Are you growing herbs in your garden this summer? If so, be sure to dry some so you'll have herbs to use this winter. Store-bought herbs and spices that are sold in supper markets have really no taste. Home-dried herbs are much more flavorful and potent. All you need is twine and hooks.
To dry your herbs, cut them and tie them in a bundle from the stem with a bit of twine. Don't make the bundles too thick, so they can dry more evenly.
Hang them upside down in your home where its warm, dry, has good air circulation, and away from direct sunlight. You can hang them on hooks, or string a rope from one part of a wall to another to hang them.
It usually takes between 5-10 days to air-dry herbs.
When the herbs are dried, you can store them whole or crush them up lightly with a mortar and pestle. Store in a mason jar, and be sure to label the jar.
Keep jars away from sunlight, such as in your pantry.
Air-dried herbs should last between 6 and 12 months. Open the jar and sniff; if it still has a strong scent, you can use it. Mine usually last a year, so by then, I'm growing more herbs in the garden and can replace the old herbs with fresh air-dried herbs.
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