Search
Popular Departments
Join Mailing List
ECO-Packets
All seeds are packaged in recycled catalogs!Our Guarantee
All garden seeds online have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Learn More
How to Dry Basil - Urban Farmer's Guide
Home > Gardener's Guide > How to Dry Basil
 |
Fresh basil is a tasty treat from any garden. By drying basil in the summer and fall you can ensure that you will have a steady supply all winter and spring long. Drying basil is very simple, and there are several tried and true methods for doing it. The two most common methods are air drying and oven for quick drying.
A great basil to use for drying is 'Italian Basil' which has great flavor and will store well.
The first tried and true method is to merely hang the basil in bundles. Sometimes this method will discolor the basil so you should place a thin layer of stripped leaves in between two folded sheets of newspaper. Try placing the paper sheets on a wire rack and turn a few times a day until the leaves are completely dry. The newspaper helps reduce the discoloration of the basil and limits oxidation that would happen without the paper. There are special basil drying racks that allow both air and oven drying together!
When drying basil in the oven you should first remove all the stems from the basil leaves. Next, tear all the basil leaves into tiny pieces you can lay together on a baking sheet. The oven should be turned on to no higher than 350 degrees to reduce the risk of browning the leaves. It should take anywhere from 7-12 minutes for the leaves to dry completely but times will vary so make sure to keep a close eye while in the oven. They should be baked until they are crumbly but not so long as to turn them brown. Once your basil has cooled you want to crumble it up more in order to refine it to how you like it.
Like this article? Tell a friend!
The first tried and true method is to merely hang the basil in bundles. Sometimes this method will discolor the basil so you should place a thin layer of stripped leaves in between two folded sheets of newspaper. Try placing the paper sheets on a wire rack and turn a few times a day until the leaves are completely dry. The newspaper helps reduce the discoloration of the basil and limits oxidation that would happen without the paper. There are special basil drying racks that allow both air and oven drying together!
When drying basil in the oven you should first remove all the stems from the basil leaves. Next, tear all the basil leaves into tiny pieces you can lay together on a baking sheet. The oven should be turned on to no higher than 350 degrees to reduce the risk of browning the leaves. It should take anywhere from 7-12 minutes for the leaves to dry completely but times will vary so make sure to keep a close eye while in the oven. They should be baked until they are crumbly but not so long as to turn them brown. Once your basil has cooled you want to crumble it up more in order to refine it to how you like it.
Like this article? Tell a friend!
 |
