Cleaning and Storing Fresh Herbs

[DIna00]

How do you clean and store your fresh herbs?

If I buy a bundle of cilantro or parsley I always find it covered in dirt. It is such a pain to clean and prepare. I usually rinse it in a bowl of water, air dry it, then use it right away, for tabbouleh or whatever other dish. Cilantro I get more irritated with because I don't use it all right away, and I notice it just goes limp and tasteless very quickly in the fridge.

Is there an easy way you have found to clean and store your fresh herbs?

 

[Berties]

if i buy herbs in bunches i store stood in wate you can wrap in wet kitchen paper first if smaller bunch,and wash what i need as i need it ,pre prepped packets are normally hard herbs and are best kept as they are,
coriander and basil are best bought growing in pots ,lasts weeks if kept watered,and you can pick as required

 

[ChanellG]

It depends on the herb, though I grow most of my own most of the time. When I bring home and kind of greens from the farmer's market, be it culinary herbs or larger leafy stuff like spinach or chard, they are usually filthy. to remove the grit, I fill a large container with water and "wash" them. I try to reuse the water in the garden since it takes more than one rinsing to get the greens clear. Then I either let them drain in a colander or I spread paper toweling with or without a dish towel underneath (depending on how much I need to drain). I try to shake off excess water, and sometimes I'll further the drying along by patting the spread herbs dry.

Once they are dry I put them in a large zip bag with a paper towel. The exception to this is basil. I rinse that and place the entire stem in a couple inches of water in a glass (like flowers in a vase). I leave it on the counter and use the leaves as needed. Quite often the basil will root after after a few days and start another plant.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It depend on how I have purchased them.

Of it is a bunch, then the end are trimmed and they are treated the same way I would a bunch of flowers, put into water and given light.
If they are in spoil, then I will unwrap them, put them on to a tray or saucer and water then.

With the bunch of herbs, I simple way what I need, shake them dry and chop. Of the bunch is being too be used or I simply have too much, then I will chop it all and put it into a little water and freeze the whole lot in a plastic bag with a name on it. I can then break off what I need from the frozen herbs as needed at a later date.