5 ways to preserve your herbs

Indoor Herb Garden

The recent frost advisory in my area was a harsh reminder that the summer months have passed, and soon all the fresh vegetables and herbs growing in the garden will soon be gone. Sadly, most herb plants do not survive the winter. But that doesn’t mean you have to toss them (or, I hope, compost them); here are my top five ideas for how to preserve herbs.

Bring in the plants. Bring in herb plants that are still thriving, either by transferring small parts of the plants into smaller containers or bring in potted plants. Place them in a warm, sunny spot (a window sill is ideal) to keep them growing strong. You can also start seedlings from seeds now, provided they have a warm spot to grow. Consider a Seedling Heat Mat to ensure the proper temperature.

Freeze ‘em. Most herbs freeze remarkably well. Pick the leaves of each plant, wash and dry them thoroughly, and give them a quick chop with a knife. Stick a tablespoon of each individual herb in an ice cube tray, cover with water, and place in the freezer. When frozen, take the herb cubes out of the trays and store in a zip top freezer bag. To use the frozen herbs, either thaw the cubes, or just drop the cube into the pot (this works great for winter stews and soups!). Keeps for about 6 months.

Dry the herbs. Wash and dry the herbs, then gather 8 to 12 stems in a bunch. Tie the stems together at the ends and hang each bunch upside down in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. When the herbs are completely dry (in about 2-4 weeks), strip the leaves from the stems and crumble. Store in air tight jars in a cool, dry place. Keeps for about 6 months.

Herbs can also be dried in the oven. Spread the clean, dry herbs in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a warm (up to 180°F) oven for 3-4 hours. Leave the oven door open and stir the herbs periodically until they are thoroughly dry.

Make herb butter. Making herb infused butter is a simple and delicious way to enjoy summer herbs throughout the year. For each batch, remove one stick of unsalted butter from the refrigerator and let stand until it reaches room temperature. In a bowl, cream butter with 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped herbs and 1/2 tsp. lemon juice. Roll into a log and freeze, or drop into molds (such as candy molds) to make pretty little pats of butter. Freeze until ready to use, then thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Use herb butter on corn on the cob or other vegetables, on fresh breads and muffins, on baked potatoes, or melt on cooked pasta.

Herb combinations that work well include: rosemary and chives; basil, parsley and thyme; and rosemary and thyme.

Make pesto sauce. Pesto is a great way to use up a larger amount of fresh basil. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for homemade pesto sauce.