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October 28, 2015 in Herbs

Drying herbs 101

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I'll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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You planted your garlic. Good! Now it’s time to dry your herbs. When I saw a tiny bottle of dried rosemary priced at $7 at the local grocery store I said to myself enough. I need this skill. And bay leaf will cost you a mint too. So now that I’ve done it, I can’t believe I’ve never taken herb drying seriously before. Cheap and easy to do, herbs add a powerful punch to food without adding calories. And even though I’d argue that fresh herbs beat out dried herbs any day, your dried herbs are still so much fresher than any sitting on a grocery store shelf. How long have they been there anyhow? Let’s get started. 
~Substitution rules for dried herbs~

  • When substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs use 1/3rd the volume.

Conversely…..

  • ​Use 3 times the volume when substituting fresh chopped herbs for dried.

So if a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary, use 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary. 

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Best herbs to try to dry

  • Rosemary
  • Oregano
  • Sage
  • Bay leaf
  • Thyme
  • Tarragon
  • Marjoram
Feel free to try basil too! I just have a strong preference for fresh basil so don’t dry it. 
Herbs I typically avoid drying 

  • Chives
  • Parsley
  • Cilantro
  • Chervil
Drying Herbs – Step by Step

1. Cut only healthy branches or plant stems down to the root.

2. Remove any diseased, dry, wilted or yellowed/browned leaves. The flavor of plants with yellow or brown leaves has already been compromised.
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3. Give the plant a good shake to get off any insects. This type of protein is not particularly tasty.

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4. Harvest clippings when plants are dry so you can just shake off excess dry soil. Wet soil clings and is tough to get off later. 
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5. Wash only if absolutely necessary. Use cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Let them sit in a place where they will get plenty of air circulation. Wet herbs mold and rot. A salad spinner works best here. 
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6. Remove lower leaves along the bottom inch or so of the branch.
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7. When herbs are completely dry, use a small rubber band and bundle 4-6 clippings together as a bunch. String works well too. As the bundles dry, they will shrink so be sure to check them every once in awhile. 
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8. Grab your paper bags and label with what herb goes in each bag. Punch holes in the bag for ventilation.

9. Now punch two holes on the very bottom of the bag. The holes need to be about one inch apart. Weave a string through the two holes and tie at the end. This serves as the tie you’ll use to hang the bag upside down. (see below picture)

10. Place herb bundle upside down in the bag.

11.Gather the ends of the bag around the bundle and tie it closed. Just be sure the herbs aren’t too crowded in there.
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12.Hang bag upside down in a warm, airy room with lots of circulation. 

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13. Check herbs in roughly two weeks to see how things are going. They may need a bit more time before you will decide how you will store them.  

One last tip….

It doesn’t seem to matter when you add your dried herbs to your food, but fresh herbs should be added in the last 30 seconds of cook time. 

Be sure to come back in a few weeks to check to see how I store my herbs. Until then, I’ll have lots of fun posts for you. 

​What herbs do you like to dry?

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about laura sproull

about laura sproull

Hi! I'm Laura and hail from Western New York. I consider myself a lifelong learner who loves gardening with a 360 degree view. Thanks for stopping by!

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