How to Hang Dry Herbs
Serves 2
30 mins cook
20160 mins HANDS OFF DRY TIME
20190 mins total
Discover the easy way to hang dry herbs without any special tools. This timeless technique works for every herb variety and keeps them bright green and flavorful for up to 2 years.
Get FREE mobile app to save your favorite recipes
Scan QR code to download mobile
Harvest herbs in the morning and with sharp kitchen scissors. Cut herbs just above a leaf node (where leaves meet the stem) or 1 inch from the ground (for herbs that do not have leaf nodes). Remove no more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. Keep each herb seperate to make tieing in bundles easier.
Prepare herbs by removing any damaged, yellow, brown, or dead leaves. Gently shake the herbs to remove bugs, debris, and dirt.
OPTIONAL: Wash the herbs with cool water and shake them to remove excess water. Place washed herbs in a single layer and on a tea towel to dry completely before moving on.
For small leaf bundles, cut an 8 inch piece of twine. Gather 6-10 leaves and bundle, tie them with twine and leave long tails. Continue until all herbs are tied in bundles.
For large stemmed herb bundles, cut a 10 inch piece of twine. Gather 10-15 stems, tie them with twine and leave long tails. Continue until all herbs are tied in bundles.
NOTE: Dry lone herbs and flowers on a cooling rack or an old window screen.
To a collapsible wood rack, tie the tails around a spindle of the rack. Allow each bundle to hang upside down and keep enough space between them so they have proper airflow.
Place the rack of herbs in a cool, dry, and dark place like the basement cellar, garage, or a kitchen cabinet. Allow the herbs to dry for 1 to 2 weeks or until aromatic, green, and crumbly to the touch.
NOTE: Stemmed herb bundles will take longer than small leaf bundles because stems are the last thing to dry down. If they are still pliable and do not snap, they are not ready.
Working in batches by herb type, cut twine and remove leaves from the stem. Place leaves in a food processor and pulse until desired size is reached. Store dried herbs in an airtight jar or hinge lid spice jar. They are best kept in a cool, dark cabinet or pantry for up to 2 years.
OPTIONAL: For prolonged storage, use a handheld jar vacuum sealer to seal jars of herbs.
