Growing your own garden and then storing the aromatic herbs is a great way to enjoy its scents even during the winter. By doing this you will know the origin of your ingredients and you will never be without them. There are three main ways to preserve aromatic herbs: dried, frozen or in oil. Each method has its strengths, let's see them all to decide which one is yours.
Steps
Step 1. Collect the herbs
Use sturdy shears or scissors. In the case of perennial aromatic plants, prune them and keep the pruning, in the case of seasonal plants collect them starting from the roots. The extracted roots, together with the woody parts and any waste, if transformed into compost, will be an excellent fertilizer. When cutting, remember that you will need a rather long stem to hang your herbs. Read our tips to find out what is the best time for harvesting.
Step 2. Wash the herbs carefully
Using a spray dispenser is a perfect solution. After spraying them, to remove any earthy residues, rub them lightly with a clean cloth and remove the excess liquid.
Step 3. Drying
- Remove the leaves in the lower part of the stems and tie them together with kitchen twine, do not create too thick bunches to avoid the formation of humidity and to allow greater ventilation.
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A quiet, dry, temperate, well-ventilated and dark place will be ideal for storing your herbs. The ideal temperature is about 20 °, in the absence of a dark place to store your herbs, cover them with clean paper and make holes to allow air to circulate, this will also prevent dust from settling.
Drying lavender - The drying process will last from one to three weeks. Check frequently, remembering that every aromatic herb has its own times. With the help of your fingers check the dryness of the herbs, once ready the leaves must be crumbly and easily crumbled.
- Remove the leaves from the stems and carefully place them in an airtight container. Eliminate any foreign parts and choose whether to leave the leaves whole or immediately create an interesting mix of crumbled herbs. Don't wait too long to consume them, your herbal teas, soups, stews and any other preparation can't wait to be enriched with flavor. If you have also kept whole seeds, do not break them until ready to use.
- Label and date your herb jars. They can last over a year.
Step 4. Freezing
- Select suitable herbs. In fact, not all aromatic herbs can be frozen, those with soft leaves and stems are the most suitable (eg basil, tarragon, parsley, lovage). Some herbs, such as chives, can only be frozen because they cannot be dried.
- Wash and dry the herbs (following the advice in the previous step). Gently remove the leaves from the stem and place them in a container or bag suitable for freezing. Label and date, set a deadline not exceeding three months. To prolong their storage (up to six months) you can choose to blanch your herbs for a few seconds, quickly throw them in water and ice and then freeze them immediately.
- Many chefs choose to use ice cube containers to freeze herbs, which will make portioning much easier. One third of herbs for every two thirds of water is the ideal proportion for each cube. Blending fresh basil with good oil and transforming this delicious emulsion into ice cubes can be an interesting alternative.
Step 5. Preservation in oil:
(read the warnings section carefully)
- Collect and clean the herbs as per the previous steps.
- Choose a quality oil.
- You can decide to use the whole twigs or to separate the leaves from the stems, in any case use the latter too, they will give a great taste to your oil. Use a bottle or glass jar for storage, as well as having excellent contents to savor, they will also be very beautiful to look at.
- Store in a quiet, cool and dark place, especially in the warmer months. You will enjoy the herbs and the excellent aromatic oil for a long time (up to six months).
Step 6. Another drying method
Create layers by alternating the leaves of aromatic herbs with clean paper napkins or home paper. In two or three days the leaves will be ready, check it with the help of your fingers, and can be easily stored in airtight plastic bags or containers.
Advice
- Using an air conditioner or fan speeds up the drying process.
- The best time to harvest herbs is at the end of the rain when the essential oils are all inside the leaves and are not in danger of being dried by the sun. The flavor will be more intense and longer lasting and the risk of mold will also decrease.
- If picked before flowering, aromatic herbs contain the maximum amount of essential oils.
- You can choose to harvest the aromatic herbs at two different times of the season, in this case, do not overdo it during the first harvest, the plants thus pricked will find new energy and will guarantee you a second, more abundant harvest.
- If you want to collect the seeds for the next sowing, or to use them in the kitchen, do it when the flower has dried and before the wind does it for you.
- Attics, pantries and taverns, as well as little used cupboards and cupboards, are ideal places for drying herbs.
- Be careful in following the recipes, the same amount of fresh or dried herbs does not guarantee the same result.
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The use of a traditional oven or a dryer can replace other drying methods, but the final product will be of lower quality, the essential oils, in fact, will be partially dispersed during the 'cooking'. The choice is recommended only if you live in very humid areas.
The oven temperature, during the drying process, must be around 100 °. Arrange the herbs on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper, turn the herbs occasionally if necessary. Leave the oven door slightly open to facilitate the escape of moisture and check the consistency of the leaves often, they will be ready when they are crispy
- Remember that frozen herbs are a great ingredient, but a bad decoration for your dishes.
Warnings
- In case you have used chemicals in your garden, wash the collected herbs very carefully before starting the conservation process. Your health is more important than having perfectly whole leaves.
- Although this article deals only with the preservation of aromatic herbs, it is important to remember that the extraction of their essential oils is a long and precise process, never reproducible with a do-it-yourself method. Essential oils that are not properly extracted, processed and stored can be very dangerous and even deadly.
