How to dry Rosemary?!
Answers: I realize this question sounds a little silly but I have a HUGE crop of Rosemary in my garden that I would like to dry. I have never dried herbs before and was wondering exactly how you would do it. I asked my mom, but she was absolutley no help because she uses a food dehydrator to dry all her herbs, and I don't have one. Could I just let it dry out naturally on my window sill? Any suggestions you all have would be great.
How To Dry Herbs
Cut healthy branches from your herb plants.
Remove any dry or diseased leaves
Shake gently to remove and insects.
If necessary, rinse with cool water and pat well dry with paper towels. Wet herbs will mold and rot.
Remove the lower leaves along thebottom inch or so of the branch.
Bundle 4 - 6 branches together and tie as a bunch. You can use string or a rubber band. The bundles will shrink as they dry and the rubber band will loosen, so check periodically they the bundle is not slipping. Make small bundles if you are trying to dry herbs with high water content.
Punch or cut several holes in a paper bag. Label the bag with the name of the herb you are drying.
Place the herb bundle upside down into the bag.
Gather the ends of the bag around the bundle and tie closed. Make sure the herbs are not crowded inside the bag.
Hand the bag upside down in a warm, airy room.
Check in about two weeks to see how things are progressing. Keep checking weekly until your herbs are dry and ready to store.
Storing Dried Herbs
Store your dried herbs in air tight containers. Zip closing bags will do. I like to use small canning jars.
Be sure to label and date your containers.
Your herbs will retain more flavor is you store the leaves hole and crush them when you are ready to use them.
Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold.
Place containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Dried herbs are best used within a year. As your herbs loose their color, they are also loosing their flavor.
Use about 1 teaspoon crumbled dried leaves in place of a tablespoon of fresh
yeah dry it outside your window its fine and store it after drying
just hang it up it will air dry
We have a large amount of rosemary also and we (My wife and I) harvest it and simply let it set in a dark dry place (Indoors) until it dries out. We then put it in baggies and take all the air out and freeze it. We then have fresh herbs all winter. We also bring a plant inside for the winter as rosemary tends to do pretty well inside during the cold winter months.
in the shade- by hanging it upside down let it be till its dry usually around three days that way it does not destroy the essential oils
Tie it in bunches and hang it in a dark place, like the basement. if you dry it in the sun, it loses it's colr .
bundle it in small bundles,,tie string around it at one end,,hang from a wire hanger or plastic,,in a dry dark place,,like a closet,,keep an eye on it,,when dry,, seal it in plastic or glass jars