How to dry herbs at home

Oregano can be used both fresh and dried

Oregano can be used both fresh and dried

Right now is a great time to dry herbs! You can use herbs from your garden or from the shops.
If you have perennials like oregano, thyme or rosemary, early autumn is the time to give them a prune so they grow back thick and lush before winter. 
 
Herbs that you can air-dry: oregano, thyme, marjoram, lemon verbena, rosemary.
Herbs to dry in the oven or dehydrator: basil, parsley, mint.

 

  • Wash your herbs, spin dry with a salad drier or pat dry with a tea towel.

  • Pick over for any weeds, caterpillars or twigs that got in there by mistake!

  • Lay out on a flat dish, basket or baking tray if you’re using the oven.

  • Using an oven: you want the oven to be warm but not hot. Aim for between 50˚C- 80˚C. You could pop the herbs in after you’ve baked something, but make sure the oven’s turned off – if it has a fan setting, leave just the fan on.

  • Herbs like parsley, mint and coriander have a fairly high moisture content, so they’ll do better in the oven. Leave them in on a very low temperature until they’re crisp and you can’t detect any moisture in them (usually about two hours). Turn them over often to check for dryness

  • Herbs like oregano, marjoram, thyme and lemon verbena are comparatively low in moisture. In Canberra’s dry climate you can leave them in an out of the way place where they won’t get dust or dirt in them. In the winter, or on rainy days we recommend putting them somewhere warm like the top of a fridge or near a heating duct.

  • Once the herbs are dry, store them in a jar or sealed container and use within 6 months.

  • You may like to break the leaves off the stems before storing for convenience when cooking.

Canberra Enviro