How to dry basil outdoors
English Public
Alternative Methods for Drying Basil
Drying basil in the oven is the most popular method for most home cooks to dry their herbs. It doesn’t take an absurd amount of time and doesn’t require any special equipment.
However, there are alternatives. If your oven is unreliable for some reason (or if it’s too hot to bake right now) consider one of the following options:
Can you dry basil in the microwave?
We have seen the very popular videos suggesting that you can dry basil and other herbs in the microwave perfectly in 60 seconds. There are things that seem too good to be true.
You can dry the basil in the microwave, but the leaves will lose their color, flavor, delicate aroma and nutrition . In short, it would be a complete waste of your herbs. Microwaving will break down the essential oils in your basil, rendering it virtually useless.
You’d better use another method.
How to dry basil in a dehydrator
If you have a dehydrator, it’s a great option for effectively drying your basil.
Be sure to wash and trim the basil as normal, and dry it as much as possible before dehydrating. Arrange the basil leaves on the dehydrator trays so that they are in a single layer and do not overlap in any way. Place the tray(s) in the dehydrator.
Your dehydrator may have a specific setting for herbs, or you can use the lowest temperature available, which is usually around 95 F.
The time it takes to fully dry will depend on the humidity in your home. If you are in a very dry location it may take as little as 6 hours, but it may also take up to 24 hours to fully dry.
When the leaves are very crisp, to the point of crumbling to the touch, they are dry and you can crumble them into your spice jars for storage. If they wrinkle or need to break, they need more time in the dehydrator.
How to dry basil outdoors
Air drying basil takes a while, but produces delicious results. This method is great if you can’t use the oven and don’t have a dehydrator.
Some herbs have stems large or sturdy enough that you can hang them upside down to dry. However, basil is quite delicate, so it is best to dry it horizontally.
To air dry the basil you will need a drying rack. We love this adjustable folding hanging bleacher system from Happy Hydro. It is made of polyester mesh and allows optimal airflow under the herbs, as well as plenty of space between tiers for air circulation.
To air dry the basil, trim it, wash it, and dry it as usual. Lay each sheet in a single layer on one of the mesh racks so nothing overlaps and each sheet has plenty of space around it.
Be sure to hang the rack in a humidity-controlled location. You don’t want too much moisture in the air when you’re trying to dry your herbs. A little bit of movement in the air is good, but you don’t want so much to disturb your herbs.
The basil will take a minimum of 1 week to fully dry on an air-dry rack. Although it may take longer depending on air and temperature conditions.
READ MORE :
https://kitchenncooking.com/how-to-dry-basil-in-the-oven-step-by-step/
Drying basil in the oven is the most popular method for most home cooks to dry their herbs. It doesn’t take an absurd amount of time and doesn’t require any special equipment.
However, there are alternatives. If your oven is unreliable for some reason (or if it’s too hot to bake right now) consider one of the following options:
Can you dry basil in the microwave?
We have seen the very popular videos suggesting that you can dry basil and other herbs in the microwave perfectly in 60 seconds. There are things that seem too good to be true.
You can dry the basil in the microwave, but the leaves will lose their color, flavor, delicate aroma and nutrition . In short, it would be a complete waste of your herbs. Microwaving will break down the essential oils in your basil, rendering it virtually useless.
You’d better use another method.
How to dry basil in a dehydrator
If you have a dehydrator, it’s a great option for effectively drying your basil.
Be sure to wash and trim the basil as normal, and dry it as much as possible before dehydrating. Arrange the basil leaves on the dehydrator trays so that they are in a single layer and do not overlap in any way. Place the tray(s) in the dehydrator.
Your dehydrator may have a specific setting for herbs, or you can use the lowest temperature available, which is usually around 95 F.
The time it takes to fully dry will depend on the humidity in your home. If you are in a very dry location it may take as little as 6 hours, but it may also take up to 24 hours to fully dry.
When the leaves are very crisp, to the point of crumbling to the touch, they are dry and you can crumble them into your spice jars for storage. If they wrinkle or need to break, they need more time in the dehydrator.
How to dry basil outdoors
Air drying basil takes a while, but produces delicious results. This method is great if you can’t use the oven and don’t have a dehydrator.
Some herbs have stems large or sturdy enough that you can hang them upside down to dry. However, basil is quite delicate, so it is best to dry it horizontally.
To air dry the basil you will need a drying rack. We love this adjustable folding hanging bleacher system from Happy Hydro. It is made of polyester mesh and allows optimal airflow under the herbs, as well as plenty of space between tiers for air circulation.
To air dry the basil, trim it, wash it, and dry it as usual. Lay each sheet in a single layer on one of the mesh racks so nothing overlaps and each sheet has plenty of space around it.
Be sure to hang the rack in a humidity-controlled location. You don’t want too much moisture in the air when you’re trying to dry your herbs. A little bit of movement in the air is good, but you don’t want so much to disturb your herbs.
The basil will take a minimum of 1 week to fully dry on an air-dry rack. Although it may take longer depending on air and temperature conditions.
READ MORE :
https://kitchenncooking.com/how-to-dry-basil-in-the-oven-step-by-step/
by zyira
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