How to preserve it properly

How to air dry fennel? No!

Unlike most other herbs, fennel herb does not tolerate air drying too well. Practical tests show that fennel green only turns brown and unsightly. We therefore advise against tying fennel in small bouquets and placing it upside down in a dry, airy place to hang up, as you do with a large number of other herbs in good conscience can.

Drying fennel in the oven? Yes!

Fortunately, you don't have to rely on air drying. For example, you can use the oven. That's how it's done:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the fennel leaves evenly on the tray.
3. Then place the tray in the preheated oven.
4. Let the herb dry at around 40 degrees Celsius with the oven door slightly open.

Tips:

• To keep the oven door slightly open, clamp a wooden spoon in between.
• The oven door should remain open so that the moisture can easily escape.
• Make sure that the fennel herb is rusty dry (without residual moisture).
• The temperature should not exceed 40 degrees - gently dry the herb.

Drying fennel in a food dehydrator? Yes!

An automatic dehydrator is even better than the oven for drying fennel herbs. If you have such a device, you should prefer it to the oven. The same applies here: do not use temperatures higher than 40 degrees Celsius!

Thanks to the quick but gentle drying in the automatic dehydrator, the fennel leaves remain juicy green and therefore tasty and attractive.

Alternative preservation option: freezing

If you don't want to dry your fennel herb after all, there is another method to choose from: you can freeze it.

1. Wash the fennel herb thoroughly.
2. Dry it off carefully.
3. Chop the cabbage.
4. Portion the chopped cabbage in ice cube trays.
5. Fill the ice cube trays with water.
6. Put the whole thing in the freezer.
7. Divide the fennel herb cubes in freezer bags.
8. Seal these bags airtight.
9. Store the freezer bags in the freezer.