2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
It is best to harvest herbs for drying in early summer. Then, during the cold season, you can brew tea, medicinal decoctions and infusions from them. Let us recall a few nuances about drying herbs for the winter
Unlike vegetables and fruits, herbs are much easier to dry out. After all, they have the least moisture. Harvesting herbs yourself is much cheaper than buying them at the pharmacy or on the market. In addition, herbs collected independently or grown at their dacha are of higher quality, environmentally friendly.
Checking the quality of purchased herbs is not easy: they may turn out to be unwashed, spoiled, or not at all what is stated on the package. They sometimes contain toxic pesticides that form when herbs are exposed to gamma rays used to kill germs. At home, you can grow rare herbs that are difficult to find in stores, or they are expensive.
Dried herbs do not grow moldy, they do not contain yeast bacteria, so they retain their beneficial properties longer than fresh ones (from six months to a year). Good air circulation and warmth are necessary to remove moisture from the plants and dry evenly. There are several ways to dry herbs, but first of all, you need to properly prepare them.
Proper harvesting of herbs
The correct harvesting of herbs is of great importance. It is necessary to collect herbs during their flowering period, in the morning hours after the dew dries, but before the essential oils evaporate under the sun's rays. You need to go for herbs in dry weather. After collecting the plants, it is undesirable to postpone them with drying, so that moisture and dust do not collect in them, which negatively affect their quality and taste.
Self-grown herbs may not be washed, but if they were collected in the steppe or forest, they are rinsed under running cold water, and then shaken and placed on a dry napkin or paper to remove excess moisture. Before drying, the grass is sorted out so that there are no dead, old, sick, wilted leaves and stems.
Drying and storage of herbs
Dry herbs in a warm and dry place, collecting them in small bunches. A bunch that is too dense and thick will prevent the herbs from drying evenly. It is not recommended to be exposed to direct sunlight - they discolor herbs, deprive them of their aroma.
Traditionally, for drying, plants are tied up by the stems and turned over with buds and flowers downward. Hang bunches of herbs on your porch in windy weather. For this, special hooks, twines, hangers, ceiling beams are used. It is ideal if it is sunny outside along with the wind.
In order for the herbs to retain their color, taste, nutrients and medicinal substances well, it is recommended to dry them in the fresh air. But if this is not possible, it is advisable to choose a dry, well-ventilated room: for example, an attic or an attic. In urban settings, herbs are often dried on the balcony. If it is necessary to preserve the grass seeds, then it is better to wrap them in paper bags or gauze, which will protect the seeds from moisture, wind and excess sun.
The drying time can be different - from 5 days to several weeks. It depends on the type of grass and weather conditions. After the herbs are completely dry, it is advisable to immediately remove and store them, otherwise they may start to rot and their properties deteriorate. You need to carefully remove the plants - dry herbs become very fragile.
Electronic dryers
Herbs can also be dried using food dehydrators, which are equipped with a temperature control mechanism and a fan that circulates air. This is much easier and faster to do than waiting for the herbs to dry naturally. It is enough for herbs to stay in the electric dryer for only a few hours. It depends on the product model. In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions.
Drying herbs in the oven
Some people dry herbs in the oven, but this is far from the most effective method. To prevent the herbs from burning, it is important to set the oven temperature very low. Plants are laid out on cheesecloth and sent to the oven.
However, there is no air circulation in it, which is so necessary for high-quality drying. From time to time, the herbs must be turned over so that they dry evenly, and their condition must be monitored at all times.
Microwave ovens for drying
A microwave oven is more suitable for drying herbs than an oven. But it is also not considered the best way to dry medicinal or culinary plants. Place the herb between two paper towels on a wide plate before microwave drying. The microwave turns on for a minute, with breaks for 30 seconds. This operating mode with half a minute rest is observed for about 10 minutes while the grass dries.
Using the refrigerator
In the refrigerator, you cannot dry the grass properly, but the plants are also kept well there. To do this, they need to be laid out on paper towels, which are then rolled up in the form of a roll and placed in the refrigerator.
The paper absorbs moisture from the herbs. After a while, you can get slightly dried plants with the aroma, taste and color preserved in them.
Proper storage of dried herbs
After removing the herbs from the drying site, they must be packaged for long-term storage. With dry hands, you need to grind the dried herbs, or use a mortar and pestle for this. Leave the crushed plants for a while to preserve the aromatic oils. Then you should put the herbs in airtight containers and store in a cool, dark place for 6-12 months. Some herbs are finely chopped and frozen in the freezer to preserve the flavor better.
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