After the Harvest
While fresh herbs are wonderful to work with, most of us do not live in climates that allow us to grow them outdoors and harvest them year round. The herbs that we do not use right away need to be prepared for storage. There are several methods for drying herbs as well as other ways to preserve them. Part 3 contains information on the method or methods that work best for each herb.
Common Drying Methods for Storing Herbs
Air drying herbs is a simple way to preserve them. This can be done by hanging them in bunches or laying them on screens. Air drying works best in a dark location with low humidity, good airflow, and a steady, warm temperature. An attic is often a good place to dry herbs as long as there is adequate ventilation and it is not excessively dusty. However, you may need to block some of the light from any window to darken the drying area. It does not need to be pitch black; just avoid bright sunlight. You may find the right conditions in a corner of a room, a porch, a shed, or even a large closet where linens or clothes can be scented as the herbs dry. Whatever spot you choose, air circulation is a key factor.
Gather herbs early in the day and do not rinse them unless they are muddy. If you do rinse them, lay the herbs out on paper towels and let them dry before gathering into bunches. It is important to bundle the same type of herb together rather than mixing them because different plants dry at different rates. Basil, borage, lemon balm, and mints have high moisture contents and dry more slowly than sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Tie up to ten stems into bundles. Herbs that take longer to dry should be tied into smaller bundles of about five or less. Fasten the bunches together with rubber bands, twist ties, or yarn. Attach several bunches, upside down, to a wire coat hanger with enough space between them so air can circulate freely. A wooden laundry rack can be set up wherever the conditions are right and can hold a number of herb-ladened coat hangers. If you don’t have a lot of herbs to dry, the bunches can be attached directly to the laundry rack. Whichever way you hang the herbs, make sure the bunches are not touching each other and that they are not right up against a wall or other structure. If you are concerned about dust, tie cheesecloth around each bunch or drape it over the whole laundry rack if you are using one.
For screen drying herbs, a clean window screen works well. As an alternative, a piece of cheesecloth, muslin, or brown paper with small holes poked through it can be attached to an old picture frame to make a drying screen. Whatever you use for a screen, lay out the herbs in a single layer. The screens can be set on laundry racks, which will allow good air circulation. The leaves of bay, peppermint, spearmint, and sage dry better when they are removed from the stems and screen dried.
Check your screens and bundles every day and take herbs down as soon as they are dry. They will feel slightly brittle when they are completely dry. Store the herbs immediately, otherwise they will start to deteriorate. If you hung herbs in bundles, strip the leaves and/or flowers from the stems for storage. Use glass jars with tight lids, and avoid metal containers as they can taint the herbs. Store the jars in a cool place away from sunlight. Dried herbs can keep for up to a year or a little longer. If you notice a mist or moisture inside a jar, take the herbs out and dry them a little longer.
For seeds, the harvest can continue indoors. As mentioned in Chapter 10, seed heads can be hung upside down in a paper bag, which will catch the seeds as they fall. Poke holes in the sides of the bag for air circulation. It may take a week or two for the seeds to drop. After this, they can be dried. Some seeds may be inside a husk or a shell, which will have to be removed. Gently pry the husk or shell open. Chaff, which are pieces of husk or shell that may stick to the seeds, can be wiped off. Place the seeds in a glass jar with a piece of cheesecloth fastened over the opening. It can take from three to ten days for them to completely dry. Reshuffling the seeds helps them to dry, so each day transfer the seeds into another jar. After four or five days, test the dryness by pressing your fingernail into one of the seeds. If it is hard, the seeds are dry. Transfer them a final time into a clean jar with a tight lid for storage. If the test seed was somewhat soft, continue moving them back and forth into different jars for a few more days.
If you are keeping seeds for planting a new crop of herbs, put them in an envelope and mark it with the name of the plant and when the seeds were harvested. Put the envelope in a freezer storage bag or a container and then put it in the freezer. Most seeds will be viable for three to seven years.
After roots are harvested, wash and scrub them with water, and then cut them into small, one- or two-inch pieces for drying. The cut roots can be kept in the fridge up to forty-eight hours before drying. Because they are dense, roots take longer to dry than other parts of plants. However, the process can be jump-started by using the oven. Place a layer of paper towels on a cookie sheet and spread out the root pieces. Set the oven at the lowest temperature for three to four hours. Leave the door open slightly to allow air circulation and to keep the roots from baking. Check them every hour and turn them over for uniform drying. Transfer the roots to a screen and place it in a warm room to complete the drying process.
Using the oven is a quicker way to dry leaves and flowers, however, some of the essential oils will be lost, which means some flavor and potency are, too. If you opt for this method, follow the same instructions as for drying roots. Leaves and flowers may take two to four hours to dry. When they are crisp, remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool thoroughly before storing.
The microwave can also be used to remove moisture from herbs. Lay them out in a single layer between two paper towels. Microwave them for a minute at a time. It may take about four minutes for them to dry, but this way you can check their progress and turn them over so they dry evenly. Replace the paper towels when they get moist. Stop microwaving the herbs when they are crisp, and allow them to cool before storing.
Dehydrators can also be used to dry herbs. Line the trays with cheesecloth to keep small flowers and leaves from falling through to lower trays. Set the temperature between 90° and 100° Fahrenheit. Leaves and flowers may take a day or two, and roots three days or more.
Freezing and Other Methods for Storage
Freezing is the easiest method for preserving herbs. It works especially well for basil, cilantro, dill, fennel, lemongrass, mint, parsley, and thyme. Some herbs, such as basil, may lose color and texture, but they retain their flavor and potency. To prepare herbs for freezing, lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the herbs are frozen, store them in freezer bags or plastic containers. Herbs can be frozen whole or they can be chopped up first.
Put some chopped peppermint in an ice cube tray and add a little water. These can be used to flavor drinks, or you can drop a couple of ice cubes into a mug and pour in boiling water for tea. Also, herbs can be pureed in a food processor with a little water and then frozen in ice cube trays. Once they set, remove the cubes from the trays and store them in bags or containers. These are ready to go when you want to make a tea, infusion, or other preparation. If there are certain combinations of herbs that you enjoy using, puree them together and freeze. Also consider pureeing herbs with a little olive oil. Basil and cilantro work well this way.
Another way to preserve leaves is to dry them with non-iodized table salt or sea salt. Place a layer of salt in a shallow pan, lay the leaves on the salt, and then sprinkle enough salt over top to completely cover them. It usually takes two to four weeks for leaves to dry with this method. Check from time to time by digging out a leaf. Rebury it if necessary. When they are dry, dig them out of the salt and shake off any excess. Store the leaves in glass jars in a cupboard away from light. Rinse them in cold water before using to remove any remaining salt.
Strong-flavored herbs can be preserved in oil, vinegar, or brandy. Basil mixed with sea salt and covered with olive oil can last several years. Although the leaves will blacken, the flavor and potency remain intact. Mint is often preserved in white, red, or wine vinegar. Mint can also be preserved with olive oil. To steep in brandy, fill a jar with the herb, add brandy, and store tightly covered for a month. The herb material can be strained out or left in. Small quantities of the brandy can be used as a cordial or, depending on the herb, as a digestive aid.
Now that you have harvested and stored your herbs, they will be handy and ready when you need to prepare remedies. But first, let’s learn about essential and carrier oils so we can incorporate them into our healing remedies.