How To Cut And Dry Herbs For Best Flavor

Many people are choosing to grow their own herbs at home rather than paying the exorbitant prices to buy them in the stores. While growing herbs is easy enough for even beginning gardeners, it can sometimes be confusing to know when to cut and dry the herbs in order to get the best flavor from them. The following four tips can be helpful in realizing when to cut and dry your herbs, which will lead to the most delicious-tasting recipes possible.

Cut And Dry Herbs When They Are Young

Young leaves possess more flavor and a stronger aroma than older leaves. The tenderness of the leaves lends itself well to the cut-and-dry herb process. Also, by harvesting young leaves you get to enjoy the fruits of your herb-growing labor sooner than if you waited for the plants to mature longer. Some herbs that grow quickly and are popularly used in a variety of recipes include :

• Basil,
• Rosemary,
• Bay leaves,
• Mint,
• Oregano,
• Parsley.

Cilantro may take a little longer but if you enjoy the aroma of growing herbs as much as the taste, cilantro offers a very pleasant and strong scent.

Cut And Dry Long-Stem Herbs

When harvesting long-stemmed herbs, it is easiest to snip the stems, tie them together and then hang the entire bunch upside down in a warm, dry but not sunny area. Allow the herbs to dry for 6 – 10 days. Securing a paper bag around the herbs can help protect the herbs from sunlight, which will ruin the aroma and damage the flavor of the herbs. If using the paper bag method, poke holes in the bag to allow air in and make sure that the herbs aren’t touching the sides of the bag since that can affect the drying of the plants.

Cut And Dry Short-Stem Herbs

Short-stemmed herbs are better dried on a cookie sheet or other flat trays. Do not pile herbs on top of each other; maintaining a single layer will help speed up the drying process. Again, the herbs should be placed in a warm and dry area away from exposure to sunlight. Herbs will take about four to six days to dry if left out. Herbs can also be dried quickly in an over at 140 degrees for one to four hours, depending on the herb and quantity. Turn the herbs often to promote even drying.

Herbs can also be dried in microwaves, at a medium setting for about one or two minutes only. Once the herbs have cooled, test from brittleness and determine if another minute might be necessary. If the leaves crumble easily, they are done.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 26th, 2009 at 9:55 pm and is filed under Growing Herbs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.