Oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, just to name a few, are some of my favorite ways to add flavor and nutrition to my home cooked meals. I often use these fresh, but my favorite way to use herbs is to dry them. Drying your garden herbs at home in just a few days is an easy way to have an endless supply of flavor for your homemade dishes.
Oregano
In Central Florida, herbs can be grown outdoors all year long. I’m so thankful to have a steady supply of my favorite herbs. Oregano is my favorite dried herb for cooking savory dishes. Similar to mint, oregano grows like a weed and often takes over other plants, so I keep it in pots for easy trimming and spacing.
Basil
Basil is a tricky plant here in Florida since it gets so hot. The trick to keeping outdoor basil healthy in hot climates is to water 1 to 2 times and trim it often. Don’t just pick the leaves off when you need them. Trim the stems pretty aggressively. Where there is a split/y-branch in part of the stem. Cut it right above the split, at the base of the stem.
One of my favorite recipes to use dried basil is in a pasta sauce or lasagna recipe. Here is my bechamel lasagna recipe.
Rosemary
My neighbor has rosemary planted right next to her mailbox. We joke that if she uses some of her rosemary, to make sure and get the tips of the plant where the dogs haven’t lifted their legs and left a sprinkling. All joking aside, the fresh growth, the less woody part of the rosemary, is the most delicious!
Thyme
Thyme is such a versatile herb, but it is a bit inconvenient to dry. The leaves are so tiny. Tie off a bunch on the plant and then cut so you don’t lose any of the thin, tiny thyme stems.
Hang to Dry
For basil and rosemary, tie three to four stems together at the end of the bunch with a cotton kitchen string. Here is the kitchen string I use for tying herbs or turkey legs.
Oregano, thyme, or smaller herbs can have a larger bunch of stems tied together.
If too many are tied together and the herbs are wet, they will get rotten on the inside of the bunch.
I don’t wash my herbs before drying them. I grow organic herbs and don’t spray anything on them that would need to be washed off. Just visually inspect the leaves for a tiny spider or bit of dirt and brush it off or remove a yucky leaf.
If you trim your herbs when they are wet or you wash them, separate the stems and lay them flat to dry on a paper towel. Once the leaves are dry, tie them together and hang in a warm, dry spot.
My favorite spot to hang the herbs while drying is on the pot rack above the stove. It’s functional and beautiful.
Storing Dried Herbs
Dried herbs don’t last forever. They don’t go ‘bad’, but they won’t be as fragrant and flavorful. I have found that at about 6 months, they lose their flavor and taste almost stale. To keep them fresh as long as possible, store them in an air-tight container. I picked up these cute containers at the local second-hand shop. Here are some similar ones that I found.
I keep them next to the stove since I use them so often. If you don’t use herbs as often, store them in a cabinet away from the light and heat.
When placing the herbs in a jar, leave the leaves as whole as possible. The herbs will retain their flavor, fragrance, and freshness longer. Then, when you’re ready to use the herbs, you can crush them with your fingers as you sprinkle them in your favorite dish.
Thanks for stopping by our @homesteadonlakeside . Follow along on Instagram for more homemade family inspiration and recipes. Do you dry your own herbs? Which are your favorite herbs to use? I’m looking forward to hearing from you in the comments. Have a blessed day!
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