How to Dry and Store your Fresh Herbs for Fall/Winter

Extending your herb garden for the fall/winter season is a great way to add fresh flavours to your cooked dishes come the cooler season.

While it’s true that garden herbs are best used when freshly picked, there are ways to extend that flavor with a slow drying process that won’t deplete them of their precious oils.

One of my favourite herbs is fresh rosemary – I have a big, potted plant on my outdoor deck in the summer – but I also love Oregano, Bay, Dill and Thyme.

How To Harvest Your Herbs

Experts say you should gather herbs earlier in the day – after the dew has dried and before the sun bakes the plants’ essential oils – but who has time to remember that? I simply gather the blooms of herbs when they are fully developed and I cut the stems at their peak.

Drying Fresh Herbs

  • Remove the yellow or dried leaves first, then, a great tip: shake them!  Sounds funny, but you never know what little insects may            be nestling inside the plants.
  • Cut and place them on a large plate to dry out quickly with plenty of air circulation. Wet herbs will rot.
  • For Rosemary sprigs or Thyme, I bundle 6-8 stems together with twine – they tend to shrink as they dry.
Herbs drying in a bowl

Storing Your Dry Herbs

  • Store them in airtight containers and label properly so you know what you’re using when.
  • Date your containers as well: generally speaking, they can last up to 1-3 years.

Alternatively, pack ice cub trays with chopped or whole leaf herbs, cover with water and pop into the freezer. I love these! I pop them into soups, stews and sauces for easy, single-servings.