Basil perfectly dry in the open air and in the oven
To preserve by air drying, pluck the leaves from the shoots. Cleaned under running water, pat the leaves dry with a kitchen towel. All leaves with a stem are now tied together with wire or bast ribbon in small bundles. When hung up in the airy attic, the basil bouquets dry within two weeks. Dry leaves without a stem in the oven. That's how it's done:
- Spread the clean leaves on a baking sheet
- Dry in the oven at 50 degrees top and bottom heat or circulating air function
- leave the oven door slightly open
also read
- How to preserve basil by drying - this is how it works
- Freeze Thai basil properly - this is how you preserve the aroma
- Keeping coriander fresh and preserving it - this is how it works
Freezing royal cabbage - this is how it works with and without blanching
Chefs recommend blanching basil before freezing. In this way you preserve a large part of the unique aroma at the same time. How to do it:
- Dip the basil leaves in boiling water for 5-10 seconds
- Immediately soak in ice water and let dry on kitchen paper
- Spread the leaves out on a plate and pre-freeze in the freezer
- then fill into freezer bags and store in the freezer
If blanching is too time-consuming for you, the washed herb leaves are pre-frozen without this intermediate step and filled into freezer jars. It is even faster if the washed papers are placed in the compartments of an ice cube tray. Simply fill up with water and freeze - done.
The culinary variant of preservation - delicious pickle
Here, preserving and preparing go hand in hand. If you put freshly harvested basil in oil, it is both durable and delicately refined. To do this, put the washed leaves in the food processor. While chopping, drizzle in olive oil until a creamy pesto is formed. The sauce can be kept for 2-3 weeks in a glass bottle. You can store the wort frozen for several months.
The gourmets among the hobby gardeners preserve a particularly abundant harvest surplus by soaking the royal herb in salt. The result is a seasoning that gives Mediterranean dishes a special touch. This is how it works:
- Grind the freshly harvested, washed leaves and mix with sea salt
- Spread the damp salt on a baking sheet
- Let dry in the oven at 50 degrees
- Turn it in the meantime so it doesn't clump
- Put the appetizing green colored salt in a shaker or an airtight can
Tips & Tricks
Homemade basil vinegar is a hit in Mediterranean cuisine. To do this, the leaves are put in a bottle and white wine vinegar is poured over them. A clove of garlic gives the mixture a special kick. After 8-10 days the vinegar is ready, so that the leaves and garlic clove can be strained. This way, you can preserve basil for 12 months and longer.
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