How To Dry Herbs

While fresh herbs are generally best for cooking, dry herbs are usually the only option during the cold winter months. Drying herbs is also a way to preserve the flavors and scents of the summer.

Once you become familiar with the process of drying herbs, you may never have to buy herbs from a grocery store again.

Steps

1. Harvest your herbs in the early morning, just after the dew has dried off the leaves.

2. Rinse the herbs gently in cool water to remove any dirt. Shake off excess water gently.

3. Remove dead or damaged leaves.

4. Gather the herbs into small bundles and tie the ends together with string or a rubber band.

5. Hang the bundles upside-down in a warm, dark, dust-free, well-ventilated area, like an attic.

6. Take the bundles down after 2-3 weeks, when the herbs are dry and brittle.

7. Strip the leaves from the stems. You can crush them if you like, but whole leaves keep their flavor longer than crushed. Store the herbs in small jars or containers.

As always, there are a few tips to consider when you dry your herbs for the first time:

Tips

1. Drying herbs in the sun, oven, or dehydrator is not recommended; the herbs can lose flavor and color because they actually get cooked from the heat involved in these processes.

2. To alleviate any problems with dust, poke a few holes in a brown paper bag and place it over the herbs. Tie the opening of the bag over the stems and hang the herbs by their stems.

3. If you buy some fresh herbs from the store and can't use them all, take half or so and dry them for later use.

4. Harvesting in late summer is best, because the herbs will start to decline as the weather cools.

5. When used in cooking, the ratio of dry to fresh herbs is about ¼ teaspoon of dry herbs equal to 1 teaspoon fresh. Drying herbs can bring out some of their intense flavors, so less should be used.

6. Drying herbs works best with herbs that don't have a high moisture content, such as bay, dill, marjoram, summer savory and thyme.

Once you begin drying herbs regularly, you can use them for other purposes than just in your cooking. You can make homemade potpourri, or even try your hand at making an herb wreath. You can also make an herb pillow that you can use for naps or long trips in the car. All you have to do is fill a pillowcase with you favorite herb mixture and sew it shut. If your pets have fleas, you can make a small pillow for them that contains the herb pennyroyal, and this will help as a flea repellent.