I have wonderful basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, and oregano growing and would like to start drying some. I just read on another post about basil, but what about parsley and oregano? A quick method would be best for us!
On a side note, I have used the same herbs, pureed together with olive oil and frozen in ice cube trays. Perfect for starting my fresh tomato sauce and other Italian dishes!
Thanks
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I saw a show on the food network a while back about drying herbs with a regular box fan and cellulose heating/air filters. You place the herbs on the filters, flat, stack four or five of these filters loaded with herbs, put an empty filter on top of the stack, and then tie or bungee cord the whole stack on the wind flow side of the fan, then let it run. After about 10 hours, you flip the order of the stack of filters, and let it run another 6 to 8 hours or until the herbs are dried. Depending on the humidity, it may take longer.
It is supposed to be a better way to dry the herbs; no heat is involved, so the essential oils are not so much cooked as concentrated into the herbs. I've not tried this way yet, but I am planning to.
It is supposed to be a better way to dry the herbs; no heat is involved, so the essential oils are not so much cooked as concentrated into the herbs. I've not tried this way yet, but I am planning to.
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- Super Green Thumb
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I have nothing to add to this thread but am posting in it so that it is on watch for me. This drying of herbs interests me as I'd like to try some basil sooner or later.
Are cellulose heating/air filters those filters we change out for our furnaces?
Incidentally, any way to watch a thread without having to post in it when it's got good information that I'd be interested in keeping track of?
Are cellulose heating/air filters those filters we change out for our furnaces?
Incidentally, any way to watch a thread without having to post in it when it's got good information that I'd be interested in keeping track of?
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Tee he, think both rigardengal and me were trying to figure out how to get notified of new posts in threads that we just want to watch and not post in but good to know that herbs can be dried on towels on baking sheets in a closet. No special equipment and it sounds kinda like a toy easy bake oven! Set it and forget it!
Lorax..yes, he used furnace filters.
As for basil..I dried some sweet basil on a metal baking sheet in the oven at it's minimum temperature setting. I forgot about it for a little over an hour and 95% of the leaves were dried up. I crushed them up with my hands and stored them in a spice jar.
It doesn't seem to have lost any flavor. I use it all the time in several recipes and as a pizza topping.
As for basil..I dried some sweet basil on a metal baking sheet in the oven at it's minimum temperature setting. I forgot about it for a little over an hour and 95% of the leaves were dried up. I crushed them up with my hands and stored them in a spice jar.
It doesn't seem to have lost any flavor. I use it all the time in several recipes and as a pizza topping.
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I dried bay leaves and thyme sprigs by tying them together with twine, and hanging them upside down in a sunny kitchen window. Worked wonderfully. Took a while--this is not a speedy way to dry herbs--but it worked well.
Hanging them upside down is so that the essential oils get concentrated in the leaves.
Hanging them upside down is so that the essential oils get concentrated in the leaves.
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- Jacob_Valleau
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