick your herbs, after the morning dew has evaporated but before the sun gets too hot. You can also freeze or dry herbs from your kitchen windowsill where your indoor herbs grow like Basil, Parsley, and Chives!
1. Freezing
Freezing preserves the natural essential oils, and it’s the oils that give herbs their flavor.
Just rinse and remove the leaves from the stems and let them completely dry on a flat tray.
You can then put a bunch of leaves together in a bag and freeze them. You’ll end up with a clump of herbs that you can cut up and add to sauces, soups, etc.
Or you can freeze the leaves individually first on a flat tray and then place them in a plastic bag; when you open the bag later, you can pick out as many individual leaves as you like.
Another great method to preserve your herbs is to blend the herbs with oil (such as olive oil) to make a paste, which you can then freeze in ice cube trays. Down below is a list of a few herbs that are best to freeze!
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Chives
- Dill
- Lemon balm
- Lemon verbena
- Mint
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Thyme
2. Drying
Some herbs, such as sage, thyme and oregano, can be air-dried. Just hang small bunches in a well-ventilated room, away from light. When leaves are dry, remove them from their stems and store in an airtight jar.
Unless you live in a very arid climate, herbs such as basil and parsley, which have thick, succulent leaves, are better dried in a dehydrator. Once dry, store them in an airtight container. There are many herbs that you might want to try drying at home but, among all of them there are certainly a few that are the best. Сheck out the list below!
- Dill
- Fennel
- Lovage
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Sage
- Scented geraniums
- Tarragon
- Thyme