Ever wonder what to do with the abundance of basil, rosemary, cilantro, and sage growing in your garden, especially when the season comes to an end? Instead of letting them go to waste, preserve your herbs to enjoy throughout the year.
Drying
How: The National Center for Home Food Preservation suggests tying clean, hardy-stemmed herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley) in small bundles and hanging them indoors. For herbs with tender leaves (basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm, and mint), hang them inside closed paper bags (with a few holes punched in them). Store dried herbs in an air-tight glass jar in a cool, dark place for about 6 months.
Good to know: Drying herbs intensifies the flavor. When substituting dried for fresh, use about ¼ the amount the recipe calls for.
Freezing
How: Place clean, chopped herbs in an ice cube tray (filling about half of each slot), add water as you would to make ice cubes, and freeze. This method works well for parsley; not so much with basil, which turns black when frozen (instead, see Make Pesto). Once frozen, pop out the cubes and store in a freezer bag. You can also wrap a few cleaned leaves or sprigs in freezer wrap and place them in a freezer bag.
Good to know: You don’t have to defrost the herbs before using them. Just add to soups, stews, or sautés while still frozen.
