Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

So I finally got around to drying a bunch of my herbs from the garden and it never ceases to amaze me....
I go through herbs like crazy with my cooking so have grown my own forever-parsley, sage, chives, lemon balm, cilantro, garlic chives, oregano, thyme and savory usually. Oh and mint...lol

I dry them down either on the counter or in my el cheapo dehydrator-i swear i got at walmart for 15$ about 15 years ago or more....

I never ceases to amazing mw how different my herbs dried and ground look from store bought....

Store bought on the left....home grown on the right....
sage Parsley-mine on the top store on the bottom

I wonder if they are substituting with something to make it cheaper, like they always do. As when last month I bought a pack of ginger and spices to cook with (since ginger is good for us) but when I read the package, there was no ginger in it!

Homegrown looks a lot more appetizing! I have basil and sage drying in bunches right now, which I consider to be a victory because I usually forget to bring any herbs in before the frost kills them off.

Oregano just went into the dehydrator. Spearmint is next. Badil is drying on the counter-it goes black with the heat...i think spearmint might too...should try a bit so i dont burn it all lol
My hands smell amazing right now from stripping the leaves off the stems. Lol

is it possible to dry entire herb plants by hanging them up? we have a tonne of different herbs and id like to save them before the frost kills them.... and I truly dont feel like using our small dehydrator for the amount of herbs that we have. I need to build that big solar dehydrator I posted from mother earth news... next year.

I dont see why not but what do you experts think?

I believe most herbs bought in the store are 'baked' dry and not dehydrated.

I dehydrated my herbs this year and I'm amazed at the difference in colour and odor/taste. All I could figure in comparison was that store bought is baked/cooked. Would explain the loss of colour in the herb and ultimately the flavour.

thegawd wrote:QR_BBPOST is it possible to dry entire herb plants by hanging them up? we have a tonne of different herbs and id like to save them before the frost kills them.... and I truly dont feel like using our small dehydrator for the amount of herbs that we have. I need to build that big solar dehydrator I posted from mother earth news... next year.

I dont see why not but what do you experts think?

The only herbs I have a problem with drying upside down or air dried are big leaf/water ones like basil, wormwood and spearmint. These always seem to go mouldy on me. Oregano and rosemary I've always managed hanging upside down, but has to have good air movement especially where it is bunched together at the stem/bottom.

Thanks Sandy!

I dry lots of mine too. But I chop basil and roll into logs and freeze fresh. Just unwrap, break off the amount needed and wrap back up. Tastes just like fresh basil! I save cilantro this way too. I find it has a bit more flavour this way.

You can also freeze herbs into ice cubes for use in cooking. Just put into ice cube tay fill with water and then break out cubes when frozen and store in a bag. Then pop one into you soup/stew/whatever.