If you grow your own herb garden you may be wondering how to dry herbs and spices so you can use them all year long. There's nothing like fresh herbs and spices in your cooking. But, of course, they won't last all year round unless you preserve them.
Drying your fresh herbs is the perfect way to keep them in your kitchen over the next 12 months. In addition to culinary spices, you can also use the same methods to dry medicinal herbs to use for tea. There are a few ways that you can dry your herbs.
How to Air Dry Herbs
You can air dry your fresh herbs a few different ways with no equipment. How you choose to dry or herbs may depend on the type of herb. Also, it depends on how you plan on using the herbs later. Herbs that have a hearty stem such as Rosemary or time can be clipped in long stems and tied into a bundle with a piece of string. You can hang the bundles upside down in your home in a dry and cool location for a few weeks.
When the herb leaves are dry and brittle you know they are done. You can untie the bundle and gently use your fingers to remove the leaves from the stems. You can leave them as is or put them in a spice grinder to make it nice and fine.
If you're interested in drying an herb like basil or parsley with a much more delicate stem you'll do this a little differently. Air dry these herbs by laying them out in a basket in a single layer in a dry location. This may take up some more space but you can set them out on a table in a place like a basement and leave them alone for several weeks.
If I am planning on air drying a large amount of my fresh herbs I really like to use a hanging herb drying rack. It takes up much less space and the herbs are secure inside the zippered mesh material which keeps it safe from any critters. Another option for herbs like this is to use a dehydrator.
How to Dry Herbs in a Dehydrator or Oven
A dehydrator is a great tool to have for anyone who grows a garden. It's the perfect tool to preserve delicate herbs and spices. It's also fantastic for making sun-dried tomatoes.
Once you harvested your herbs you can leave the stems. Lay them out in a single layer on the tray of your dehydrator. Some herbs that are a little more bushy, you may need to use every other row in the dehydrator to make space.
Close up your dehydrator once all the trays are filled with herbs. The amount of time you'll need to put on the timer of your dehydrator depends on the type of herb. You can set the dehydrator to about 95 degrees give or take. Personally, I dry herbs for about 4 hours and check on them to see if they need more time.
If you do not have a dehydrator, you might be able to use your oven. If your oven has a proof setting for raising bread, you can also use this setting for drying herbs. Typically the proof setting is about 100°, which will work for drying herbs, a side note you can also use the setting to make yogurt in your oven.
How to Tell When Herbs are Dry
When you are first learning how to dry herbs and spices you may wonder how you can tell whether your herbs are dried enough. After a few hours open up your dehydrator and check to see if the herbs crumble when you touch them. If there is any dampness for if the herbs are still easy to bend without crumbling you know you'll need to keep them in a little bit longer. Your herbs are perfectly done and dry when they crumble and crunch when you touch them.
How to Store Dried Herbs
Now that you have all these wonderful dried herbs you may be wondering how to store them. The best way to store your dried herbs to preserve freshness is in an airtight container. Glass jars with an airtight lid are the best way to keep them fresh. Also be sure to keep your herbs out of direct sunlight because that can degrade the quality and flavor quickly.
Uses for Dried Herbs
Dried culinary herbs are quite useful in everyday cooking. If you've dried rosemary time basil parsley oregano or marjoram these herbs are fantastic for Soups and sautéed vegetables. Drying medicinal herbs is a great way to create your own tea mixtures. Some fantastic herbs to grow and dry for tea include chamomile, rose petals, lavender, lemon balm, peppermint, spearmint and so many others!
What is the best way to preserve fresh herbs?
The best way to preserve your fresh herbs depends on what you would like to do with them. If you want to have dried herbs for cooking and recipes in the future then drying them is the perfect way to preserve them. Herbs like dill or basil make a great pesto and can be preserved by freezing it and ice cube trays. Here's a blog post that explains how to do that.
Can I dry herbs in my oven?
If your oven has a proof setting for raising bread, you can also use this setting for drying herbs. Typically the proof setting is about 100°, which will work for drying herbs, a side note you can also use the setting to make yogurt in your oven.
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