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Quick and Easy Tips For Drying Herbs

Is eating a healthy diet important to you and your family? Do you like your food to taste fresh and flavorful? Do you like to garden?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then drying herbs might be just up your alley!

Drying is one of the easiest methods for preserving tasty and healthy herbs. While many people air dry their herbs in a well ventilated area, an even quicker and more delicious way is to use a food dehydrator.

Here are some really easy tips to keep in mind when drying herbs to use in your everyday cooking! You’ll love how they bring out the flavor in your favorite foods and dishes!

• Remember that the best time to harvest most herbs for drying is just before the flowers first open when they are just about to bud. Consider gathering your herbs in the early morning after the dew has evaporated and you will minimize wilting.
• Trim off any dead or discolored plant parts and rinse your precious herbs in cool water and gently shake them to remove excess moisture – be careful not to bruise the leaves!
• Always follow the instructions on your food dehydrator. If you are using the Excalibur Dehydrator, preheat the Excalibur with the thermostat set at 95ºF - 115ºF. Remember that the Excalibur has an adjustable thermostat that allows you to choose the correct temperature for your herbs.
• With the Excalibur, your herbs should be ready in two to four hours. If they aren’t, turn the temperature to a higher setting. Also note that if you live in a higher humidity area, you may require a higher temperature and/or longer drying times to dry herbs and spices properly.
• If you prefer to keep your herbs whole, some herbs do freeze well, like tarragon, chives, dill, fennel and lovage. Simply strip off stems and freeze leaves in freezer bags!
• When drying herbs, consider combining several different herbs together to make your own blends. Why not come up with your own Italian seasoning, pumpkin pie spice, or pickling spice. Let your imagination run wild and you may just come up with some interesting and tasty combinations!
• Always store your dehydrated herbs in air tight containers free from moisture and sunlight. You don’t want sunlight reaching your herbs as it will fade the color and weaken the flavoring oil.