4 Ways to Preserve Your Herbs
Did you grow too much mint? Planning to make basil pesto in a week or so? Preserving herbs allows you to keep herbs fresh and keep their aroma and flavour longer! Here are some methods to preserving herbs that you can try:
1. Hanging
Tie your herbs together at their stems, remembering to first remove the lower leaves. Hang them in an open, dry, and warm spot. Let them hang for 1-3 weeks. Once they start to become crumbly, take them down. You can either crush them or leave them whole, putting them in a jar or bottle with an airtight lid. Now they can last up to a year!
2. Freezing
Wash and dry your herbs first, strip off all the leaves from the stems, and then place them in a freezer bag or container. This can allow them to last up to 3 months! Another similar method is to use ice cube trays to freeze the herbs within ice cubes! This way, they can be stored for up to a year!
3. Steeping
First, clean your herbs! You can choose whether to leave the leaves on the stem or pick them off. Place the herbs in a jar or bottle with an airtight lid. Take some oil, olive oil is preferred, and pour a small amount over the herbs. Store in a cool spot or in the refrigerator until you wish to use it! They can last up to 6 months using this method!
4. Drying
Lay out some paper towels after washing the herbs. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them on one side of the paper towel. Cover the herbs with the other side of the paper towel and press lightly. You can add another layer of paper towel on top if you have more herbs and do the same. Leave the herbs under the paper towel for 2-3 days. Test if they are crumbly and then put them in a jar or bottle with an airtight lid. You can keep them fresh for up to a year, now!
Source:
Jaques, L. (2020, April 13). How to preserve your herbs. Retrieved from https://foodal.com/knowledge/things-that-preserve/preserve-herbs/