I have dill, cilantro and parsley in my garden. Is there a special way to dry them? There's so much, I'd like to save some for the months to come, but it's my first time growing any and I'm not sure how to do it moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic moderator's note: moved topic to more appropriate forum
I dry all my herbs and seeds in the big brown grocery paper bags. They do a good job for me with air circulation and no light (although I do leave them open). I just drop the stems in, don't pack them...leave loose) and wait until the leaves/seeds are totally dry (sometimes I will leave them in the bags for a couple of months until I have time to finish the job up - depending on the weather it will take several weeks to dry). I will check them and toss if the weather gets rainy (humidity). After they are completely dry I strip the leaves or seeds and package them up in ziploc bags or glass jars. I have oregano, and thyme from last year that still has a wonder fragrance and color. I don't crush the leaves until we are ready to use it. My husband likes to drop a handful in the blender and give it a quick whirl before putting them in the sauce. I'm thinking I will dry herbs this summer for Christmas presents. I letting my oregano go to blooms so that they can add a decorative touch when bottled.
I find it better to chop all my soft herbs up and then put the in the freezer, and just take out a handful when ever you need them. But I do dry alot of my woody herbs like Thyme or rosemary
With an over abundance of parsley, you might give some thought to making "parsley pesto" (is made the same way as when using basil, just substitute parsley instead), putting it up in small jars and freezing it til needed: imparts unbelievable flavor to garlic bread or used on cooked egg noodles with a bit of extra virgin olive oil added. Also, parsley..alone..put up in virgin olive oil and froze can be directly added to winter soups, stews and casseroles for extra flavor. If you so choose, you can simply pick the parsley, rinse it off, pat it dry and freeze in Ziplock bags that have had the air squeezed out as much as possible before closing tightly. When needed, simply cut off what's called for and refreeze the rest. Parsley is one of the few herbs that has a tendancy to lose a lot of its flavor when dried, but these other methods do preserve it very well. Lastly, come fall, you could dig up a clump, pot it up and bring it inside for FRESH winter use in recipes, etc., will last you til the next year's crop in up and coming. It is a biennial that'll turn extremely strong tasting in it's second year of growth when it starts to go to seed, so it's advisable to replant the herb each season. As for the other herbs you mentioned, the brown paper bag method of drying does work very well in areas where there's not too much humidity to cause spoilage. Cutting open a large brown bag and making a "tray" to fit on an oven rack, placing herbs to be dried on this, leaving door ajar and setting oven at lowest possible heat works the same as a dehydrator, just be sure to "stir" herbs periodically til dry to allow good air circulation around them. If oven is gas with a pilot light, that's all you need, herbs dry beautifully in just several hours. DO enjoy your bounty!!!
Sorry to say, but don't even bother with Parsley and cilantro- the flavour doesn't come through at all. you might as well use grass. if you're really keen on having it all year round, try freezing with water into icecubes instead. Dill drys well. Hang upside down in cool, well ventilted place, probably in a paper bag or with a tray under it to catch leaves if they fall off. Once it's dry, store in dark, airtight container
