How to air dry herbs at home

Why dry your own herbs?

Dried, store-bought herbs tend to have very little flavour – but drying your own not only preserves the flavour, it also ensures that you get the best quality, especially if you’ve grown your own or bought fresh, locally grown, organic herbs. Not to mention, air-dried herbs hanging in your kitchen can bring a real country vibe to the aesthetic, so here’s how to air dry herbs at home:

Herbs can be dried in the oven or microwave, but air-drying herbs is one of the easiest ways to dry herbs at home. It can take a couple of weeks, but you end up with a purer, cleaner flavour than with other methods. It is also the most environmentally friendly way of preserving them.

Mediterranean herbs are the best to use, while the more delicate herbs like basil, chives, coriander and tarragon are best frozen. To freeze these herbs, chop them finely and place them into an ice cube tray. Cover completely with extra-virgin olive oil, and freeze. When the cubes are completely solid, place them into a plastic bag, and store in the freezer until ready to use.

Harvesting herbs

• If you are harvesting your own organically grown herbs, they won’t need washing, as some of the essential oils can be lost by rinsing them – instead, just give them a gentle shake to ensure all insects are removed.
• Always harvest herbs mid-morning on a dry day.
• If you are using store-bought herbs, rinse them for a few seconds then gently shake and pat dry.

Air drying herbs

Step one: Tie small bunches of herbs into bundles using string or twine. Tighten as the bunches shrink down and keep the bundles small to avoid rot and mold.

Step two: Hang the bundles upside down in a warm, well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight.

Step three: Hang in a place that does not gather dust.

Step four: Once the herbs are dried, crumble them directly into dishes or crush them in a mortar and pestle after removing any hard stems.

Step five: Leave some leaves whole if you want your herbs to retain their essential oils.

Storing air dried herbs

Place the herbs into small, airtight containers, and keep in a cool, dark place. They can be stored for six to 12 months, but the older they get the less flavour they will have.

When cooking with your dried herbs remember that drying will concentrate their flavour so you will need to use less than you would if cooking with fresh herbs.