How to dry basil at home

Due to its beneficial properties, basil is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and in cosmetology. This is a spicy herb that has an unusual taste and an absolutely amazing aroma. Basil is added to salads, soups, meat dishes. Tomatoes and mozzarella in combination with basil become unusually tasty. But unfortunately, there is no way to collect greens from the garden throughout the year, and what is sold in the store in winter does not always meet our requirements. In this case, the best solution would be to take care of everything in advance and in the summer to prepare basil for the whole winter, because this herb in dried and frozen form retains all its beneficial properties and wonderful aroma.

About the benefits and culinary properties of basil

Dried basil: photo

Basil is native to India and is widely used throughout the world. In the countries of the Caucasus there is even a proverb: "The one who chews the basil will live longer." In Europe, the most common green varieties of basil, and in Asia, varieties with purple leaves. In Italy, Neapolitan basil is grown to make pesto sauce.

Fresh greens are combined with rice and beans, meat and fish, vegetables and cheeses. Basil is also excellent "friends" with other spicy herbs such as rosemary, sage or tarragon.

Besides fresh herbs, basil is widely used in dried form. It can also be added to any meal. In the national cuisine of Poland, dried basil is even added to cottage cheese and yogurt.
Because basil has a very strong aroma, it is used to flavor vinegar and olive oil.

In addition to its excellent culinary properties, basil can be used as an anti-inflammatory and wound healing agent. In folk medicine, it is used to relieve headaches, treat protracted bronchitis with persistent cough. However, even in traditional medicine, each remedy has its own contraindications. So, for example, the use of basil is undesirable at high blood pressure, when recovering from myocardial infarction, thrombophlebitis and, of course, individual intolerance, in other words, when you are allergic to basil.

There are more than 50 types of basil, and no matter which one you grow on your site, it can be prepared for the winter. It is important to know how to do it correctly so that the plant retains its extraordinary aroma and beneficial properties.

Dry or freeze basil?

Dried basil: photo

Basil leaves can be cut throughout the growing season, but it is best to do this before flowering or during flowering. At this time, the content of useful trace elements and essential oils in the plant is at its highest. The most optimal time for harvesting will be July and the second half of September (at this time the second harvest usually grows). You can prepare basil for the winter by drying or freezing it.

If everything is quite simple with freezing - you just need to cut the greens, pack them in bags and send them to the freezer, then drying the basil is a longer process that must be carried out according to all the rules. You can use various achievements of civilization (oven, microwave, electric dryer for vegetables and fruits). Or place the raw materials in a dark, cool room with excellent ventilation.If the temperature in the room is too high, then the basil will lose its extraordinary aroma, as the essential oils will simply evaporate. And if the room is not well ventilated, then at best your basil will smell like hay, and at worst it will be covered with mold.

Basil can be dried either with individual leaves (whole or pre-cut) or with a bush.

How to dry basil at home with a whole bush?

This is perhaps the simplest way that spicy and medicinal herbs are usually dried: the stems are cut, collected in bunches and hung in a room where there is no direct sunlight, good air circulation and not very high temperature. A dry attic is the most suitable space. If there is no attic, then you can dry the basil in a barn or under a canopy on the street, subject to dry weather.

Basil in this form is best harvested and dried at the end of the season, when it is time to remove the plants from the garden. In the summertime, it is preferable to harvest the leaves so that the plant does not stop growing.

How to properly dry basil leaves?

Dried basil: photo

In this way, you can harvest basil non-stop, removing sufficiently dried leaves for storage and replacing them with fresh ones. The requirement for the room in which the process will take place remains the same, but since we will not hang each leaflet, we need to think about the surface on which to place them. If there is a large table, then this is fine, cover it with clean paper, napkins or paper towels, cotton or linen cloth, the main thing - no newspapers. If there is no table, then a new (or previously well-washed and dried) mosquito net from a plastic window can be used as a surface. Alternatively, you can stretch cheesecloth or cotton fabric over a specially prepared frame. On any surface, the leaves must be laid out carefully, making sure that they do not overlap each other, then they will dry well and evenly.

You can also use an electric dryer, which has a special "herbs" mode, a microwave oven, in which, at 700w mode, your basil will be ready in three to four minutes. But if you plan to dry it in the oven, then be careful and careful: even if you slightly exceed the permissible temperature, the spice will lose all its wonderful aroma. Therefore, it is necessary to set the minimum temperature and keep the door open, dry the basil for an hour, stirring constantly, and then leave it in this form for a few more hours in the oven already turned off. During the drying process, the temperature should not rise above 43 degrees.

Spice storage rules

Dried basil: photo

When storing spicy herbs, including dried basil, there is one most important rule: there should not be constant contact with air, as they lose their aroma. That is, the container in which the basil is stored must be completely sealed. It can be a glass or tin can. Some people store spices in fabric bags or paper bags, this is acceptable, but be prepared for the fact that the aroma will gradually become less bright than at the beginning.

The raw materials that you dry without using any additional means will be ready in one to two weeks, it all depends on the humidity of the air at a particular time. When the basil is dry enough, the leaves can be easily rubbed with your fingers to a powder. If you have dried basil in bunches, separate the leaves from the stems (the stems can be discarded, they will not be needed) and chop. Leaves that have been dried separately are also best chopped. That's all, the drying process is over, put the basil in a previously prepared container and use it to your health.

Can basil be dried?

Agree, preparing spicy herbs for the winter is much easier than rolling up jars of cucumbers and tomatoes, even not the most experienced housewife can do it.Both frozen and dried basil will retain their beneficial properties throughout the year, therefore, will support your body with vitamins in the winter.

How to dry basil at home: training video