When you have your own garden, it may be that at a certain time of the year you harvest more than you are going to consume. In those cases, you can preserve food in different ways. For example, if they are fruits and vegetables, you can build a homemade solar food dehydrator.
When it comes to herbs, the most common is to dry them, but there are many ways to do it, and others to preserve them without drying. Learn below the best techniques, to have aromatic herbs all year round!
1. Air dry
If you have the space and live in a favorable climate, the best way to dry herbs is to assemble small bundles of clean branches (groups of 4-5 stems) and hang them upside down somewhere dark, dry, warm, and well-ventilated. Drying with this method takes two to four weeks, so you should do it when the herbs are still very fresh.
A closet can serve, as long as it does not have humidity. It is the most natural method and the one that best preserves them, but if you do not have the space to do it properly, it is a good idea to think about the others.
Then, you can use the dried herbs to season and flavor all kinds of preparations.
2. Dry them in the oven
If you need a practical and accelerated method, the oven can serve you.
Place the clean stems, in a single layer or in several alternating with kitchen paper, in the oven preheated to 180 degrees. They should remain there for 3 to 4 hours, but with the oven door constantly slightly open (so that moisture escapes). Do not use an electric oven, but if you have a clay oven, for example, you can try it.
3. Dry them in the fridge
Cold can also dry out herbs. Therefore, if you have space in the refrigerator, place the herbs, previously washed and dried with a soft cloth, in a roasting pan with paper, forming a single row. In a while, they will be dry, but the process may take time.
4. Dehydrate them salt
- Cover the herbs with salt in a roasting pan and leave them like that until they are dry. Then store them in an airtight container. Use this method for herbs that you will use in savory preparations, because some of the flavor will be transferred to the leaves.
5. Preserve them with sugar
- Sugar can have the same effect as salt, although not as intense. To do this, cover the herbs with sugar in a roasting pan and leave them like that until they are dry. Then store them in an airtight container. Use this method for herbs that you will use in sweet preparations, because some of the flavor will also be transmitted to the leaves.
6. Prepare herbal salt
- You can prepare your own special aromatic salt and have it ready to season your salads or any dish you like. You simply have to create a mixture of herbs, wash and chop them, and then mix them with salt. This will take care of drying them, and you will have a tasty condiment to use whenever you want.
7. Make Frozen Flavor Cubes
- An excellent way to preserve the herbs and leave them ready for cooking is to freeze them in an ice tray, already mixed and accompanied by water, broth or oil. You can learn how to preserve herbs in olive oil and then place the cubes directly into your preparations.
8. Prepare pesto
Another option to store frozen herbs is to prepare a pesto and store it in the ice tray. The traditional pesto is made from basil but it can be made with many other plants. Having a few cubes of pesto to put on top of a quick pasta is a great option for when you don’t have time to prepare dinner!
In addition, you can later prepare, for example, grilled zucchinis stuffed with tomato, pesto and olives.
9. Make Butter
This method is the same as using oil, but you must replace it with melted butter. First let it cool, and then put it in the freezer. Another ideal option to solve quick dinners with delicious pasta!
10. Freeze them
- Simply freezing them is an option, just like with other foods. You can save them whole or already chopped to save time later. The correct way for them to preserve their properties is to wash them, dry them, place them in hermetic freezer bags, removing all the air from them, and thus placing them in the freezer.
11. Prepare an infusion
For herbs with a strong flavor, such as mint, bay leaf or rosemary, you can make an infusion in warm olive oil or in boiling water. Then that infusion can be stored in the freezer, and used in sauces, stews or salads…