Mom - How to dry herbs at home : the ultimate guide to drying herbs

How To Dry Herbs At Home

The Ultimate Guide To Drying Herbs

By Urban Cheapskate Mom

Copyright2015 by Urban Cheapskate Mom

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any way whatsoever without the written consent of the Author except for the purpose of brief quotations for book reviews.

Disclaimer

The author and the publisher take no legal responsibility for any harm or loss, be it direct or indirect, resulting from using or implementing the information contained in this book as results may vary depending on the individual circumstances.

If you are unsure of any information contained in this book please consult a professional who specialises in the particular enquiry you have and can find the ideal solution relating to your particular situation.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Many, many moons ago, you couldn't walk into a kitchen or storage room without seeing clumps of green herbs hanging upside down. The area smelled wonderful and it instantly made a person hungry. Nowadays, you won't find that scene in most kitchens. Sure, you may see some potted herbs in the windows, but gone are the days when homes were naturally freshened with drying herbs.

Do you remember walking into your grandmother's kitchen and marvelling at the clumps of green and wondering why she had weeds hanging in her kitchen? Back then, our ancestors appreciated doing things by hand. They had a real knack for taking care of what they needed at home and didn't rely on the grocery stores to provide them with every little thing they needed to cook with. It was a simpler time and our grandmas and great-grandmas lived frugally.

We have gotten away from those methods. Now, anytime we need something, even something so simple like thyme for our roast, we run to the store and spend money to buy it. What a sad waste of money. Sure, it is only a couple of dollars here and there, but what if you could put that money to something else. Why spend the money when you can take care of your spice needs at home for free?

This book will help you navigate the drying of the herbs and spices you grow in your garden, whether it is a big garden outside or a few potted plants in your window sill. Drying herbs is a fun, potentially profitable hobby that will make your house smell great while saving you money on your own spice needs!

Chapter 1:
What Herb Drying Actually Is

Herb drying is just as it sounds. It is a way for you to take advantage of your prolific herbs by preserving the excess. Most people cannot possibly use their fresh herbs before they start to wilt or go to seed (some herbs produce seeds you will want to preserve). By drying the herbs, you can use herbs from your garden for months, possibly years to come.

Drying herbs is the only way you can use everything you grow. It is super easy to do and can be done all year round. Drying herbs is pretty straightforward. How you dry the herbs depends on the type of herb you are going to preserve, which we will address in the following chapters.

We dry herbs to keep them from developing bacteria. As you probably know, bacteria is the problem we face when trying to preserve food. All food has some moisture content. To make that food safe to sit on our shelves, we need to remove as much of the moisture content as possible to inhibit bacteria growth. You can safely store your dried herbs on your shelves for years once they have gone through the drying process. However, many people have discovered the potency of the herbs tends to waver after six to twelve months. It has a lot to do with the harvesting, drying and storing. One wrong move and you will shorten the shelf life of your dried herbs.

We don't freeze or can herbs, which leaves drying for preservation. Although some people will attempt to freeze some herbs, they just don't have the same flavour quality as a dried herb. And canning is simply not an option. You can add fresh herbs, like dill, to your canning recipes, but canning an herb alone is simply not an option. Drying is your best bet and it is so easy, it just make sense.

The process of drying herbs can be done several different ways. The key is to go through the process slowly in order to maintain the best quality. Some herbs are naturally dry and will take very little time to completely dry out and be ready for storage. Other herbs hold more water and are prone to moulding if they are not dried quick enough.

Chapter 2:
The Benefits Of Herb Drying At Home

The herbs you dry in your own home are not only incredibly inexpensive, they will be much more aromatic and powerful than the herbs you buy in the store. Your dishes will be more enhanced when you use the herbs that you have dried. Your home-dried herbs will be much fresher than those you would buy at your local market, which means they will pack more punch. You will need less spice to achieve that flavour you love with your store-bought spices.

You are also getting the crucial benefit of knowing exactly what it is in that is in that bottle of seasoning. Most gardeners will leave their herb gardens free of pesticides. Fertilizer is typically not needed, which means your herbs will be completely organic. You can use natural compost to help the plants thrive if you want. Chicken manure is an excellent natural fertilizer that will add nitrogen to the soil, which increases the leaf production in plants. Pesticides are not needed for herb gardens. The pungent smell of the plants acts as a natural repellent that keeps most bugs and pests away. You will need to do some moderate control and may need to remove slugs if the soil is excessively wet during the spring months.

Because herbs are prolific and continue to grow even after you have harvested some of the leaves, you will have a steady supply of herbs. You can opt to use the plants fresh from the garden to save your dried supply or dry as you harvest. Many herbs are very hardy and can be started in early spring. The plants will be ready to harvest in a few short weeks and will continue to produce throughout the summer. Most of the plants will stay alive until the first hard freeze. Herbs are self-seeding, meaning, as the plants grow and mature, they drop seeds and new plants will pop up. Rarely will you need to buy new seeds once you have established your herb garden.

When you choose to grow and dry your own herbs, you will gain a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. It is an amazing feeling to go out to your garden and pluck the food you will feed your family. You get the chance to pick the best leaves and leave any that are wilted behind. When you dry your own herbs, you have complete control over the quality of the herbs. You don't have to worry about other weeds and plants getting tossed into the mix.

If you were not already aware, herbs and spices have numerous medicinal qualities, which is why many people choose to grow them in the first place. If you or a family member is having trouble sleeping, some chamomile flowers steeped in water will help you rest. Lemon balm can be used to treat wounds topically or taken as a tea to relieve an upset stomach. Prolific parsley relieves indigestion as well as peppermint leaves steeped in water. There are plenty of things you can grow in your herb garden that will make your food taste great and your body a little healthier.

Make sure you get your kids involved. It is a skill they will be able to pass down to their own children. Home food preservation is a dying skill that needs to be reintroduced! We can teach our children some cost-saving ways that will benefit them in the future.

Chapter 3:
The Different Methods Of Herb Drying

There are 3 common methods of drying herbs, but herb drying isn't limited to those three ways. We will discuss the most common three and touch on a few of the other ways you can go about preserving your garden's bounty. Basically, you want your herbs to dry at 100 degrees. Because most of us do not keep our homes this warm, you may need to consider other methods.