Best technique on how to store fresh herbs and make them last weeks! Storing hard and soft herbs works like a charm for rosemary, cilantro, parsley, thyme, dill, basil, mint, and sage to preserve their fresh leaves and keep them lasting longer.
How to store and preserve fresh herbs
Want to reduce food waste? Because of their thin, delicate leaves, fresh herbs are famously tricky to utilize before the vegetable goes bad. For a number of reasons, fresh herbs may degrade faster than you think. If you want to preserve herbs, you'll need to strike the right balance of different elements.
Woody herbs like rosemary and thyme are especially susceptible to degradation due to a lack of moisture or excessive heat. In order to extend the shelf life of your herbs, the temperature at which they should be stored is critical. If your herbs are exposed to too much light, they will become yellow, and if they are exposed to too much oxygen, their leaves will turn brown.
Determine the kind of herb you're working with
The storage requirements for each kind of herbal product are different. The first step is to identify the plant you're working with. The most common types of plants encountered are hard and soft herbs. The supple, delicate green stems and luxuriant leaves of soft herbs like tarragon, parsley, cilantro, basil, and mint distinguish them.
Hard herbs include sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano, which are distinguished by their woody stems and tougher leaves. The appropriate balance of light, temperature, oxygen, and moisture must be maintained throughout storage to protect both types of herbs from going bad.
Wash and dry your herbs well before storing them
Because of the increased moisture, some people feel that washing herbs before keeping them is a bad idea. On the other hand, cleaning your herbs will remove the dirt and germs that speed up the decomposition of your herbs. All you need is a salad spinner to eliminate any remaining moisture from your herbs before storing them.
How to store fresh herbs
Storing soft leaf herbs: parsley, basil, dill, mint, and cilantro
Store soft-leafed herbs (such as parsley, basil, dill, mint, and cilantro) in jars with the stems in water when not in use.
Gather your herbs into a bundle and cut the ends like a bouquet to use the "wet jar technique." Fill a jar with the greens and a few drops or lightly fill the cup with cold water, being careful not to soak the leaves (mason jars work wonderfully). Replace the water every few days or when it becomes yellow and keep it in the refrigerator. By adopting this method, you may prevent browning in the frigid refrigerator environment.
Remember, pesto prepared with fresh herbs is the star of this cilantro pasta dish. With this method, you will keep your leaves moist and limit the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with them. By placing your basil on the counter near some sunshine rather than in the refrigerator, you may keep it from turning bad. In this self-watering container, your herbs will remain fresh for days.
Storing hard leaf herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, oregano
Hard, woody herbs (such as sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, and oregano) should be stored in damp towels.
For hard herbs, you need a different strategy. Wrap them in a moist paper towel instead of putting them in a glass of water. Keep your hard, woody herbs fresh with a damp paper towel. Close the container firmly and put it in a refrigerator or resealable bag to keep the food fresher for longer. If you have a large quantity of herbs on hand, prepare them into smaller, convenient bundles.
These type of herbs work beautifully in rosemary potatoes and Bisquick soup dumpling where the recipe success depends on quality dry herbs. Carefully moisten the paper towels once the herbs have dried. Consider using organic cotton; reusable herb/produce bags to keep your herbs fresher and dryer without adding to the garbage.
How long do properly stored fresh herbs last
By correctly maintaining your fresh herbs, you may increase their shelf life by three weeks. Don't throw away your herbs if you don't utilize them all in the time you planned. There are dozens of ways to use them up!
How to use unused herbs
- dehydrate them
- freeze them
- make pesto
How to store fresh herbs by dehydrating them: Secure your herbs in a paper lunch bag with air holes with a rubber band. Hang them upside down in a warm, dry place until they're crumbly and dry.
How to store fresh herbs in the freezer: Alternatively, freeze your freshly chopped herbs in ice cube trays filled with olive oil or water. After just eight hours, these portioned herb cubes are ready to use. They may be kept for months and utilized at any time.
The beauty of fresh herbage
Whether from the grocery store, your garden, or the local farmer's market, fresh herbs are a welcome addition to any kitchen. Herbs enhance the flavor of any dish, and they may be used to make a variety of sauces, and in relish, as condiment, in gravy, and dressing. Pesto, for example, relies heavily on basil and the flower is beautiful to decorate around a serving bowl.
On the other hand, Herbs are quite sensitive, especially the green ones. By the time you open the fridge, the cilantro you purchased for some reason has most likely transformed into a blob of green slime. To say the least, it's an unappealing meal. You don't have to worry about running out of your favorite ingredient if you can't go to the market to purchase some or clip some more shoots from the garden.
Herbs with thicker, woodier stems need less preparation and may be preserved for extended periods. A resealable bag and an airtight container will keep the bundle fresh for a more extended period. The herbs are kept damp but not soggy by a paper towel, and a container or resealable bag keeps oxygen out. When kept in this manner, they last at least a few weeks.
When it comes to soft herbs, treat them like fresh flowers. Put some cold water in the container, then add the trimmed stems to the glass. Keep the water fresh by changing it on a weekly or biweekly basis. It's best to keep your basil bouquet on the counter at room temperature. On the other hand, all other herbs should be kept loosely in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to preserve moisture and prevent the leaves from browning. They'll be OK for a week or two in this condition.
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