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If you’ve ever done any sort of gardening you’ll know how stressful it can get when you suddenly find yourself face-to-face with a bumper crop, an overabundance of produce, or, in this case, an excess of herbs.

It’s a good thing though, that there are many ways in which one can successfully preserve herbs for use in the long run. But why would anyone want to preserve herbs? Aren’t fresh herbs better, at least nutrition-wise?

There are many reasons why people choose to preserve herbs, most of which revolve around the concept of practicality. For example, many herb gardeners choose to preserve excess herbs to make the most of their harvest and reduce any food wastes, which would have ended up in the trash, wasted and unused.

Some may also purposely preserve their herbs to unlock new flavors that wouldn’t otherwise exist if it weren’t for certain processes that happen when preserving them.

In any case, here are some herb preservation methods that you can use in case you find yourself swamped with an overwhelming amount of herbs.

Freeze your herbs

You can freeze herbs in three different ways: loose in freezer bags, or blitzed up in water or oil.

This method is preferred by many since it actually helps preserve the herbs’ essential oils. Not only that, but the method is very easy to follow:

1. Rinse the herbs and remove the leaves from the stems.
2. Lay the leaves out on a flat tray lined with kitchen towels and let dry.
3. Once sufficiently dry, you can bag the leaves together and just put them in the freezer.

Another method involves blending the herbs with some oil or water, which you can then use in cooking:

1. Rinse the herbs and remove the leaves from the stems.
2. Lay the leaves out on a flat tray lined with kitchen towels and let dry.
3. Once sufficiently dry, place the leaves in a blender and add enough oil or water to cover.
4. Blend the herbs until smooth, then pour the mixture into freezer trays or silicone molds.
5. To use, simply pop a cube or two from the mold or tray and add to your dish.

Another freezing method that you can try uses oils and whole herbs, with the end product looking like small cubes of compound butter. This, according to food experts, yields cubes that can be used in soups and stews or other recipes that call for whole herbs:

1. Rinse the herbs and remove the leaves from the stems.
2. Lay the leaves out on a flat tray lined with kitchen towels and let dry.
3. Once sufficiently dry, place the leaves in molds or freezer trays to about ? of the mold.
4. Cover the herbs with your oil of choice and then freeze.
5. To use, simply pop a cube or two from the mold or tray and add to your dish.

Create herb infusions

Herb infusions are a great way to make use of excess herbs that you may have on hand, as they can make herbs last for a much longer period of time, not to mention allow for the creation of unique ingredients that you can use on your favorite recipes.

Infusions, as noted by food experts, can be made using oils, honey and vinegar.

Herb-Oil Infusion

To make an herb and oil infusion, all you will need are whole dried herbs and an oil of your choice. Be careful when making an herb and oil infusion though, since any moisture from herbs that are not thoroughly dried can lead to botulism:

1. Add dried herb leaves and oil to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let this simmer for 45 seconds.
3. After 45 seconds, strain the resulting oil into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer lined with an organic coffee filter. NOTE: Do not push down on the mixture.
4. Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour off any dark liquid that may have collected in the bottom of the bowl.
5. Transfer the infused oil to an airtight container or bottle and store in a cool, dark place.

Herb-Honey Infusion

Honey infusions are a wonderful way to use excess fresh herbs that you may happen to have at the moment. These infusions are highly valued, as the herbs impart a wonderful flavor to the honey, making it an interesting addition to say, a cup of tea or as a sweetener for certain cakes and pastries. These are also used to flavor milk and also some salad dressings.

Here’s how you can make your own herb-honey infusion:

1. Place whole dried leaves and sprigs of your favorite herbs in a large-mouthed glass jar.
2. Add honey, making sure to cover each leaf, stem, or sprig completely.
3. Close the lid and store in a cool, dark place, letting the herbs infuse for at least five days. Do note that the flavor will intensify the longer the herbs are allowed to steep in the honey.
4. Once the honey has reached the flavor intensity that you want, strain the honey into another container. You can boil the steeped herbs to make a refreshing medicinal drink if you so choose.
5. Store the honey in a dark place.

Make compound butter

Making compound butter — AKA flavored butter — is a lovely and easy way to use any excess herbs and spices you may have in your kitchen.

Unlike other preservation methods such as oil and honey infusions that strictly require dried herbs, compound butter can be made using fresh ones, to fully capture the latter’s wonderful herbal flavors and aromas.

Here’s how you can make your own:

1. Mince the herbs until fine
2. Mix in the softened butter and stir until fully combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into a large sheet of wax paper.
4. Using a spatula, pat the butter into a rudimentary log shape
5. Fold one side of the wax paper over the log and roll it into a tube, shaping with your fingers outside the wax paper as needed.
6. Twist the ends to seal.
7. Once formed, place the log in the refrigerator and leave until firmly set.
8. Once fully set, slice the log into 1/4-inch thick discs and serve
9. Keep the unused compound butter in the refrigerator. It will last for approximately two weeks.

Dry your herbs

This is the most basic method of preserving herbs and is the one whose results last for much longer.

As noted by experts, there are two variations of this method. The first is air-drying, which is best for low-moisture herbs such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary and dill. The second one is drying herbs using an oven or a dehydrator. This method is more suited for herbs that have more moisture in them, such as basil, chives and mint.

Here’s how you can dry your own herbs:

Air-drying

1. First, gather 5-10 sprigs and tie them together using kitchen twine. The smaller the bundle, the easier and faster it will dry.
2. Put the bundle of herbs, stem-side up, in a paper bag. Tie the end of the bag closed, making sure not to crush the herbs as you do.
3. Poke a few holes in the bag for ventilation.
4. Hang the bag by the stem end in a warm, well-ventilated room.
5. Depending on the humidity, your herbs may be dried and ready to store in as little as one week.
6. Once ready, transfer the herbs to a labeled airtight container.

Oven-drying

1. Place herb leaves or seeds on a cookie sheet one inch deep or less.
2. Next, put the cookie sheet in an open oven on low heat – less than 180 degrees F – for 2-4 hours. Leave the oven door slightly ajar to let the steam escape more easily.
3. To see if the herbs are dry, check if leaves will readily crumble.
4. Once the herbs are ready, transfer them to an airtight container and store in a dark, cool area.

Preserving herbs doesn’t have to be an excessively complicated task: you just have to know what the herbs will be used for, as well as the current conditions that could affect their drying and preservation time.

Sources:

HomemadeMastery.com

Foodal.com

HomespunSeasonalLiving.com

BoulderLocavore.com

HGTV.com