Harvesting and Preserving Herbs and Spices For Use in Cooking

Harvesting and Preserving Herbs and Spices
for Use in Cooking

Cooks realize that most recipes will require herbs and spices intended for refrigerating, freezing, or drying
spices as ingredients to flavor dishes. Instead of relying should be preserved as soon as possible for the best
on herbs and spices purchased from the grocery store, flavor and color. When storing, remember to label the
gardeners can grow, harvest, and preserve their own. container with the name of the herb or spice and the
The method used for harvesting herbs and spices is date harvested.
dependent on the plant part desired. Separate facts
sheets have been written on each commonly used herb Refrigerating Herbs
with detailed descriptions of the plant part used as well After rinsing, place herbs loosely in a plastic bag, and
instructions for their use in a recipe. Also refer to Herb place the bag in a refrigerator. The herbs will remain
History for definitions of herbs and spices and fresh for a few days to a week. Another method is to
additional historical information. place whole plants or sprigs in a jar or cup with about 1
inch of water, cover the herbs with a plastic bag and
Harvesting place in a refrigerator. If the water is changed daily,
herbs can last up to two weeks using this method.
Tools for harvesting can include hand pruners, a sharp Note: basil (Ocimum basilicum) and oregano (Origanum
knife, or scissors. Your hands will also work well in spp.) should be used on the day harvested because they
pinching off leaves, seeds, or fruits. will not hold well in the refrigerator. Fennel stalks
Leaves should be free of insect damage and other (Foeniculum vulgare) dry out quickly and should be used
blemishes and harvested just after the dew has within 3 to 4 days of harvest.
evaporated from the plant in the morning. Leaves are
at their peak flavor anytime before flowering and Freezing Herbs
develop off flavors after flowering. After rinsing, gardeners have the option of freezing
sprigs, whole leaves, or leaves cut or torn into smaller
If harvesting the entire plant, wait until just before the
sections. Herbs can simply be placed in freezer
flower buds open. If the plant is an annual (see fact
containers or bags and placed in a freezer. Alternatively,
sheet on Nomenclature for more information on
herbs can be placed in a single layer on a cookie sheet
plant life cycles), cut it off at the soil line. If it is
and then frozen. Once the herbs are frozen they can be
perennial, cut off no more that one third of the
placed in freezer containers or bags. This method
stems.
prevents the herbs from freezing in clumps, and it may
Seeds and fruits should be harvested after they reach be easier to remove individual quantities for cooking.
maturity and on a dry day. For most plants, this is In general, blanching herbs before freezing will sacrifice
when the fruit has changed from green to tan, brown, flavor but retain better color. If one opts to blanch,
or black. place the herbs in a colander and pour boiling water
over them for about one second. Basil is one herb that
Preserving should always be blanched. It will blacken if not
blanched prior to freezing. Once frozen, herbs can last
Rinsing and Storing for six months to a year. Generally, herbs will retain
After harvesting, leaves and whole plants should be their flavor though some will change slightly. Frozen
rinsed in cold water and patted dry. Herbs and/or
College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension

herbs can be used in cooking without defrosting. When Sources
using frozen herbs in uncooked foods, they should be
Billingsley, G. (Ed). 1997. The Packer 1997 Produce
thawed and excess water may need to be drained prior
Availability & Merchandising Guide. Vance Publishing
to adding to the foods. In this case, the texture may be
Corp., Lenexa, KS.
softer than when freshly harvested.
Bown, D. 2001. The Herb Society of America New
Drying Herbs & Spices Encyclopedia of Herbs and their Uses. DK, London.
Dried herbs and spices can last up to a year when Bremness, L. (Ed). 1990. RD Home Handbooks
stored in a cool, dry location. Be sure the herb or spice Herbs. The Readers Digest Association, Inc.,
is completely dried prior to storing. Otherwise, they Pleasantville, NY.
can mold and deteriorate quickly. When drying, the
flavor of strong flavored herbs, such as rosemary Buchanan, R. (Ed). 1995. Taylors Guide to Herbs.
(Rosmarinus officinalis) and sage (Salvia officinalis), will affect Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
the flavor of other herbs, so dry strong flavored herbs Kowalchik, C. and Hylton, W.H. (Eds.) 1987. Rodales
away from other herbs. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press,
Emmaus, PA.
Oven-drying is a quick method to remove water from
herbs and spices; however, during the drying process Prepared by Elsa S. Snchez, assistant professor of
essential oils are lost and therefore some flavor is lost. horticultural systems management and
If using this method, position herbs or spices in a single Kathleen M. Kelley, assistant professor of consumer
layer on a cookie sheet, and place them in an oven set at horticulture
its lowest temperature. The oven door should be left
slightly ajar for air circulation. Turn the herbs or spices Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
over periodically to promote uniform drying. They are Department of Horticulture
sufficiently dry when they are crisp and break easily. 102 Tyson Bldg.
Avoid over-drying, and cool prior to storage. University Park, PA 16802
September 21, 2002
Microwaving also removes water from the herb or
spice quickly without affecting flavor. Place the herbs
or spices in a single layer between paper towels.
Microwave for up to 4 minutes, turning them over and
checking for doneness every 30 seconds. The paper
towels need to be replaced once they are too moist.
The herbs are sufficiently dry when they are crisp and The Horticulture Fact Sheet series is produced
break easily. Again, avoid over-drying, and cool prior for home gardeners and professionals by the
to storage. Consumer Horticulture Center at Penn State.
The complete series is available on the Web at
Air-drying is another method to preserve herbs and www.hortweb.cas.psu.edu.
spices. One method of air-drying entails tying a string to
the base of a bundle of whole plants, sprigs, or seed Visit Penn States College of Agricultural Sciences on the Web: www.cas.psu.edu.
heads. Make sure the bundle is small enough for Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by
adequate air circulation and uniform drying. Then hang Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.
the bundle upside down in a warm (68 to 90F), well- Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of Congress May 8 and
June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the
ventilated, dry and dark place. The herbs or spices are Pennsylvania Legislature. T. R. Alter, Director of Cooperative Extension, The
placed in the dark because essential oils break down in Pennsylvania State University.
sunlight. A paper bag can be placed over the herbs or This publication is available in alternative media on request.
spices to keep them out of the light, to catch pieces that The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall
have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard
may fall, and to keep them free of dust. Alternatively, to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as
leaves, seeds, and fruits can be placed loosely in a single determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of
the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination,
layer on a wire screen, slatted tray, or muslin for drying. including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and
They will need to be turned over periodically for even harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap,
national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
drying. Air-drying can take two weeks or more. As Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at
with other drying methods, the herbs and spices are The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination
policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328
sufficiently dry when they are crisp and easily broken. Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-
1150/TTY.
The Pennsylvania State University 2003

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