Drying and Storing Herbs

Taken from http://letsjapan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=256281&start=0

Edogaijin wrote:

What's the best way to dry out and store Thyme or other garden herbs? Leave them in the sun for a week or so? Pop them in the oven? Just cut them up and put them in a jar?

I've found the best two ways is to first trim them up as whole stems, dunk in a bucket of cold water, paper towel dry or I often use the wife’s hairdryer (when she's not around) and then either:

- Put them in a zip-lock plastic bag and bung them in the freezer.

or

- Tie a bunch of stems together with a bit of fishing line, poke a tiny hole in the bottom of a brown paper bag and thread the line through it so the herbs are in the bag with the open end down, tie it up in a cool dry place for about 2 weeks.

If drying you should always use full stems and dry upside down so all of the oils in the stems run into the leaves.

Make sure that they're well dry before you hang them up or they'll go mouldy.

I've found the sun (at least in Aus) is way too harsh and literally burns before drying and that stuff from the freezer is good for pizzas and salads and what not while dry stuff is good for simmering type dishes such as pasta sauce etc.

How To Dry Herbs
Cut healthy branches from your herb plants.
Remove any dry or diseased leaves
Shake gently to remove and insects.
If necessary, rinse with cool water and pat well dry with paper towels. Wet herbs will mold and rot.
Remove the lower leaves along thebottom inch or so of the branch.
Bundle 4 - 6 branches together and tie as a bunch. You can use string or a rubber band. The bundles will shrink as they dry and the rubber band will loosen, so check periodically they the bundle is not slipping. Make small bundles if you are trying to dry herbs with high water content.
Punch or cut several holes in a paper bag. Label the bag with the name of the herb you are drying.
Place the herb bundle upside down into the bag.
Gather the ends of the bag around the bundle and tie closed. Make sure the herbs are not crowded inside the bag.
Hand the bag upside down in a warm, airy room.
Check in about two weeks to see how things are progressing. Keep checking weekly until your herbs are dry and ready to store.
Storing Dried Herbs
Store your dried herbs in air tight containers. Zip closing bags will do. I like to use small canning jars.
Be sure to label and date your containers.
Your herbs will retain more flavor is you store the leaves hole and crush them when you are ready to use them.
Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold.
Place containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Dried herbs are best used within a year. As your herbs loose their color, they are also loosing their flavor.
Use about 1 teaspoon crumbled dried leaves in place of a tablespoon of fresh