Preserving Herbs

[andi.devine]

This summer for the first time ever I grew some herbs and plants. I should say, rather, that this is the first time such items have actually grown, nay flourished! on my porch. So now as the summer draws to an end, I think I have way more, say, basil, than I can use before the plant will die. So I'd like to dry or freeze some for use over the winter. Can anyone give me some tips? Like, if I freeze, do I need to wrap it in anything? Has anyone had success with a particular container? And for drying... how? And where? I cant set them to dry in the sun in my pasture, as I live in a tiny apartment in the city. Help!

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[stella]

if you freeze them, definitely wrap them in plastic or chop them and freeze them in containers. for basil, making pesto is the most effective (and classic) way of preserving your bounty.

herbs aren't dried in the sun anyways, since that bleaches the color and weakens the flavor. try hanging the herbs in bunches in a dry, dark place like a closet. put them in a paper bag and tie it around the stems to keep them from getting dusty.

[sarabell]

moving this to 'consuming pleasures.'

[andi.devine]

i've got just the dry,dark place. and thanks for the dust-prevention tip!

[anjalouise]

I accidentally let a lot of my herbs go to seed, and I quickly harvested a bunch before they started dying. I am making pesto to freeze, and I am just going to make little pesto ice cubes so that I can use really specific amounts when I am thawing them out! I also make dill cubes, by packing some dill into the ice cube tray and then covering with water. It works really well!

[stella]

i'd like to try the dill cubes! i love fresh dill, but it's expensive and doesn't last very long. next time i get some, i will totally do that.

i tried making pesto ice cubes once, but the oil kept them from freezing solid, so they were just gooey wads stuck in the tray. do you do something different?

[athena]

i tried making pesto ice cubes once, but the oil kept them from freezing solid, so they were just gooey wads stuck in the tray. do you do something different?

this happened to me, too.

[elixirbeth]

i tried making pesto ice cubes once, but the oil kept them from freezing solid, so they were just gooey wads stuck in the tray. do you do something different?

this happened to me, too.

ditto. however the dill cubes sound brilliant! do you think it would work with other herbs?

[ravioli]

any advice on preserving lavandar to use in baths?

i always wondered how to harvest it and use it later.

[stella]

just dry it. you can cut the stems off the plant in big bunches, and hang them in a dark place, then use your hands to strip the flowers off of the stems. keep the flowers in an airtight tin so they don't lose the fragrance.