Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is grown for its narrow leaves with their delicate, peppery aniseed aroma. The aromatic herb is often used in delicious soups and sauces – such as Béarnaise. For a great aroma, you should pay attention to these points when harvesting.
How do you harvest tarragon correctly?
Tarragon can be harvested intwo different ways: For fresh use, just cut offsome stems with leaves. Shortly before flowering, the entire bushcut down and the branches including the leaves can be preserved.
How should you cut tarragon for harvest?
Basically, you can harvest tarragon all summer long. If necessary, cut off the required amount of fresh, green shoots. For fresh use, only removeindividual branchesso that the plant is not weakened and can continue to grow he althily. Shortly before flowering, aradical cutis also possible, in which the entire spice plant is cutdown to the lower third. Tarragon, also known as dragon's head, sprouts quickly and can be harvestedup to three times per season, provided the weather is right.
Can you still eat flowering tarragon?
Harvest tarragon if possiblebefore flowering, as the delicate leaves have the highest proportion of essential oils at this time and are thereforeparticularly aromaticare. But you can also use flowering tarragon: the delicate purpleflowers, which appear between May and June, are edible and are ideal for decorating soups, salads or in flower butter or on sandwiches. The flowers have a slightly sweet aroma reminiscent of licorice. However, the leaves of tarragon hardly have any taste during and after flowering.
What is the best way to preserve tarragon after harvest?
After harvesting, tarragon can be preservedin various ways. This makes it easy to freeze the fresh herb, for example chopped in a well-sealed container or with a little oil in an ice cube tray. The characteristic aroma is retained well even when dried. To do this, you can spread the herb on a baking tray and carefully dry it in the oven at around 75 degrees Celsius. Leave the oven door ajar so that the moisture can escape.
Can tarragon also be pickled?
In fact, you can also preserve freshly harvested tarragon by pickling it. For example, the herb can be soaked inVinegar, a mild white wine vinegar is particularly suitable, or a mildOlive Oiland flavors them at the same time. For this purpose, simply put a few fresh or dried twigs and leaves in a well-sealable container and fill it with the chosen liquid. Tarragon also tastes great as an ingredient forpickled cucumbersor in home-madeapple-pear jam
Tip
Is tarragon perennial?
Tarragon is actually a perennial plant that is cut down in autumn and sprouts again in spring. There are two types: Russian tarragon is more robust but less aromatic than the finer French tarragon.
