Food Saver Series: Herbs

Basil, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley and Chives

Drying herbs is one of the easiest – and tastiest – ways to save food. The nice thing about it is that there is a variety of different ways you can dry them. You can use a dehydrator, use a drying rack, hang bunches of herbs from hooks, leave on a plate, or I even tend to use my cooling racks for baking. Remember no matter which way you dry them; you need to keep an eye on them. Some dry faster than others. And when they are all dry pop them into an airtight container to keep them fresh.

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Food Saver Series: Herbs

Drying Basil:

For Basil, I use a dehydrator, mainly because our Basil is usually very plentiful, and I dry a lot of it. I make sure that they are in a single layer with room between each leaf for air circulation. It will take 6-12 hours to dry the leaves in a dehydrator. If the room is warm, it may take less time.

Drying Sage:

I use a dehydrator to dry Sage because the leaves are a bit thicker.

To dry Sage I place the cut leaves on the dehydrator – making sure that they are in a single layer with room between each leaf for air circulation. It will take 10-14 hours to dry Sage leaves in a dehydrator. If the room is warm, it may take less time.

Drying Oregano/Thyme:

I use a dehydrator to dry Oregano and Thyme.

My Oregano and Thyme grow together so it is sometimes hard to pick just one or the other. Either way they are used in the same recipes, so I just harvest both at the same time, essentially, I am making an herb mix.

To dry them I place the cut sprigs on the dehydrator – making sure that they are in a single layer with room between each leaf for air circulation. It will take 6-12 hours for them to dry in a dehydrator. If the room is warm, it may take less time.

Once the sprigs are dry you can strip the leaves off the stem if you want. I tend to just leave them as they are.

Drying Parsley:

Out of all the herbs we grow I use Parsley the most. It also makes it the herb I dry the most of. I dry Parsley 2 ways – in a dehydrator or on a cooling rack. The dehydrator will take 6-8 hours, a cooling rack placed somewhere warm will take up to 5 days.