Food & Beverage Facts and Tips

Best Way of Drying Herbs and Maintain the Quality

No doubt that, herbs are considered compliment to most of recipes. Purchasing herbs from the shelves of supermarkets means getting products of lower quality that are stored for a long term. Consequently, knowing how to dry herbs from your own garden is to get the best quality.

One of the easiest ways to dry herbs is to air dry them and this slow drying process which doesn’t rob the herbs of their natural oils, works best with herbs that don’t have a high moisture content, like oregano, bay, and thyme.

Best Way to Air Dry Herbs

Herbs can be cut in the mid morning when the dew has dried. Leaves can be removed if shows insect damage or disease. It may be rinsed under cool water along with. Small bundles can be made of herbs, and tied with a rubber band. To do the final step, hanging the herb bundles in a warm place is favored.

There are many other ways of drying herbs. It may use paper bags. To do that, small bundles will be placed upside down in the bag and tied well. It must remember to punch some holes in the bag to permit air entering. The bag, then, may be hanged as usual. Two weeks, later, the bag can be opened and herbs may be taken as well.

How to Dry Herbs Using a Dehydrator

Herbs that contain a lot of moisture, like basil, mint or Chives, are best dried by using a food dehydrator, or freezing. If you’re just learning how to dry herbs, you might want to look into getting a dehydrator. It’s a fast and easy way and retains quality because the temperature and air circulation can be controlled. After rinsing place the herbs in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Drying times may vary due to moisture content, the thickness of the leaves and how much you trying to dry at one time. Herbs are dry when the leaves are crisp, and stems brittle.

How to Store Dry Herbs

After you have dried your herbs, you will need to store them properly to make sure they retain their freshness. You can use small plastic bags with zip seal tops or store in small jars. It is best to keep dried herbs away from light and heat. Once you learn how to dry herbs, you’re just one step away from being the best culinary cook on the block.

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