Freezing and preserving herbs

**purpleprincess**

Ah ha!! Thank you, was just wondering this myself today as I am growing basil, parsley and coriander and don't think I'll get through them all quick enough by myself!!!

Horasio

If you rinse the herbs first, they are fine to freeze in bags and last for ages.

With parsley, I would remove the thick stalks

With big leaved herbs, freeze the leaves whole.

mgw99

I do this as well when I buy big bunches of herbs of coriander and parsley. I freeze them whole in a bag. It saves you chopping the herbs as you can just crumble them into the pan!

looby75

I wish I had known about this board last year. My mum bought my daughter some herb plants and we were swamped with basil and parsley. I only got to use a small amount (not being the best or most adventurous cook in the world lol) and most of it went to waste. I didn't think to freeze it!

shammyjack

Freezing is OK if you have the freezer space but for large quantities it is more practical to pick bunches , tie with string and air dry.

Try to do it during a hot sunny spell of weather and peg the bunches out on your washing line as the sun and wind will fast dry the herbs and retain a lot of their colour and flavour. It takes a few days so bring them indoors at night and hang somewhere dry and airy and peg out the next day untill snuff dry. Store in airtight containers to retain flavour or better still if you have one of the small vacumn sealing machines seal into plastc bags .

shammy

nuttywoman

Have i done it right? I had some basil left over so dried it with kitchen towels then just popped it into a freezer bag.Will it be ok?
thanks val;)

bella4uk

I never have much luck freezing herbs but I sometimes chop up basil and add olive oil, store it in the fridge and use it as a dressing or cooking oil.

Swan_2

it should be ok for flavour, but might be difficult to chop because it'll be very floppy* ... you always lose texture when freezing herbs

all I ever do with fresh herbs is chop them (*easier before they're frozen) & put them in a bag or box & pop them in the freezer. give them a shake or two in the first couple of hours, that keeps them 'free-flowing' & you can just spoon out what you need when you need it (no need for ice cube trays & water etc)

tawnyowls

Or easier way - put them in to freeze in a plastic bag, and the following day, take the bag out, put on a chopping board and whack with a rolling pin - breaks it all up into little bits. Can only keep it out for about a minute or so before the herbs start to melt, so might have to stick it in and take it out a couple of times, but then you'll have chopped herbs, far quicker than chopping!

Works for biscuit crumbs for cheesecakes etc too - roll, don't whack.

Zed42

Hiya,

I have an overabundance of fennel this year, the leaves are everywhere.

Now, I love fennel tea and I own a dehydrator (Tchibo) which is much underused (a gadget bought and put in cupboard as a bit scared of it!)

So, any ideas folks how long I am meant to dry the leaves using the dehydrator?

It's been 7hrs now, and they look pretty dry to me, but is there a way of making sure? I don't want to end up with mouldy leaves!!