So I heard that you can freeze herbs for a long time. Well I was told to spread them out on cookie sheets put in the freezer for an hour or so till they freeze and then put back into bags, that is so the water content wont freeze them all together. But my ? is when I took them out to use them they were all wilted, real dark, and almost impossible to cut and got watery and mushy. Did I do something wrong or is this what will happen every time?
I tried freezing Basil the way you did and it came out like seaweed. Now I chop it up and make Basil ice cubes. When frozen I take them out of the trays and put in freezer bags. No thawing needed, just drop a cube or two into what I am cooking. I have also done mint that way to use in the summer in ice tea or hot tea in winter. I don't know about freezing other herbs, I am just getting started on growing more of a variety.
Wow I never even thought of that! That sounds like a great way. I think I will try others and see what happens. I'll start small for like lunches for me before I destroy a whole dinner in case it doesn't work. Do I need to cover the ice cubes? And how long would you say they will last in the freezer?
Newgrow, once the cubes are frozen, remove them to a freezer bag or freezer container. Another way to freeze Basil is to layer the leaves beginning with large ones working down to small. Then roll the stacked leaves the way cigars are rolled, real tight. Then wrap them in Saran wrap, tightly, and place in freezer bags. When ready to use, just slice off as much as you need and quickly put back into freezer. We always dry Parsley in the oven at about 200 degrees until it rattles. Place in a jar or bag. It may darken a little, but its still good. We have dried Mint, but we forget to use it. ;>)
Some herbs adapt to being frozen, and some don't. I make basil balls of finely minced fresh basil with just enough vegetable oil to make a slurry, put that in ice cube trays, freeze, and then put the cubes in a bag or freezer container. I do the same with parsley, only I put the chopped parsley in water, not oil. Chives work the same as parsley. Oregano, marjoram, rosemary, winter savory--all these are better dried and stored in a glass jar out of direct light and in a cool spot.
Marlingardener I noticed that you did not mentioned about thyme. I use alot of thyme when I make sausages and sometimes due to pest attack I am not able to get enough thyme. I used to dry them but find that the flavour is lost so I thought of freezing them in cubes. Do you think that would work?
I like to dry the smaller leaves of thyme. The key to retaining that wonderful flavor, is to dry the leaves as quickly as you can. The best method is to simply snip off the foliage with scissors and spread it on a screen in a single layer. You can also dry large-leaved herbs on screens, but first strip the foliage from the stems. Hold the stems upside down in one hand while running the other hand down the stem. Herb blossoms and flower petals can also be dried on screens. Remember to stir the herbs once a day on the screens for even drying. A great place to buy small screens is a dollar store. Look in housewares, and you'll see those splatter screens used in cooking. Perfect for drying a small amount of herbs. When the herbs are completely dry, very gently brush them off the screen onto wax paper or a paper towel. Shake them carefully into a storage jar or metal tins with lids. If you have limited space, you can dry bunches of herbs on coat hangers. Wrap each herb bunch with a rubber band. Run a piece of twine or ribbon through the rubber band and tie it to the bottom rod of the coat hanger. Hang the herb bunches in a well ventilated room with cool air circulation. I do freeze basil. I use the ice cube tray method. I chop the basil very finely, add it to the trays, fill with water and freeze. Once the cubes are frozen, I pop them out into freezer bags, label and freeze. I also dry herbs in brown paper bags. I use a paper puncher and punch several holes in the top portion of the bag. I wrap long stems of dill with twine, including the seed heads and place them in the paper bag. This method takes a week or longer for drying. Hang the bag in a cool, dark area with good air circulation. Check the bag in about a week. Give the bag a little shake and the seed heads will dislodge and drift to the bottom of the bag. After the dill is dry, remove it and gently cut the foliage from the stems and place in a jar. The dill seed at the bottom of the bag can be gathered for use with pickles or herb vinegars, or for saving to plant next year. You can also dry smaller herb leaves on wax paper using the kitchen counter. Just mince them finely, and spread them out in a single layer. Stir them once a day. They should dry in about a week. Make sure sure they are completely dry before storing.
