How to extend the life of fresh herbs

If you’ve overly felt like fresh herbs wilt and rot plane though you just got them, then you’ve come to the right place! In this vendible I am going to walk you through how to prep, store, and freeze fresh herbs so that they stay fresh and last long!

shot of fresh herb basil growing in a pot

Fresh herbs aren’t unchangingly the easiest to store. They tend to spoil, wilt and turn into a brown mush in just a couple days of getting them home. Considering how much I use them in my kitchen, I finger like I have tried everything under the sun to proffer the life of my fresh herbs.

When it comes to preserving fresh herbs, a little prep goes a long way. If prepared correctly, most herbs can stay fresh in the fridge for well-nigh 2 to 3 weeks. It is moreover possible to freeze herbs which can then be used in stir fries, sauces, pasta or soups.

Soft vs. hardy herbs:

In order to store fresh herbs correctly, it is important to know the type of herb you are working with. Herbs are mainly divided into two categories - soft and hardy depending on the type of stem it has.

Soft herbs have a tender stem which is often edible. Whereas hardy herbs have a woody stem that needs to be discarded. Examples of soft herbs would be coriander, basil, parsley, mint etc. Whereas hardy herbs include curry leaves, dill, rosemary, thyme, etc.

How to store soft herbs like coriander, mint, and parsley

Step 01: Free the tuft by getting rid of any rubber wreath or jute coir that’s holding together. This allows the herbs to breathe.
Step 02: Place the whole tuft in a large trencher and wipe it to get rid of any dirt or other impurities. I like to gently swish everything virtually to separate the dirt and protract to transpiration water until it runs clean.
Step 03: Next, dry everything out thoroughly. Gently wipe with a wipe dish towel to remove glut water and then indulge the herbs to air dry until they’re completely dry.
Step 04: Trim the marrow of the stems by well-nigh half an inch. Fill a mason jar or any glass jar with one to two inches of water and place the herbs upright, making sure no leaves are touching the water.
Step 05: Finally, wrap the leaves in well-spoken plastic and put it in the refrigerator. Transpiration the water every couple of days and trim the stems as needed to alimony everything fresh for up to 2 weeks!

Tip: An exception to this is Basil which is a soft herb too, but it’s very soft-hued and doesn’t last in the refrigerator. Fill a mason jar with well-nigh an inch of water and place basil stems upright like a bouquet in it. But instead of tent it with plastic or placing it in the fridge, simply place it on a well-lit corner of your kitchen counter. Make sure it’s sure yonder from uncontrived sunlight and transpiration the water as needed to make sure your basil stays fresh and fragrant.

How to store nonflexible herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano

Step 01: Wash everything thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and dry everything thoroughly.
Step 02: Trim the ends of the stems by well-nigh an inch.
Step 03: Wrap the unshortened tuft in a wateriness paper towel, put it in a zip lock bag or an snapped container and place it in the refrigerator.

And voila! You are done. The good thing well-nigh storing fresh hardy herbs is that once they’re prepped and in the fridge, it’s pretty hands off until you are ready to melt them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you be washing herbs surpassing storing them?

There seems to be a lot of debate well-nigh whether you should be washing your herbs or not surpassing storing them. Personally, I prefer to wash my herbs surpassing storing them considering herbs can be covered in a lot of dirt, which can end up rotting and spoiling them faster. However, if you do wash your fresh herbs surpassing storing them in the refrigerator, make sure to dry them out thoroughly by wiping them with a wipe reticulum and then permitting them to air dry. Moisture on the leaves can moreover lead to faster wilting and spoiling, which we definitely don’t want.

How long do herbs stay in the fridge?

If prepped right, herbs can hands stay in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Every few days, trammels the herbs and take out any leaves that are starting to rot. This will alimony the whole tuft fresher longer.

Can you freeze fresh herbs?

Absolutely! If frozen right, most herbs are very freezer-friendly and are worldly-wise to retain most of that bright, herby flavour of fresh herbs. However, the process of defrosting makes the herbs lose a bit of colour and shape, so I wouldn’t use them as garnish or in salads. But they are still perfect to add to soups, stir fries, pasta or sauces.

Hardy herbs: Hardy herbs like thyme, rosemary, or dill are weightier frozen as individual sprigs. Keep the stem on the herbs and spread them individually on a sultry sheet or tray. Transfer it to the freezer and leave it in there for a few hours until completely frozen. Transfer the stems to a ziploc bag or a freezer-friendly. Simply take out one sprig at a time and use as needed.

Soft herbs: There are a couple variegated ways to store soft herbs like coriander, parsley or mint. You can either store them in water, broth, oil or butter. Separate the leaves from the stem and chop them up. Pack a wipe ice cube tray with the herbs, with water, broth, olive oil or melted butter and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer individual cubes into ziploc tons for ease of use later. When you want to use it, simply thaw it out and add to the dish as needed. Herbs frozen in oil can hands last for well-nigh 6 months without losing too much flavour.

Tip - make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the leaves surpassing freezing them. Moisture can transpiration the flavour, colour and texture of the herb. So make sure to wipe the herbs with a wipe dish towel to wick yonder any glut moisture.

Can I dry herbs to preserve them?

Some fresh herbs like oregano, rosemary and thyme can plane be zestless to proffer their life. You can use an oven or a dehydrator to do this. Simply line individual sprigs or leaves in a single line on a sultry tray or parchment paper. Place it in the oven or dehydrator and dry the leaves on a low temperature (89-90F) for a couple of hours or until completely dried. To sun-dry fresh herbs make a small tuft by tying the stems together with a twine. Hang them upside near a window or on your balcony until the leaves are completely dry and start to hands crumble.