Your rosemary plant is suddenly in full bloom, or maybe you've found an unmissable offer at the supermarket; the fact is that now you have a lot of rosemary and not enough time to use it all. Thankfully, there are a few simple tricks to prevent rosemary from spoiling before you have a chance to use it in the kitchen. You can store it in the refrigerator, freeze it, or dry the twigs to maximize shelf life. You will be able to enjoy your rosemary for weeks or even months!
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Store it in the refrigerator
Step 1. Wash the rosemary
Rinse the twigs with cold water and put them to dry on kitchen paper. Use a salad spinner if you have one; otherwise, dab them gently with absorbent paper.
Make sure the twigs are dry before putting them in the fridge, as excess water will make them slimy
Step 2. Wrap the twigs with moistened kitchen paper
Leave them whole. Moist paper towels will keep them from drying out in the refrigerator.
Step 3. Put the rosemary in a resealable bag
It will protect them from oxygen, which could otherwise cause them to turn brown and ruin them. You can use an airtight bag or a Tupperware container.
Write the date on the bag or container so you don't forget how long the rosemary has been in the refrigerator
Step 4. Put the bag in the fruit and vegetable drawer
Set a high humidity rate. If the bag or container is tightly sealed, the rosemary should stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Rosemary is good as long as it is green and fresh looking. When it becomes slimy and black or brown in color, it has gone bad
Method 2 of 4: Freeze it
Step 1. Wash and dry the rosemary
Rinse it with cold water and pat it dry, dabbing it with kitchen paper to speed up the process. You can also use a salad spinner if you have one.
Step 2. Place the twigs on a baking sheet
Keep the leaves attached to the stem and arrange the twigs on the baking sheet in a neat row. They must not touch each other, or they could freeze together, sticking together. You can place them directly on the baking sheet or on a sheet of parchment paper.
Step 3. Leave the rosemary in the freezer for a few hours
Check it every half hour or so and wait for it to freeze completely. You will know it is ready when you can no longer fold it easily and the leaves will remain motionless when you pick up a sprig.
By first freezing them on the baking sheet, you will prevent the twigs from sticking to each other; also, this way they will freeze faster and more evenly than putting them directly into a frost bag
Step 4. Place the frozen rosemary in a frost bag
Seal the bag tightly, pressing to let all the air out to save space. Write the date on it so you know how long the rosemary has been in the freezer. Finally, put it back in the freezer.
Step 5. Store it in the freezer
Depending on the quality of your freezer, rosemary should keep for about a year, if not longer. Check it every month to make sure it's still good and isn't turning moldy or brown. When you want to use it for cooking, you can simply take it out of the bag - no need to defrost.
Method 3 of 4: Air dry it
Step 1. Wash and dry the rosemary
Rinse the twigs with cold water and leave them lying flat to dry. To make them dry faster, you can pat them dry with kitchen paper or use a salad spinner.
Step 2. Remove the lower leaves
Tear off the leaves from the underside of each sprig, freeing up a section of about 3 to 5 cm - this is where you will tie the twigs to hang them.
Step 3. Deck form and legal
Turn the twigs so they are all facing the same direction. Take a handful, forming a bunch that you can easily hold in the palm of your hand. The exact number of twigs is not important, but the bunches should all be roughly the same size. Tie each bunch at the bottom with string, a rubber band, or a string with a metal core.
Tie them tight, but make sure the buds are spaced far enough apart for air to pass through
Step 4. Hang the rosemary bunches in a dark, clean area
You can use a cellar, a free room in the house or a closet. Hang them on a clothesline or hanger, securing them with clothespins or threads a few centimeters long.
Wherever you hang the twigs, make sure they are out of direct sunlight and away from cooking vapors, smoke and dust. They must remain as dry and clean as possible to preserve their quality and flavor
Step 5. Check them every few days
Rub them lightly between your fingers - if they crumble, they're ready! You can also put a few leaves in a glass jar or plastic bag, sealing them tightly; if you see condensation forming inside, the rosemary has not yet dried completely. The process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months, so be patient!
If the twigs completely disintegrate between your fingers, they have dried out too much. This is why it is important to check them every few days or even more frequently if they are almost ready; once they become too dry, you will never be able to recover them
Step 6. Store dried rosemary in airtight containers
Cut the leaves off and place them in an airtight container or resealable bag. You can crumble them before putting them away or leave them whole and break them up on the spot when you use them for cooking. Keeping them in the pantry or closet, they should keep for about a year.
Method 4 of 4: Dry it in the oven
Step 1. Wash and dry the rosemary
Rinse it with cold water and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Leave it in the air for 10-15 minutes to let it dry completely; putting it in the oven while still wet would greatly lengthen the time.
Step 2. Arrange the twigs on a baking sheet
First spread the parchment paper on the pan, then arrange the twigs spacing them evenly. If you need more space, you can always use another pan.
Step 3. Turn on the oven, setting it to the lowest possible temperature
In this way the rosemary will dry slowly, without burning. Place the pan in the oven, placing it in the center.
Step 4. Leave the rosemary in the oven for 30 minutes
After the first 15 minutes, open the oven and leave it open for about a minute to let the humidity out; in this way the rosemary will dry out faster. After 30 minutes, pinch the rosemary with oven gloves: if it crumbles, it's ready; otherwise, put it back in the oven and wait another 15 minutes. It shouldn't take more than an hour to dry.
Step 5. Let it cool down
Remove the twigs from the pan and place them on a flat, clean surface. Once they have cooled, you can remove the leaves and crumble them or keep them intact if you want to use a whole piece for cooking or garnishing a dish.
It is important that the rosemary has completely dried and cooled before putting it away. If it is still hot, condensation will form in the container and may become moldy
Step 6. Place the rosemary in an airtight container
You can use a jar, plastic container, or resealable bag. To get the best flavor, it should be used within a year; it will still be good even after a year, but the aroma may not be as intense anymore.
