Drying your herbs

Dried herbs

Cooking with fresh herbs all summer long is a wonderful perk of having your own herb garden.  Preserving fresh herbs is a great way to enjoy full flavors throughout the winter months.

Hanging herbs upside down in the basement or garage to dry them out has been successful in the past, but left my green herbs looking brown. My mother recently shared a simple and perfect way to dry your herbs, locking in the rich and vibrant colors.  Dry them in the oven at a low temperature!

Storing your herbs the green way: I use air tight glass jars, labeled on the bottom, to store my dried herbs.  Instead of buying new jars each time I need a refill, I dry my own herbs or purchase herbs in a bag.  This is also a great way to cut costs because you aren’t paying for the glass jar each time.

Directions:

Heat oven to 200ËšF.

Cut fresh herbs from your garden, or purchase fresh herbs.  Wash your herbs with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.  Remove herbs from stems and arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking or cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until herbs are vibrant and dried.  Keep your eyes on the herbs, they could burn.

Remove baking sheet from the oven and place herbs on a cutting board to cool.  Crush herbs to desired consistency and store in an air tight container.  Dried herbs will stay fresh for 6-12 months if stored properly.