So that aromatic sage is not only available at harvest time, it requires professional preservation. For this purpose, there is a whole range of practical options to choose from. You can find out how to store sage skillfully here.
How to preserve and store sage?
Sage can either be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or frozen for several months. In the refrigerator, the leaves should be stored in a fresh food bag in the vegetable compartment or between damp kitchen towels. To freeze, sage leaves can be chopped and filled into ice cube trays with water or oil or wrapped in cling film.
How to keep sage fresh for days – tips for the fridge
Experienced hobby gardeners always combine the harvest of sage with moderate pruning. If it takes a few more days until processing, the refrigerator serves as a practical freshness safe. The following tips show you how to keep sage fresh for up to 2 weeks without much effort:
- Place whole shoots in a glass of water and put a plastic bag over them
- Store in the refrigerator at a constant 4 degrees Celsius
- Alternatively, pick the sage leaves, wash them and dry them in the salad spinner
- Pour into a food storage bag and place in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator
The spicy leaves stay crisp and fresh when placed between two soaking wet kitchen towels in a Tupperware container. Close with a lid and check the moisture content of the cloths daily.
Freeze sage and store it for many months – this is how it works
In view of its high flavor, sage is only used sparingly as a culinary herb. The same applies to its use as a medicinal and tea plant, because in the event of an overdose, the hoped-for effect quickly turns into the opposite. So the question arises as to how to preserve sage over a longer period of time. Since the Mediterranean herb plant retains its flavor even when frozen, proceed as follows:
- Chop freshly harvested sage and fill it into an ice cube tray
- Pour water or cooking oil over it and freeze
- Alternatively, spread the seasoning leaves on cling film, roll up and store in the freezer
The following method has proven to be ideal for individual removal: place sage leaves on a plate and freeze in the quick freezer. Then pour into a freezer container without letting the leaves thaw.
Tips & Tricks
Sage flowers are not just pretty to look at. When eaten fresh, they taste much milder than the spicy leaves. Creative chefs use the flowers as a delicious decoration on salads and warm dishes. To keep the colorful splendor fresh for 1-2 days until ready to eat, place the flowers in a glass of water and place it in the refrigerator.
