what to do with herbs: drying

     So now that you signed-up, you're wondering what you're going to do with all those herbs you're going to get! We'll get more into specific herbs later, but this series of posts will give you some ideas that you can experiment with on almost any herb.

Drying

     Many people imagine bunches of herbs hanging from the ceiling to dry, and that's one of the easiest and most aesthetic ways to do it.  (Hey, no one's stopping you from just using them to decorate your house. They might make it smell fantastic, too.)  There are some drawbacks though to hang drying. The herbs can lose more of their essential oils and taste that way, especially if any sun is getting to them. Still, there should be plenty left for you to use and, if they're going to be used for their energy, you might actually want a little of infusion of sunlight.  In general, herbs will take 2 weeks to dry fully like this, but, if you have low humidity, it might go faster.

you can use dried flower bunches as window decoration

     You can also dry herbs in the oven at a very low temperature (probably as low as it will go until you get a good idea of what herbs are prone to burning and which ones are safe to dry at a higher temp) with the door open.  Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet or clean window screen, if you have one.  Keep an eye on them and mix them up occasionally to encourage even drying and prevent scorching. This method may take several hours, depending on the herbs, but might get better results than air drying.

Stinging nettles lose their sting when dry, but you can still see the prickers. 

     I also have a dehydrator that's great for herbs (and even tomatoes and apples!).  If you have one, definitely check out the instructions and switch the trays often - or place different herbs on each tray with the fastest drying on top.  Experiment with your dehydrator and see what works best.  Like the oven, it should take a few hours and you might want to mix them occasionally to help them dry evenly, but it doesn't have to be as often as with the oven.

several bunches of common sage 

     Once I tried to dry herbs inside my hot car. It might work for you, but I made the mistake of not cracking a window and it ended up making my car and the herbs smell muggy and off to me.  I did try and get other people to smell it and they just smelled mint, and none of the off smell I was picking up - so maybe I just imagined it.  Either way, if you do try it, crack the window, try to keep them out of direct sunlight, and use an herb you won't mind smelling for weeks.  On the plus side, this method was incredibly fast and even. By the time I went to check on them, they were done!

yes, that's a car full of herbs. no, I'm not drying them all (yet)

     However you're drying your herbs, it's important that they get plenty of air circulation.  So, if working in large bunches, try not to make them too large and spread them out so air can flow through.  The only exception for that is when you're making smudge sticks. Those have to be tight together or they won't burn well.  For the oven, car, or even inside, you might want to get a screen so air can reach the bottoms, and be sure to place them in one layer not a big pile.  Also keep in mind that different herbs dry faster then others. in my experience, stinging nettles dry the fastest and sage the longest.  Also, some herbs will reabsorb moisture if they become damp or enter a humid area after drying. So placing them in an air tight jar or zip-lock once fully dry might be a good idea, and keeping then in a dark place would help them maintain potency as well. Sage is one that will also reabsorb moisture so, if you have a bunch hanging in your kitchen for use, some days it with crunch up nicely but other times you might have to tear it instead.  Once your herbs are dry, always look them over before using them to check for mold or discoloration, especially if it's been awhile, and discard anything that seems off.  Now that you have dried herbs, what are you supposed to do with them?  You'll just have to keep reading my blog to find out!

home dried herbs are greener then what you can get at the grocery store 

Have any questions about drying herbs? leave a comment!  Thanks for reading.

Enjoy,
Amber Haqu