Spice plants give many dishes that special kick and make them something special. Unfortunately, fresh herbs and spices do not last long and quickly lose their aroma. However, they can be preserved by drying and this process often even intensifies their taste.
How do you dry spices correctly?
To dry spices, harvest them shortly before flowering, clean them carefully and dry them in the air, in a dehydrator or in the oven at 30-50 degrees. Store dried spices in tightly sealed, dark containers and shake them before use.
Which herbs can be dried?
Very good for drying:
- Oregano,
- Marjoram,
- Rosemary,
- Thyme,
- Lavender,
- Savory
- Dill seeds,
- Caraway.
But you can also dry many other spices such as chilies and build up a supply in this way.
When should spices be harvested?
Spice plants from which you want to use the greens taste most aromatic when they are about to bloom.
For herbs such as dill or caraway, the inflorescences or seeds are used. The corresponding parts of the plant are cut off when the fruits have reached their typical color.
Clean spices
After harvesting, keep the spices in an airy place and process them as quickly as possible:
- Simply shake out slightly soiled herbs thoroughly.
- You can remove coarse dirt with a damp cloth.
- If you want to wash the spices, hold them under a weak stream of water. Then dab carefully.
Preservation by drying
Spices can be dried in the air, in a dehydrator or in the oven:
- For air drying, combine the herbs into bouquets. Hang them in an airy, warm and shady place.
- Spread seed-bearing spices and those with small leaves on a surface.
- For chillies, pull a string through the stem and hang up the pods.
- If the leaves rustle quietly, the process is complete. Depending on the spice, this takes between three and seven days.
- Seeds can then be easily separated from the other parts of the plant.
Alternatively, you can dry the spices using heat in the oven or dehydrator. Turn on the devices at a temperature of 30 to a maximum of 50 degrees. Drying time is two to four hours.
To preserve the aroma, store the spices in tightly sealed, dark containers.
Tip
Before cooking, you should crumble dried herbs with your fingers. During this process, which is known in technical jargon as “rebeling”, the typical taste is released and intensified.
