Home-drying herbs is easy and a great way to preserve their flavor, aroma, and nutrients. A food dehydrator is perfect; it not only speeds things up but gives consistent results. So, if you love gardening for cooking or just love the taste of fresh herbs in your dishes and want to keep them around longer, this drying method will up your culinary game and keep herbs around longer.
Why Use a Food Dehydrator for Drying Herbs?
A food dehydrator is the best tool for herb drying. Air drying can take days and expose herbs to dust and moisture, whereas a dehydrator delivers controlled heat and airflow to herbs, allowing them to dry evenly and quickly. This process also allows the herbs to maintain their striking color, important oils, and strong flavors.
The dehydrator’s temperature settings, meanwhile, are consistent enough to prevent over-drying (and burning), a problem with some people’s oven-drying methods. And it lets you dry multiple batches at once, making it great for gardeners with big herb harvests. Whether you’re preserving basil, rosemary, mint, or any other herb, drying them in a dehydrator will guarantee you’ll have great dried herbs prepared for all your herbs recipes.
How to Prepare Herbs For Dehydration
If you’re going to try drying herbs, here’s how to do it right,
- Pick at the Right Time: Harvest herbs in the morning when essential oils in the leaves are most concentrated. Use fresh, healthy leaves and stems.
- Wash and Dry: Rinse herbs under cool running water to remove dirt. Remove excess moisture, and dry with a towel. Avoid mold by letting them air dry thoroughly before dehydrating.
- Trim and Arrange: Remove leaves from woody stems like rosemary and thyme, or keep delicate stems whole such as parsley. Spread the herbs across the trays in a single layer for proper airflow.
How to Properly Set Up Your Food Dehydrator
Wash your trays and preheat the dehydrator to between 95°F and 115°F (35°C and 46°C), as is normally done. Spread herbs so they do not overlap and dry evenly. If you are drying various types of herbs, do not mix varieties that have different drying times.
Insert the trays into the dehydrator, put the lid on, and adjust the temperature according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
How to Dry Herbs With a Dehydrator
Herb drying with a food dehydrator is relatively easy but needs some attention Turn the dehydrator to its lowest temperature for herbs, to maintain their subtle flavors and oils. Drying times are 1 to 4 hours, depending on the moisture content of the herb.
Tips for Optimal Drying:
- Even Spacing: Make sure herbs are on trays in a single layer without overlap. This creates even airflow and prevents moisture from collecting which could cause mold or uneven drying.
- Rotate Trays: If your dehydrator model does not have an automatic tray rotation, turn the trays every hour to allow for uniform drying. Since the outcome we all want is consistent results for every herb, this step is crucial.
- Check Dryness: Periodically Check on your herbs to see if they are dry. When herbs are properly dried, they feel crisp and crumble easily between your fingers, but they shouldn’t turn brown or lose their bright color. If some pieces dry more quickly than others, remove them quickly so they don’t over-dry.
- Avoid Overheating: Just be careful not to turn the heat too high, as herbs quickly lose their oils and flavor on high heat. Herbs are between 95°F and 115°F (35°C to 46°C) recommended temperature range.
- Monitor Time: Basil, mint (may dry quicker than other varieties of rosemary, thyme) Based on the type of herb and the amount of moisture it contains, adjust the drying time.
Storing Dried Herbs for Maximum Shelf Life
Proper storage maintains the flavor of dried herbs:
- Store in airtight containers, such as glass jars or vacuum-seal bags.
- Label each container with the name of drying for the name and easy identity of the herb.
- Store in cool, dark, and dry places to preserve the quality away from sun and heat.
To maximize shelf life, don’t crush herbs until you use them whole leaves retain essential oils better than crushed ones. When stored well, dried herbs can keep their flavor for a year.
Creative Ways to Use Your Dried Herbs
Dried herbs are incredibly versatile, and even their strong flavors generally make them a great addition to a variety of different dishes. Sprinkle homemade pizzas or pasta sauces with a little dried basil or oregano for an Italian touch. Sprinkle roasted vegetables or meats with dried rosemary or thyme.
You can also mix your dried favorites in specific ratios for custom herb blends like Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence. These mixes are good gifts and pantry staples for getting dinner on the table with a dash of seasoning.
Dried mint or dried chamomile can also be steeped into soothing herbal infusions at home, for tea lovers. By trying different combinations, you can learn to use herbs when cooking herb recipes according to your taste.
Learning how to dehydrate herbs with a food dehydrator serves dual purposes: it preserves herbs at peak flavor while also ensuring you have quality ingredients year-round to create fun recipes.