A fragrant herb bed can also be found in a small garden. Since the harvest is often very plentiful, it is rarely possible to use everything fresh. Crop surpluses can be easily preserved by drying. The right approach is important so that the spices retain as much of their unique taste as possible.

Garden herbs are best dried hanging

Important for the aroma preservation: the harvest time

Almost all herbs develop the most aroma just before flowering. Therefore, you should harvest spices such as oregano or basil before the flowers develop.

The best time to bring in the herbs is a rain-free morning. Two to three days before you bring in the spice plants, no rain should have fallen either.

Clean and dry

Herbs that are dried should only be rinsed under running water for a very short time. Pat the harvest dry, as drops of water on it greatly increase the drying time.

Variant 1: Dry herbs in the air

For this you need the following utensils:

  • Scissors,
  • Yarn.

method

  1. Cut the herbs with as long a handle as possible.
  2. Tie them into small bundles with the twine.
  3. Hang upside down in an airy, but sheltered, shady spot.
  4. Drying is complete when the leaves rustle gently to the touch.

Variant 2: Drying in the dehydrator

Dehydrators can usually be set to temperatures between 30 and 70 degrees. As a result, the water is removed from the herbs very quickly and at the same time gently.

method

  1. Shorten the stalks so that they fit next to each other on the grates.
  2. Place in the device and set a temperature between 30 and 50 degrees.
  3. How long the drying takes depends on which dehydrator you use. Follow the information provided by the manufacturer.

Alternatively, you can dry the herbs in the oven at the lowest temperature. However, higher losses of the ingredients and essential oils are to be expected here.

Which herbs are suitable for drying?

Not all herbs dry equally well. Sorrel, borage and burnet, for example, lose their characteristic aroma very quickly after picking.

herb How well suited? flavor loss
basil mediocre moderate
savory very good barely
dill mediocre moderate
tarragon very good barely
marjoram very good barely
oregano very good barely
Parsely mediocre moderate
rosemary very good barely
sage very good barely
thyme very good barely
lemon balm mediocre moderate

tips

Herbs such as chives or burnets can be preserved by freezing. Before freezing, chop the herbs finely and put them in ice cube trays with a little water. This makes them very easy to portion.

Category:

Herbs