Preserve herbs and co

Which herbs can be dried?

The following are very suitable for drying:

• Oregano,
• Marjoram,
• Rosemary,
• Thyme,
• Lavender,
• Savory
• Dill seeds,
• Caraway seed.

But you can also dry many other spices such as chillies and thus stock up on them.

When should spices be harvested?

Aromatic plants that you want to use the greens of will taste most fragrant when they are about to bloom.

For herbs such as dill or caraway seeds, the inflorescences or seeds are used. The corresponding parts of the plant are cut off when the fruits have reached their typical color.

Clean spices

After harvesting, store the spices in an airy place and process them as quickly as possible:

• Simply shake out slightly soiled herbs thoroughly.
• You can remove coarse dirt with a damp cloth.
• If you want to wash the spices, hold them under a gentle stream of water. Then dab carefully.

Preservation by drying

Spices can be air dried, in a dehydrator or in the oven:

• For air-drying, combine the herbs into bunches. Hang them up in an airy, warm and shady place.
• Spread seed-bearing spices and those with small leaves on a surface.
• With chillies, you pull a string through the stem and hang up the pods.
• If the leaves rustle softly, the process is complete. Depending on the spice, this takes between three and seven days.
• Seeds can then be easily separated from the other parts of the plant.

Alternatively, you can use heat to dry the spices in the oven or automatic dehydrator. Switch the devices on at a temperature of 30 to a maximum of 50 degrees. The drying time is two to four hours.

To preserve the aroma, store the spices in tightly fitting, dark containers.