My wife and I have a lot of parsley this year. I grew the dwarf variety and it really grew well. Actually, it's November and it's still lush and green. I want to save some over the winter, but I'm undecided if I should put it in the dehydrator or freeze it. I hear you can freeze certain herbs in ice cubes, but I don't want a bunch of ice cube trays stacked up in the freezer. Any suggestions for preparing and storing it? John
I dry mine in a dehydrator. I don't necessarily want the water in whatever I am making, I have done it, but don't I like it as a frozen product. It is a big wet lump and hard to stir into what ever you are making. If it is dry you can crumble it into your food. I also like the smell better dried.
After they are frozen in the ice cube tray, pop them out, put them in a freezer bag, label and take out a cube or two when you need it. You can also use Olive Oil instead of water. Or you can strip the leaves off the stems, lay them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer. When frozen, put them in a labeled freezer bag or jar.
I like to dry parsley on screens and paper towels. I strip the leaves from the stems, and cut them up in a glass measuring cup with a pair of sharp scissors. Fill the cup 2/3 full, and mince away. I spread the minced parsley on paper towels or screens and let it air dry in a warm area for about seven days. The leaves dry very nicely, and retain their color and fragrance. Store the dried leaves in a metal tin or glass jar, away from heat and light.
I had always used my dehydrators for those kinds of things until about 6 years ago. Now I hang them in small groups in my pantry. Before I had my pantry I hung them right in my kitchen. It looks very nice and I can keep an eye on it all the time. After it's well dried, I strip it off the stems and store it in zip lock baggies. I strip it by just rubbing it off or pulling it backwards off the stem. I have found that I don't like the little stems in it. I save to much that I could not put it in the freezer. I tried freezing parsley and celery leaves a few years ago. I did it on a cookie sheet and when it was frozen, it became so brittle, that you could crush it right into a baggie and threw it back in the freezer. (quickly)
Using a food processor, combine it with butter and let it process for a second or two. Then put it in small tight jars or freezer containers and freeze until you need it. Dill, rosemary, basil, oregano, are a few more that work well like this.
I dry my parsley and then seal in a vacuum seal system. The key to maintaining flavor is to avoid breaking the leaves until you are ready to use them.
Betsy, that is a good point. Most herbs, when stored whole-leaf, keep their flavor better and longer. There is less surface area to lose essential oils in a whole leaf than in one that has been ground up. When I see those little tins of powdered herbs in the grocery, I want to cry!
Here are a few ways how I dry my herbs: Find a cool, dark room rather than artificial heat. Although experts can use artificial heat, the flavor and quality may be lost when novices try this drying method. After harvesting, hang the herbs in loosely tied bundles in a well-ventilated room. Spread branches on a screen or cheesecloth If only the leaves are needed, I will spread them onto flat trays. To keep dust off of herbs, cover with a cloth (or something that allows moisture to pass through).
