Herbs have become a key part of our daily lives, and are used in more ways than in simple food and recipe preparations. For many families who are “going green”, the use of herbs expands into the realm of healthcare and even in housecleaning. If you are growing your own herbs, it is important to understand how preserving fresh herbs is essential to the longevity of these natural products.
In most cases, preserving fresh herbs is believed to be easiest and most effective using a drying method. Air drying, in fact, has become a common part of the preservation of herbs as it is believed to be the easiest and most effective. However, for families with limited home space, or if you are in a climate that is rather humid or damp, the drying process for your herbs may not be prudent.
If you have an interest in preserving fresh herbs for home use, then you may want to consider other options beyond air drying. In addition to drying options, you can also use infusions, decoctions, vinegars, and even tinctures, to acquire the benefits of herbs without drying. For each of these processes, there is some work involved but ultimately they may be more effective solutions for preserving fresh herbs than drying alone.
Infusion, as a method for preserving fresh herbs, includes simply steeping the herbs for 10 minutes in hot water and then strained. The infusion fluid, made with a mixture of one tablespoon of herbs to one cup of water, can be kept in a clean container for an extended period of time. In most cases, the bottle infusion will need to be refrigerated.
In addition to infusion, you can also create decoctions of your herbs which pulls the essential oils for saving. Again, simmer the herb for 10 to 20 minutes just as you would in an infusion but, instead, mix one ounce of herbs to one cup of water and store in a clean container. This is also a great way to create the liquid needed for natural chewing gum prepared at home.
Following these two processes, in addition to drying the herbs, can provide you with the benefits of preserving fresh herbs when you are limited by space or climate. Because herbal preparation is key to so many facets of our lives, beyond food preparation, always find ways to preserve to obtain the best possible outcome for your herbal growing efforts.
