How To Dry Herbs At Home: The Ultimate Guide To Drying Herbs by Urban Cheapskate Mom

Author:Urban Cheapskate Mom
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-01-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5:

How To Dry Herbs At Home With Minimal Fuss Or Expense

Drying herbs is truly one of the easiest preservation techniques you will come across. It requires very little time, effort or equipment. You don't have to watch them dry or carefully monitor the temperature or pressure like you would if you were canning.

Before you begin the drying process, you need to prepare your herbs. Pluck off any brown or black leaves. Any leaves that are wilted, yellowed or look poor in general should also be discarded. Inspect the plant for insects, just in case there were some brave enough to take on the aromatic herb plant. In most cases, you shouldn't need to rinse or wash the plants. If at all possible, avoid adding any extra water to the plant. You risk wilting the plant as well as adding drying time. If you must wash the plant, use cold running water and gently shake the plant to remove as much water as possible.

Indoor Hanging

Hanging the plants upside down indoors can be done a few different ways.

Option 1: This is best for moisture-rich herbs. Use a rubber band or string tied around the stems of the harvested plants. You want to create an herb bouquet. It best to bundle a single herb. Trying to save space by bundling a variety of herbs could cause problems. Also, do not bundle more than 8 to 10 plants in a single bundle. Too many plants will result in lack of air circulation and promote mould growth. Not all herbs will dry at the same rate. For herbs high in moisture, it is best to use a paper bag to help speed up the drying process. You want to make it go fairly fast to avoid mould growth. Cut a few holes in the paper bag to allow air circulation.

Place the herbs with the flower side pointing towards the bottom of the bag and the stems in the opening. Use a rubber band or string to tie the bag closed around the stems. Set the bag on the shelf of a pantry or in a corner of the kitchen. Anywhere the herbs are out of direct sunlight and not near sources of humidity is fine. The drying time of the herbs will vary. Check the status of the herbs after about 3 days and then every day following. The paper bag method is ideal because it will catch the seeds and bits of the plant that fall off during the drying process.

Option 2: Follow the same steps above, but do not use a paper bag. The bag speeds up the drying process, which isn't always necessary for the less-tender herbs. Use a coat hanger or curtain rod to hang the herb bundles. This method will produce a lovely aroma as the herbs dry. It is a good idea to put a plate or pan under the drying herb bundles to catch the bits that fall. If you are drying different types of herbs, use a separate plate for each bundle.

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