During the summer months, the aroma of herbs is very intense. That's why it's worth preserving surpluses from your own garden and stocking up on spices. We have summarized in this article which methods there are and which herbs they are suitable for.
What is the best way to preserve herbs?
Preserving herbs is easy: drying is suitable for thyme, rosemary, oregano and others; Freeze for chives, parsley, dill and basil; Pickling for dill and coriander. The preservation method depends on the specific herb.
The harvest is about to be preserved
Herbs should always be cut before flowering, as the concentration of essential oils, which are responsible for the taste, is then highest. Ideal for harvesting the herbs is a sunny morning before the midday heat sets in.
- Always cut herbs with a very sharp knife or scissors.
- Take off enough of the stems to leave about half standing.
- Herbs such as lemon balm and mint, which taste rather unpleasant after flowering, can be cut back radically.
Drying herbs
This method is suitable for almost all culinary herbs such as:
- Thyme,
- Rosemary,
- Oregano,
- Marjoram,
- Sage,
- Tarragon,
- Mint,
- Chamomile,
- Savory,
- Chives,
- Fennel,
- Caraway.
Drying the herbs is uncomplicated and doesn't require much effort:
- Remove dirt from the harvested spice plants by shaking them thoroughly.
- You should only wash very dirty plant parts, as this prolongs the drying phase.
- Gather the herbs into small bunches using yarn or household rubber bands and hang them upside down in an airy, warm and dark place.
- Alternatively, you can place the culinary herbs on large grids that you cover with gauze.
- As soon as the leaves feel brittle, they are stripped from the stems and placed in dark, tightly sealing containers.
Herbs can also be dried in a dehydrator or the oven. To do this, spread the plant parts out on a rack and dry them at the lowest possible temperature.
Freezing herbs
Herbs with soft leaves like:
- Chives,
- parsley,
- Dill,
- Chervil,
- Basil
can be preserved well in the freezer.
- Wash the fresh spice plants and pat them dry.
- Chop finely.
- Pour into ice cube tray and add a little water.
- You can add the cubes directly to the food.
Pickling herbs
Some herbs such as dill and coriander lose a lot of aroma when dried. These can be preserved easily by pickling them.
- One option is to make delicious pesto.
- Alternatively, simply place a few stems of the herbs in high-quality olive oil and leave the bottle for two to three weeks. The strained oil has now taken on the flavor of the spice plants and can be used to season dishes.
Tip
You can also preserve herbs in s alt. To do this, finely chop the culinary herbs, mix with s alt in a ratio of 1:1 and pour into tightly sealing jars.
