The Squirrel Life: Drying Herbs for the Winter

I have a prolific herb garden both in Colorado and South Carolina.  I use these herbs literally daily, and I know that’s why they just grow even more rapidly becoming lush and bushy.  I do fertilize them weekly, and that certainly helps.  When we leave one location to go to another, I’ll give the herb garden a healthy hair cut and send them to my laboratory to be dried and stashed for winter, especially in Colorado, when they won’t grow outside.  Yes, I can get more mileage from my herbs in South Carolina because of the weather, but in the cold winters in the Rockies, it just doesn’t happen.  So, I take these herbs and dry them!  It’s really easy.  Here’s all you do.  One big caution…your house will wreak with freakin’ awesome fragrances!

 

Collect your herbs.  Clean and remove most of the stems.  You may want to keep them separate when you’re drying.  I do combine herbs once they’re dried depending upon the flavor combinations I’m digging.

Spread the herbs on a cookie sheet.  Try not to crowd.  Place in a preheated 170 degree oven and depending upon the type of herb, keep in the oven until the leaves are flaky, dry and can be crushed easily with your fingers.

Remove and store in an airtight container like small canning jars.  Or you can store in air tight zip lock bags, label and put in the freezer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©2012 Alice D’Antoni Phillips   Ally’s Kitchen