Narita took a disappointing stab at drying herbs from her garden: "This is my first year to raise herbs and they have done beautifully. I harvested and dried oregano and sage. I am sooooo disappointed. The oregano has no odor and tastes bitter. It is nothing compared to the store bought. My sage leaves have turned out the same. What is wrong!!!!! I appreciate any help!!"
Other members suggested it might be the variety she grew or maybe the drying method. They had found that quick drying, in the oven or microwave, diminishes the flavor. Does anyone have any suggestions for preserving the best flavor, when drying fresh herbs? Or maybe you prefer to freeze your herbs?
Photo: © Marie Iannotti.
Comments
I only dry my Oregano by hanging it in the garage and I’ve never had any trouble. I wonder if her plants were harvested a little too late?
I prefer to freeze my basil, but I do it a different way than I’ve read others do. I use the self-cling plastic wrap. Lay down a sheet of wrap with the sticky side up. Lay out the basil leaves all over the sheet but try to keep them in rows. Place another sheet of wrap down on top, sticky side down. Then press all around all of the leaves (kind of like making ravioli). Then I use sissors and cut between the rows and roll up the rolls so they’ll easily store in the door of my freezer. When you need a leaf you just unroll however many leaves you need cut the wrap off and un-peel the 2 layers.
These are the only 2 I do myself. I always have too much, but then they are the ones I use the most in Winter so it works out for me.
Mel, what a great use for that self-sealing plastic wrap, and just in time. I’m definitely going to steal your idea this year.
My first thoughts would be a) why do you want to dry herbs right now in the summer? fresh is so much better, just use 3x as much as dry…
b) bitter means maybe you harvested it after it was flowering or was finished. you need to pick it before flowering. To keep it growing all summer, keep picking before it flowers! That’s all i can think of! I have some basil I need to pick but I always do it in the morning. In the heat of the day is also a problem… Good luck!
It could be your drying method. If you are using a dehydrator, they use the heat and fan method. it could be cooking the herbs instead of just drying. Try Alton Browns method of using a box fan and AC filters. I tried it for jerky and it worked wonderfully. He suggests it can also be used for herbs. You can find out how to do it at the Good Eats web site from the Food Network.
There are some types of oregano that are best used dried (especially some of the Mexican varieties, which are called oregano, but are really totally unrelated to the European oreganos). Other than this, I generally don’t dry my herbs.
I dry my Mexican oregano by just hanging it to dry in a sunny place. I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do, but it works for me.
honestly… drying them quickly is the best… you lose valuable, and flavorful oil when they sit around… Place your clean, dry herbs on a paper towel in your microwave… turn it on at 30 percent power in 45 second increments until dry… they will retain flavor like crazy!!!!
As Julia said, be sure to pick them in the morning just after the dew dries.
Be sure to crush and smell a leaf, or even taste it, before you pick the herb for drying. There will be times during the growing season when the flavor and scent will be really good and others when it wont be. You can’t get good dried leaves out of not so good fresh leaves.
Only the Greek oregano (white flowered) will give the true oregano flavor whether fresh or dry. Start it from cuttings since it doesn’t come true from seed! Another way to preserve fresh herbs is to chop and add 1 tablespoonful to an ice cube tray. Fill with water & freeze. Store the frozen herb cubes in an air-tight container and use as needed .
Build your own drying room by adding screen shelves to an unused closet and a room size dehumidifier.We have an 8 X 10 room made into a drying room by using a dehumidifier with the capacity to dehumidify a house.
The best way to dry plant material is by lowering humidity
without increasing the temperature (temps over 100 F tend to evaporate the volatile oils)