There’s nothing better than fresh out of your garden herbs but in the off season, having your own homegrown herbs preserved is the next best thing. Don’t get me wrong, I do adore my dehydrator; however, the one I currently have is a single setting, on and off switch only kind of dehydrator. Is there a better way? A more cost effective way for preserving herbs? Yes there is.
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Can I dehydrate my herbs?
UPDATE:
Since the original publication of this blog post in 2023, I was gifted a new, better dehydrator. I can set a timer, set the temperature, and it is so much quieter than the one I owned before. I still personally prefer the non-electricity bill method of air drying as proposed below.
While yes you can dehydrate your herbs, it’s not the best way.
Two reasons for this:
- increased power bill for electricity usage
- can dehydrate out the essential oils in your herbs
The higher heats can evaporate out the essential oils that give your herbs the flavor you love to add to your cooking!
I’ve done this and trust me, it was like eating paper. Very little flavor was added to my spaghetti sauce from my homegrown basil and oregano.
I know it tasted similar to paper because I nibbled on my dried herbs before adding to my sauce pot. Then I didn’t understand why that was but I do now.
What’s the best way to preserve herbs from my garden?
Glad you asked! The answer is simple too.
Here’s how you air dry your garden herbs:
- Use clean clippers to snip off the herbs you want to preserve.
- Rinse herbs under cool water and put somewhere to drip dry for a spell (I like my dishes drying rack).
- Then place herbs on a clean towel somewhere out of the way for 1 week.
- On day 3, flip the herbs over so they can dry evenly throughout.
- After 1 week, get air tight containers (I prefer reusing glass jars or food saver bags like this).
- Finally, take the leaves off the stem as best you can and place leaves in the jar, compost the stems.
- Herbs best if used within 1 year.
Note about air drying herbs:
This method works for me as I live in USDA growing zone 7B. Our humidity is generally high but I am air drying inside my home which is, blessedly, climate controlled.
You may use a stand-alone fan on a low setting to help speed up the air drying process and circulate air in the event your humidity levels are very high.
Of course, make sure your fan is set far enough away that it will not blow your herbs on the ground.
Rotating, or flipping, your herbs is very important to ensure they dry all the way through.
Additionally, you may use a drying rack or a window screen to allow more air flow.
Should I crush up my dried herbs before storing?
I highly recommend no.
This is because the dried herbs will hold their flavor inside their whole leaves longer if you wait until ready to use the herbs to crush the leaves.
How can I crush whole leaf herbs?
You can crush them in a variety of ways:
- between your hands, rubbing back and forth quickly over top of your pot or dish
- blend using your blender
- mortar and pestle
Which herbs are best to air dry?
While this list is not comprehensive, it does contain the herbs I have air dried with success from my own garden so far:
- basil
- lemon balm
- rosemary
- cilantro
- mint (any variety)
- thyme
- sage
- oregano
- lavender
- dandelion (for jelly?)
- dill
- chives
- parsley
- many flowers like those from sage, calendula, purple tops from chives
Another method for preserving herbs
Some herbs do better being tied up and hung to dry after rinsing and drip drying.
Particularly rosemary and thyme in my experience but you could surely do this for many other herbs.
Use twine or jute cord to tie together your herbs in bundles and hang them to dry.
Here is a really good demonstration and, in fact, the reason I stopped using my dehydrator for preserving herbs. (VIDEO)
You learn something new every day. And if you try hard enough, every day can be a school day.
Don’t be afraid to try something because there’s a high chance you may fail. That’s where the lessons are learned. You gain experience and knowledge and with the right mindset, the will to try again.
How long can air-dried herbs last?
It is recommended to use up your properly stored in an air-tight container herbs that have been air-dried within one year for the very best flavor results.
These herbs can last longer than 1 year but if you grow them yearly in your garden, you should have plenty to restock yearly by using this air drying method.
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Food storage bags perfect for small amounts like herbs
Dehydrator with temperature control
Small stand-alone fan (or can be clipped!)
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