At the momment i have lots of basil. It is flowering so i figure it's coming to the end of its life.How can i dry it and store it? Should i wash it first? Do i use the same method for say thyme or sage?
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We've had lots of very prolific herbs and have been drying them in the airing cupboard which seems to be working out okay. Give the herbs a wash and dry, then lay the leaves in thin layers between some paper towels and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks. You can just stack the layers up on top of each other. We've done it with everything - parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary... You can leave things like thyme and rosemary on the twig then just strip them when dry and much easier to get the leaves off.
Karen said: Thanks Sonya. I will give this a go.Karen
Karen said:
Sonya said:
We've had lots of very prolific herbs and have been drying them in the airing cupboard which seems to be working out okay. Give the herbs a wash and dry, then lay the leaves in thin layers between some paper towels and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks. You can just stack the layers up on top of each other. We've done it with everything - parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary... You can leave things like thyme and rosemary on the twig then just strip them when dry and much easier to get the leaves off.
I agree that making pesto or puree then freezing is a great way to preserve basil. My aunt freezes it into icecube trays then puts the frozen cubes into bags. Just another note though....when the basil plant starts to flower you can cut off the flowers and the plants will keep producing.
Thanks Brooke. I am definately on my way to drying and storing my herbs. Now i've just got to get out there and do it! Karen.
We've had lots of very prolific herbs and have been drying them in the airing cupboard which seems to be working out okay. Give the herbs a wash and dry, then lay the leaves in thin layers between some paper towels and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks. You can just stack the layers up on top of each other. We've done it with everything - parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary... You can leave things like thyme and rosemary on the twig then just strip them when dry and much easier to get the leaves off.
basil loses most of it's flavour very quickly when dried, so other methods best suit it. storing in oil or vinegar are favourites, resulting in a flavoured liquid and for a couple of months a usable herb. the herb begins to break down after a while and is best if you decant the oil or vinegar into a new jar after a month or two. my fav way of preserving basil is to blitz it in the food processor with oil, salt and a little vinegar or lemon juice, like you would for pesto but minus the cheese, nuts and garlic. i freeze this in small containers and use it straight out of the freezer into pasta, tomato soup, marinades etc. i don't defrost it generally. i don't wash my basil as water damages the leaves once picked, what i do is put the sprinkler over the plants the night before i am picking it so it is dry and clean when i pick it! (if it is low growing protect the plants from the soil splashing up by covering it with a couple of layers of newspapers.)
pesto also freezes well. if your plants are beginning to flower pick out the flowerheads, and give it some nutrients, it should continue to grow until the days get colder. basil flowers profusely when the plants become stressed, usually too hot, to dry or not enough nutrients or it has lots and lots of leaf so therefore can support seed.
Thanks Minx. The freezing idea sounds great and thanks for the hints about growing basil. Karen.
We've had lots of very prolific herbs and have been drying them in the airing cupboard which seems to be working out okay. Give the herbs a wash and dry, then lay the leaves in thin layers between some paper towels and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks. You can just stack the layers up on top of each other. We've done it with everything - parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary... You can leave things like thyme and rosemary on the twig then just strip them when dry and much easier to get the leaves off.
I agree that making pesto or puree then freezing is a great way to preserve basil. My aunt freezes it into icecube trays then puts the frozen cubes into bags. Just another note though....when the basil plant starts to flower you can cut off the flowers and the plants will keep producing.
Wow, Minx, if the basil we've been drying has lost most of its flavour, the fresh must be really powerful! I'll have to try freezing it from now on. :)
basil loses most of it's flavour very quickly when dried, so other methods best suit it. storing in oil or vinegar are favourites, resulting in a flavoured liquid and for a couple of months a usable herb. the herb begins to break down after a while and is best if you decant the oil or vinegar into a new jar after a month or two.
my fav way of preserving basil is to blitz it in the food processor with oil, salt and a little vinegar or lemon juice, like you would for pesto but minus the cheese, nuts and garlic. i freeze this in small containers and use it straight out of the freezer into pasta, tomato soup, marinades etc. i don't defrost it generally.
i don't wash my basil as water damages the leaves once picked, what i do is put the sprinkler over the plants the night before i am picking it so it is dry and clean when i pick it! (if it is low growing protect the plants from the soil splashing up by covering it with a couple of layers of newspapers.)
pesto also freezes well.
if your plants are beginning to flower pick out the flowerheads, and give it some nutrients, it should continue to grow until the days get colder. basil flowers profusely when the plants become stressed, usually too hot, to dry or not enough nutrients or it has lots and lots of leaf so therefore can support seed.
We've had lots of very prolific herbs and have been drying them in the airing cupboard which seems to be working out okay. Give the herbs a wash and dry, then lay the leaves in thin layers between some paper towels and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks. You can just stack the layers up on top of each other. We've done it with everything - parsley, thyme, basil, rosemary... You can leave things like thyme and rosemary on the twig then just strip them when dry and much easier to get the leaves off.
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my fav way of preserving basil is to blitz it in the food processor with oil, salt and a little vinegar or lemon juice, like you would for pesto but minus the cheese, nuts and garlic. i freeze this in small containers and use it straight out of the freezer into pasta, tomato soup, marinades etc. i don't defrost it generally.
i don't wash my basil as water damages the leaves once picked, what i do is put the sprinkler over the plants the night before i am picking it so it is dry and clean when i pick it! (if it is low growing protect the plants from the soil splashing up by covering it with a couple of layers of newspapers.)
pesto also freezes well.
if your plants are beginning to flower pick out the flowerheads, and give it some nutrients, it should continue to grow until the days get colder. basil flowers profusely when the plants become stressed, usually too hot, to dry or not enough nutrients or it has lots and lots of leaf so therefore can support seed.