How to Dehydrate Herbs and Make Your Own Spices
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Date: 2022-07-18
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Comments and reviews: 15
Life
Thank you for your lovely video and for continuing to show people how wonderful and versatile herbs can be. We need more herb champions! I've had a love affair with herbs for many years--not just for their use in cooking, but for their amazing nutritional, medicinal and practical applications. My chickens & bees love them too. I'd never be without my herbs dotted all around my garden. I like to dry them and then keep them whole in named paper bags. They're stored in a cupboard in the middle of the house, where the temperature stays constant all year round. If I haven't used the last of my herbs from the previous year when I'm ready to harvest again, they go on the compost heap.
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Thank you for your lovely video and for continuing to show people how wonderful and versatile herbs can be. We need more herb champions! I've had a love affair with herbs for many years--not just for their use in cooking, but for their amazing nutritional, medicinal and practical applications. My chickens & bees love them too. I'd never be without my herbs dotted all around my garden. I like to dry them and then keep them whole in named paper bags. They're stored in a cupboard in the middle of the house, where the temperature stays constant all year round. If I haven't used the last of my herbs from the previous year when I'm ready to harvest again, they go on the compost heap.
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PhosphorAlchemist
Great video about storage prep!
One more tip for storage is to size your jar close to the volume of your contents if you can. Excessive headspace is one of the ways you lose aroma/potency over time. Of course, use what containers you have available -- open to the room is the ultimate in exessive headspace -- but if you have the option use tiny jars for your tiny amounts and bigger jars for your bulk spices you'll get longer preservation from your dried herbs.
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Great video about storage prep!
One more tip for storage is to size your jar close to the volume of your contents if you can. Excessive headspace is one of the ways you lose aroma/potency over time. Of course, use what containers you have available -- open to the room is the ultimate in exessive headspace -- but if you have the option use tiny jars for your tiny amounts and bigger jars for your bulk spices you'll get longer preservation from your dried herbs.
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Cuznclive
Do you practice no-till?
Realizing that root-based crops, such as turmeric, can be tricky, or impossible, to manage completely as no-till, the theory still applies. For example, grow turmeric, harvest, re-amend, plant a winter cover crop and let it ride until ready to replant with something that doesn't require tilling and counters the npk strain from the previous crop. Wash-rinse-repeat.
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Do you practice no-till?
Realizing that root-based crops, such as turmeric, can be tricky, or impossible, to manage completely as no-till, the theory still applies. For example, grow turmeric, harvest, re-amend, plant a winter cover crop and let it ride until ready to replant with something that doesn't require tilling and counters the npk strain from the previous crop. Wash-rinse-repeat.
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June
So needed this lesson! I have a very old dehydrator I hope still works. Into gardening again and need to learn how to preserve what I grow. I dried parsley in my oven. Heated my oven to 200 degrees( lowest temp my oven has) spread the parsley on a cookie sheet, placed the sheet into oven, shut oven off and left sheet for a few hours. Parsley dried well. Still want to use my dehydrator.
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So needed this lesson! I have a very old dehydrator I hope still works. Into gardening again and need to learn how to preserve what I grow. I dried parsley in my oven. Heated my oven to 200 degrees( lowest temp my oven has) spread the parsley on a cookie sheet, placed the sheet into oven, shut oven off and left sheet for a few hours. Parsley dried well. Still want to use my dehydrator.
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handmade
Only thing I think he should have mentioned was to not prep all of these on the same cutting board without washing it first. It might not bother you to have your lemon grass seasoned with a hint of ginger juice in the dehydration process, but it could possibly create some funky flavors down the road.
But yeah this is now one of my favorite saved videos!
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Only thing I think he should have mentioned was to not prep all of these on the same cutting board without washing it first. It might not bother you to have your lemon grass seasoned with a hint of ginger juice in the dehydration process, but it could possibly create some funky flavors down the road.
But yeah this is now one of my favorite saved videos!
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Kevin
Kevin, I typically allow my herbs to air/hang dry and that works out fine with the oregano and thyme. The rosemary and basil turn dark, and while they are still very flavorful they are not the nicest looking. I guess the dehydrator makes all the difference in terms of color - but what about flavor/taste? Have you noticed a difference?
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Kevin, I typically allow my herbs to air/hang dry and that works out fine with the oregano and thyme. The rosemary and basil turn dark, and while they are still very flavorful they are not the nicest looking. I guess the dehydrator makes all the difference in terms of color - but what about flavor/taste? Have you noticed a difference?
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Marianne
Hi Kevin! I wanted to point out that the square Excalibur trays fit perfectly over a standard kitchen sink. So it allows you to rinse off your produce and drain them right on the tray over your sink. Works great for really watery things like tomatoes! It's so convenient that I got rid of my old round dehydrator!
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Hi Kevin! I wanted to point out that the square Excalibur trays fit perfectly over a standard kitchen sink. So it allows you to rinse off your produce and drain them right on the tray over your sink. Works great for really watery things like tomatoes! It's so convenient that I got rid of my old round dehydrator!
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Cavemen
do a mojito with the lemon grass stalk. mint / lemon grass stalk - 50/50, top with ginger beer. gin/vodka instead of rum and for sugar I try to not use it but use whatever, simple syrup, corn, maple, agave, its just for sweetnin / balancing. muddle those stalks. all that freshness in to the shaker.
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do a mojito with the lemon grass stalk. mint / lemon grass stalk - 50/50, top with ginger beer. gin/vodka instead of rum and for sugar I try to not use it but use whatever, simple syrup, corn, maple, agave, its just for sweetnin / balancing. muddle those stalks. all that freshness in to the shaker.
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Tip
I have found with my lemon balm, stevia, and chocolate mint that my All American Sunoven with dehydration rack completely dehydrates the herbs in about 30 minutes. I have one of the cheaper Nesco dehydrator but haven pulled it out to try it on my herbs yet. Joy Giles
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I have found with my lemon balm, stevia, and chocolate mint that my All American Sunoven with dehydration rack completely dehydrates the herbs in about 30 minutes. I have one of the cheaper Nesco dehydrator but haven pulled it out to try it on my herbs yet. Joy Giles
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Shinelle
Hello would you have any advice for sour flies around tomato seedlings? Their about 4 inches long and I transplanted them and I put chives and an egg with the eggshell to give the plant some nutrients but its causing flies. Thank you in advance for your response!
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Hello would you have any advice for sour flies around tomato seedlings? Their about 4 inches long and I transplanted them and I put chives and an egg with the eggshell to give the plant some nutrients but its causing flies. Thank you in advance for your response!
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Kristian
Turmeric can absolutely be used as a dye. I've dyed paper, fabric, and Easter eggs with the stuff, and it comes out an intense shade of yellow. Lovely, until you've spilled the dye bath on your counter or on your clothes and can't get the yellow out!
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Turmeric can absolutely be used as a dye. I've dyed paper, fabric, and Easter eggs with the stuff, and it comes out an intense shade of yellow. Lovely, until you've spilled the dye bath on your counter or on your clothes and can't get the yellow out!
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handmade
Hey Kevin, im 12 and i have a homemade tea and csndles company called S & H Farmhouse. You inspired me to start a garden when i was 7 and mow i raise meat rabbbits, and grow and dehydrate all my own tea. it wouldnt be possible without you. thank you
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Hey Kevin, im 12 and i have a homemade tea and csndles company called S & H Farmhouse. You inspired me to start a garden when i was 7 and mow i raise meat rabbbits, and grow and dehydrate all my own tea. it wouldnt be possible without you. thank you
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Melissa
We love our Excalibur dehydrator! My husband made a bunch of chili powder this year. I plan on doing a lot more herbs next year after finding out many types that we commonly use have heavy metals in them. Growing our own seems a lot safer.
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We love our Excalibur dehydrator! My husband made a bunch of chili powder this year. I plan on doing a lot more herbs next year after finding out many types that we commonly use have heavy metals in them. Growing our own seems a lot safer.
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Paula
Thanks! I happen to know Im getting a dehydrator for Christmas. Ive moved my herb pots indoors to a sunny window and am hoping theyll last all winter. Cant wait to start drying some! Will definitely try growing ginger and turmeric next year.
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Thanks! I happen to know Im getting a dehydrator for Christmas. Ive moved my herb pots indoors to a sunny window and am hoping theyll last all winter. Cant wait to start drying some! Will definitely try growing ginger and turmeric next year.
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Donna
My dehydrator is about 30 years old. It still works, though. It only has one temperature and one speed. I have to rotate the trays for even drying. I have used it took dry herbs; but, my favorite things to dry are banana and apple slices.
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My dehydrator is about 30 years old. It still works, though. It only has one temperature and one speed. I have to rotate the trays for even drying. I have used it took dry herbs; but, my favorite things to dry are banana and apple slices.
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