Do you dry herbs or use them fresh?

[abonnen]

I have always done both, I started drying them becasue I couldn't use them all up before the started going bad. My herb garden is outside and not in my kitchen so I don't have them all year round. I am just curious it anyone else dries their herbs or if you eat them only fresh. If you dry them, how do you dry them out?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I think it depends on the herb. some lean toward being dried nicely. I love making basil ice cubes. Take basil, put in food processor and a little water, puree. Then pour the muck in ice cube trays, break out in a freezer bag, for later use for soups etc.

 

[shaddy]

I have always done both, I started drying them becasue I couldn't use them all up before the started going bad. My herb garden is outside and not in my kitchen so I don't have them all year round. I am just curious it anyone else dries their herbs or if you eat them only fresh. If you dry them, how do you dry them out?

My herb garden is outside also. I use them fresh through the summer and dry them in the microwave at the same time to use when I no longer have them fresh in the garden. I find the more I use (fresh) and dry the more I have. We were able to dry and share with my daughter on her last visit and as of right now the garden is still going strong.

 

[Elena]

I cut and freeze in portion packs for sauces and soups.

 

[remnant]

I prefer herbs fresh from the garden. This has to do with the fact the one herb am used to, coriander, has a pleasant and clean aroma when fresh and most of the active dietary principles are intact before any processing. However, I do purchase dried herbs in powder form but never perform the process on my own produce. However, solar drying is fine when one has excess herbs in the garden and one offer to transport them over long distances.

 

[rz3300]

I do both, but it really just depends on the time that I have and if I am really in that zone of making of them most of them or not. I probably do fresh more often than not, and it is easy because basil and oregano are pretty to easy to just throw in any recipe. I want to get better at drying them though, so I appreciate the responses above. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Flourish]

I generally use herbs fresh from the garden, rosemary grows really well and is always readily available. but I have dried thyme and it went really well. I dried this out in a paper bag which is the simplest method I know of.

 

[sillylucy]

I usually just snip, rinse and eat! I like having the herbs on my window sill so it keeps the pests from eating them all up and I love having fresh herbs to choose from in my home. I really don't dry my herbs because I have had some of them go moldy or they just don't taste the same. I am probably doing something wrong.

 

[digger]

We've always have them fresh and never dried. I've only seen dried herbs in supermarkets and I don't have any idea how to dry them. Thanks for sharing your ideas. I would prefer to preserve them a bit longer using natural ways, like making a puree and freezing them for use later as what @Esther Knapicius suggested.

 

[yank]

I have always done both, I started drying them becasue I couldn't use them all up before the started going bad. My herb garden is outside and not in my kitchen so I don't have them all year round. I am just curious it anyone else dries their herbs or if you eat them only fresh. If you dry them, how do you dry them out?

 

[yank]

I have always done both, I started drying them becasue I couldn't use them all up before the started going bad. My herb garden is outside and not in my kitchen so I don't have them all year round. I am just curious it anyone else dries their herbs or if you eat them only fresh. If you dry them, how do you dry them out?

 

[yank]

I have my herb garden not far from my back door. I love using fresh herb in my recipes and I will also dry some for use over the winter. Mostly Basil, which does not do well in winter out of doors. I will also cover the other herbs with a plastic or glass cover to attempt to capture some heat in the winter, and hopefully protect the plants till spring. This will be my first winter in my new home in NW Fl. so I hope all goes well. My herbs are; 3 basil plants, 4 thyme, 1 sage, 2 parsly, 2 onion chives, 1 rosemary and one dill. .

 

[yank]

I have an Oster food dryer with 4 trays. Works quite well. I have heard that others dry them in their oven set at a low temp. I just check my Oster food dehydrator it has a temperature range of 140-185 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Rocky]

In the past I have only used fresh herbs but I'm hoping that this year my garden will yield enough for me to dry some as well! I normally prefer to cook with fresh ingredients but I would like to compare my own dried herbs to ones bought in a store!

http://www.artfullycreativelife.com/category/garden/

 

[yank]

Rocky; I think you will find that your herbs will be fresher and taste much better then the "fresh herbs" from the store. They have traveled a considerable distance from the place they were raised.