{My lemon verbena drying on the food dehydrator}
Even the smallest planter or garden can often produce unexpected bounties - have you ever grown mint? It just doesn't quit does it? This year my bumper crop is horehound, an herb that makes a wonderful tea for colds and congestion. Its been so abundant! Not surprisingly, its in the prolific mint family.
Drying herbs is one of the easiest things to get wrong. Or at least that is my experience. Loving the idea of bunches of herbs hanging all over my house, I quickly learned that its not as simple as just hanging them up and forgetting about them. Well, you could do that I suppose, I just don't like the results very much. When drying herbs, you want to dry them quickly, to preserve the nutrients and so they don't go moldy, but not so quickly that the goodness is cooked right out of them. They also should be dried in a dark place - that is how the plant retains its nice green color.
Here are the three ways I dry my herbs, which are then used for infusions, teas and for cooking.
1. With my food dehydrator - certainly the fastest and easiest way, although it does require an initial investment up front. I was lucky and received mine as a gift, but I do know friends who have found them at thrift stores. There are numerous trays that accommodate even the smallest leaves, which I remove from the stems first before placing in the dehydrator.
Pros: fast, takes up small amount of space, keeps the plant's coloring and freshness
Cons: up front investment, uses electricity, has a fan that does make some noise
2. Drying on trays - this is an easy and inexpensive option. After washing the herbs, place them in a single layer drying on trays. The best trays are made from screens, so the herbs get dried equally on top and bottom. If they take too long to dry, the herbs can go moldy. You can also just use baking sheets, lined with newspaper or paper towels and then let them dry in a dark place - like your oven (with no heat).
Pros: inexpensive, no electricity needed
Cons: takes up alot of space, potential for herbs to not dry fast enough if its humid
3. Hanging in bunches - certainly the most charming option! I love the idea of bunches of herbs hanging all over my home like a modern day still room. Unfortunately, without covering the bunches in brown paper bags, the herbs lose their color and can turn brown. Drying in bunches allows you to simply crumble the leaves into jars after they are dry, rather than drying each leave one by one.
Pros: the quickest method, takes up the least amount of space
Cons: can be messy, bunches must be dried in the dark or covered in paper bags
I use all these methods, depending on the herb, what I hope to use it for and my mood. As soon as the herbs are dry, I put them in a sealed jar. If I have a lot of herbs, I put them in my food processor and give it a few pulses to break it down, or you can use a pestle and mortar if its a smaller amount.
Being a city gal, all my drying is done inside the home. You can also dry herbs in the outdoors in the sunshine, however the strong light and heat of the sun will break down the chlorophyll in the leaves, thus turning them brown and this method can also dry out the delicate oils in the plant.
And, lastly, here is a good link for more information!
