Do you dry your own fresh herbs?

TastyReuben

TastyReuben

Nosh 'n' Splosh
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In the last few days, a couple of people here have mentioned, in passing, drying their own fresh herbs. I've never done that, nor did my parents do so when I was a child.

I'm assuming this could be done using a food dehydrator, or in a low oven, or even air-dried, depending on your local climate.

How about you? Do you dry your own fresh herbs, and if so, what is your method and what herbs do you like to dry?
 
Never bothered. We have fresh sage and rosemary all year round here, mint, oregano and basil we get in bulk from Cyprus - their dried stuff seems more potent than UK sourced. Tarragon we struggle with, so usually make tarragon vinegar which is a good winter alternative. Thyme and coriander is always available fresh in supermarkets. Chives and chervil we just do without over the winter.
 
We have a dehydrator which is in the attic because it never gets used.
The herbs that I dry are basil, dill, parsley and oregano. Thyme, sage, rosemary and shallots survive winter.
I have a wood valance over the sink. Cup hooks screwed into the back side. A bunch of herbs tied with twine and hung from the hook stem side up
Because of the humidity it has to be small bunches
The dill fronds are so small that they can make a mess. I put the dill in a small brown paper bag tied loosely to the stems.
The window is on the west side of the house so even though it is over the sink it dries well.
I keep G's empty prescription bottles to store herbs in. During the winter my spice cabinet looks like a medicine cabinet.
BTW - home dried herbs are SO much better than store bought.
 
OMG
IDK I never tracked days. When the leaves are dry they are done. Sorry. Try small bunches. Large bunches will wilt or mold. It is early in the season so you have plenty of time to experiment.
 
ElizabethB said:
We have a dehydrator which is in the attic because it never gets used.
The herbs that I dry are basil, dill, parsley and oregano. Thyme, sage, rosemary and shallots survive winter.
I have a wood valance over the sink. Cup hooks screwed into the back side. A bunch of herbs tied with twine and hung from the hook stem side up
Because of the humidity it has to be small bunches
The dill fronds are so small that they can make a mess. I put the dill in a small brown paper bag tied loosely to the stems.
The window is on the west side of the house so even though it is over the sink it dries well.
I keep G's empty prescription bottles to store herbs in. During the winter my spice cabinet looks like a medicine cabinet.
BTW - home dried herbs are SO much better than store bought.
Click to expand...

Yeah we have rosemary thyme parsley sage all year round, but we dry and chop and store. So easy when cooking ,just grab a few chopped herbs, quicker than picking then chopping.

Russ
 
I had some thyme & tarragon which was going past its best. I suddenly realised I had a place I could hang them to dry. The aroma of the tarragon when I walk past is wonderful:

40388
 
When I have an abundance of some herbs, especially oregano (which grows like weeds here), I cut a bunch and dry them. I just air dry them on a flat towel. It takes a while, but works for me. It wouldn't work in humid places.

I do NOT bother drying basil. Home-dried basil just doesn't seem to retain any flavor.

CD
 
I dry coriander, basil and parsley for emergencies (which are rare).

Throw them in the bowl of the halogen oven and drying takes around 5 to 6 minutes at 150°C. The herbs fly about a bit though.

Parsley:

40403


We buy sun dried chillis from the market.
 
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