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Cooking With Fresh Herbs
The Key to Preserving Fresh Herb Plants
When cooking with fresh herbs, you can notice immediately how your meals taste so much better.
That's why it is important to learn how to keep your herbs fresh. After all, once you learn to grow your own herbs at home, you should keep them as fresh as possible, as long as possible :)
It has been said that all good things must come to an end, and this is especially true of our summer gardens. Most plants will not survive the cold, frosty days of winter, which is why harvesting and preserving our crops becomes imperative as the cold weather begins to loom. This is also true of our fresh herb plants, but don't wait until there's a nip in the air to begin harvesting this crop. When herbs are dried properly, they can bring you months of delicious flavors throughout the fall and winter.
When to Harvest Fresh Herb Plants
The best time to harvest your fresh herb plants is prior to flowering, which will frequently occur when the weather begins to cool in the fall. Therefore, harvesting in late summer will ensure the best flavor and freshness to your herbs, but you can also harvest throughout the growing season to stimulate additional growth and get a jump start on your stock. Cut your stems in the mid-morning hours when possible, since the morning dew has dried out by then, but the fresh herb plants have not yet begun to wilt in the afternoon sun.
Air Drying Herbs
The air drying process works best with fresh herb plants that have a lower moisture content like the following:
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oregano
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summer savory
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thyme
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rosemary
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dill
Before cooking with fresh herbs, it's good to know that:
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Herbs with a higher moisture content will dry better using a dehydrator or microwave.
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To air dry fresh herb plants, cut the stems and remove any unhealthy leaves. If it is necessary, rinse your stems with some cool water, and pat dry completely.
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Drying wet herb stems will only result in moldy leaves that are unusable. Bundle together in batches of four to six stems, and hold them together with a rubber band or piece of string.
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Keep in mind that the stems will shrink as they dry so you will need to check them periodically and retighten as necessary.
Once your herbs are bundled, place your bunches upside down into brown paper bags that have a number of holes punched in them and are labeled with the type of herb plant on the front. Tie the bags closed and hang them up in a warm, airy room and check them every week or two. Once your herb plants are sufficiently dried, store your herbs in airtight containers like canning jars or Ziploc bags. Keep the containers away from direct sunlight and use within one year.
If you enjoy cooking with fresh herbs as much as I do, then using this process for drying and preserving your herb plants is really worth it, because you will be able to enjoy the savory aroma and flavor of home grown herbs year round. Happy harvest!
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