Home Cooking Tips & Advice

If you have time and the right kind of space to air dry herbs, this is the best way to dry your own herbs, since they will be the most potently flavored. You need a room that is dark, warm and well ventilated in order to dry herbs.

First, clean your herbs well to remove any pests and chemicals. Allow to air dry for a couple of hours. Then tie bunches of herbs in groups of about 5 stems with cotton string. Then tie upside down in the room. It will take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to dry your herbs depending on things such as humidity and heat. The herbs will be done when they crumble between your fingers when rubbed together.

Place herbs in ziploc bags and seal them (without removing the string). Watch over the next 24-48 hours, and if you see any condensation at all, remove the herbs and hang to dry again. The condensation shows that the herbs aren't entirely dry and they will go moldy if you don't redry them herbs.

Once you are certain they are fully dried, store in spice jars or ziploc bags.

Not up to air drying herbs? You can also dry herbs in the microwave