How to Dry Herbs and Retain Their Quality

Getting herbs from supermarket are not advised, since they have stored there for long time. It is advised to cultivate them in your garden and drying them personally. In this case, you will obtain the highest quality of herbs.

Considering there are many ways of drying herbs, the best of them is to dry them in absolute air. This way assists in maintaining the basic contents of herbs like natural oil. This way of drying is advised also for some herbs that have not high moisture content, such as bay, oregano and thyme.

How to Air Dry Herbs

It can cut herbs in the mid morning, as soon as confirming that the dew has dried. It must remove any insect damage or disease leaves. Herbs can put under cool water. Four or five small bundles of the herbs may be made. They may tied with string or using a band of rubber. Herbs bundles can be hanged in a ventilated place and left to be dried.

To use paper bags in drying herbs is a good method. The paper may be punched firstly. Put the small bundles of herbs into the paper bags and hang them. A couple of weeks later, you can check your herbs and see that they are dried completely.

Way of Drying Herbs with a Dehydrator

In fact the drying of herbs that include more moistures such as mint, chives or basil, will be better if a food dehydrator or freezing are used. Getting a dehydrator is a good way of drying, since it is faster and easier way. It maintains the high quality of herbs due to the controlling of temperature and air touring. Herbs may be placed after rinsing, in a layer on the dehydrator trays. Times of drying are different, according to contents of moisture, leaves’ thickness, and quantities of drying per a time. Considering that herbs may be dried as soon as leaves become crisp and stems brittle.

Best Way to Store Dried Herbs

Store herbs after having dried, is important in order to maintain their freshness. There are many methods to store herbs, such as small plastic bags or jars. It must avoid light and heat. As soon as learning the ways of drying herbs, it will be considered as the first step towards being skillful cookers.