How to Dry Herbs?
Without a doubt, urban gardens at home are wonderful. Among the advantages they offer, we can highlight three: they bring a special aroma to our home, they enhance the taste of the food we prepare, and many of them have therapeutic benefits, such as chives or mint.
If you have a garden at home, you probably don’t use all the leaves of the plants when they are fresh, so it is very useful to learn how to preserve them properly and store them in such a way that they retain all their properties and flavor.
The ideal time to dry aromatic herbs
The perfect time to harvest herbs is just before they flower, as this is when they have the highest concentration of essential oils and will therefore best season dishes.
It’s important to know that you should only cut healthy branches with sharp scissors, and if it’s a perennial plant, leave enough shoots so it can continue to grow.
Also, keep in mind that some plants, like parsley, take a long time to germinate, so it’s a good idea to keep some as a supply rather than cutting the entire plant.
Step by step, how to dry aromatic herbs at home
Option 1
1.- Cut off the branches with the most leaves from the plant using sharp scissors.
2. Gently shake the bouquets and wash them with a little water to remove dust and small insects. Tie them with string and hang them upside down in a dry, well-ventilated place for 7 to 20 days.
3.- After this time, place the bouquets in airtight jars, making sure they are not exposed to direct sunlight, as this alters the quality and durability of the aromatic herbs .
Option 2
Once you have trimmed and washed the twigs, wrap them separately in baking paper, place them in the oven at 40-45º C with the oven door slightly ajar, turn them sideways every five minutes and when you see that they are slightly dry remove them from the oven.
Option 3
In addition to these two options, we can use the traditional drying method: placing the leaves in a paper bag and leaving them to dry in the shade. In either case, it’s important that the leaves are not wet and that, once the process is complete, you store them in airtight jars in a place away from direct sunlight.
What aromatic herbs can I dry at home?
All aromatic herbs for cooking are suitable for drying; we suggest drying those you use most in your recipes, such as oregano, basil, and parsley, which you can grow.
