Dried Garden Herbs
The end-of-season sweep: woody herbs hung in bundles, tender herbs dried gently on low heat, and a winter's worth of seasoning jarred from your own beds.
Ingredients
one batchFrom the garden
- 4 bunchs tender herbs (basil, parsley, mint, dill, chives), rinsed and dried very well
- 4 bunchs woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage), rinsed and dried very well — these air-dry beautifully in hanging bundles
Steps
tap a step to dim it as you go- Harvest mid-morning, after the dew burns off but before the sun wilts anything — that's when the oils peak. Rinse briefly, spin dry, and pat with towels until no surface water remains; damp herbs mold instead of drying.
- Woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage): tie into small, loose bundles with twine and hang upside down in a warm, airy spot out of direct sun. They're done in 1–2 weeks, when leaves crumble between your fingers and stems snap cleanly.
- Tender herbs (basil, parsley, mint, dill): these brown if air-dried, so lay leaves in a single layer on dehydrator trays at 95–115°F for 2–4 hours — or the oven's lowest setting with the door cracked, checking every 30 minutes — until crackling dry.
- Test before jarring: a properly dry leaf shatters, never bends. Anything leathery goes back for another hour; underdried herbs spoil the whole jar.
- Strip leaves from stems and pack them whole into small airtight jars — crushing now bleeds the flavor out early, so crumble only at the pot. Check the jars for a week; any condensation inside means re-dry immediately.