Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

--
John S. DeBoo

On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 11:55:31 -0600, "John S. DeBoo"
wrote:

Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

I've not dried basil, but I have frozen it - maybe you'd
like to try this too. It has that lovely fresh basil taste
even in winter (although the texture is, of course,
different).

I put the basil leaves and a little water in a blender and
whirl it to a slurry. Then I freeze it in ice-cube trays.
When the cubes are solid, I take them out of the ice-cube
trays and store them in the freezer in a heavy plastic bag.

These are very good to toss in a soup or stew in the winter.

Pat

"John S. DeBoo" wrote in message
...
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

--
John S. DeBoo




I pluck the leaves off and leave them to dry in trays in a warm dry spot
and turn them if I think of it. After about a week (or two depending on
the weather) they are dry enough to crumble up and put into a small jar
with a good seal, where they will last indefinitely. Like all dried
herbs they will slowly lose their aroma so I replace them each year. If
you dry too much (or in strong sunlight) they tend to lose their flavour
as the aromatic oils are lost, if you dry too little, that is they are
still soft, there is a risk they will get mouldy in the jar. Dried the
flavour is different to fresh but still very good.

Some people leave the leaves on the stalk and hang the whole thing up
(say on a string), this will work but it will take longer as the leaves
draw all the water out of the stalks before they dry, although it is
nice to brush past them and get the smell on you. I have been told that
this gives a stronger flavour but I have not observed this to be the
case so I use the quicker approach.

David

In article , "John S. DeBoo" wrote:
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

Basil is not that great dried. Try freezing or making pesto NOW!


--

Charles
Remove the tYpo to make mind...

You can dry it by cutting off the top half of the plant and letting the rest
continue to grow. You take the cut pieces and tie them together with string
or a rubber band and let them hang upside down from a bar or hook. I used a
shower rod that was in our extra bath. The air was circulated by our air
conditioning running through the vents and there was plenty of light. It
takes several days to completely dry and then I store it in old mayonnaise
jars with a tight lid. Another favorite way to store basil is to freeze it.
I would remove leaves and wash them in cold water. Don't dry them off. Put
the wet leaves (you can have several leaves in layers) in a gallon size
freezer ziploc bag and seal it. I used to vacuum seal it by using a straw
and sucking out the remaining air in the bag, thus removing the chance of
freezer burn on the leaves. The water on the leaves protects them from
freezer burn or drying out. It's similar to freezing fish in a container
filled with water. When I need basil for a recipe, I just crunch the bag
and the basil breaks into little pieces because it is brittle. I shake out
what I need into the pot and put the rest back in the freezer.

I used to freeze several branches when I had an overabundance during the
growing season and then wait until the end of the season to dry the large
plants. I would just cut them off at the bottom of the stem and hang them
upside down with string.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"John S. DeBoo" wrote in message
...
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

--
John S. DeBoo

I cut the stalks off and tie them together. I then take a large brown paper
bag and punch holes all over the bag so that there is plenty of ventilation
all through it. I then put as many of the tied up stalks that I can fit
into the bag/s and hang them up in my garage on a nail and let the basil
dry for a month or more. When they are all dried up I strip off the leaves
an store them in an air tight mason jar/s. I use basil in some German type
sausage that I make. When I am ready to use the basil I take a bunch of
leaves and rub my hands together to pulverize to a powder like substance.
The sausage I make is called " grits wurst".
My 2 cents worth.


"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
You can dry it by cutting off the top half of the plant and letting the
rest
continue to grow. You take the cut pieces and tie them together with
string
or a rubber band and let them hang upside down from a bar or hook. I used
a
shower rod that was in our extra bath. The air was circulated by our air
conditioning running through the vents and there was plenty of light. It
takes several days to completely dry and then I store it in old mayonnaise
jars with a tight lid. Another favorite way to store basil is to freeze
it.
I would remove leaves and wash them in cold water. Don't dry them off.
Put
the wet leaves (you can have several leaves in layers) in a gallon size
freezer ziploc bag and seal it. I used to vacuum seal it by using a straw
and sucking out the remaining air in the bag, thus removing the chance of
freezer burn on the leaves. The water on the leaves protects them from
freezer burn or drying out. It's similar to freezing fish in a container
filled with water. When I need basil for a recipe, I just crunch the bag
and the basil breaks into little pieces because it is brittle. I shake
out
what I need into the pot and put the rest back in the freezer.

I used to freeze several branches when I had an overabundance during the
growing season and then wait until the end of the season to dry the large
plants. I would just cut them off at the bottom of the stem and hang them
upside down with string.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"John S. DeBoo" wrote in message
...
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

--
John S. DeBoo

"John S. DeBoo" wrote in
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

Good advice on drying has been given. Be aware, however, that dried
basil bears only faint resemblence to fresh flavor and aroma. A friend
claims layering fresh leaves in salt results in a more flavorful
product. I haven't tried it yet. Pesto is one popular way of
preserving the bounty of summer. Be sure to pinch off flower/bud
stalks to keep the plants producing leaves!

(Charles Quinn) wrote in message ...
In article , "John S. DeBoo" wrote:
Is there a particular process for drying this or does one simply
pluck the leaves and let them dry? My plants are 1' tall if that
matters any and growing like mad.

Basil is not that great dried. Try freezing or making pesto NOW!

I found that freezing it is better. I pick the leaves, rinse them,
and roll them in a tight ball(like baseball size), wrap that with
Saranwrap, put it in a freezer bag and freeze it. When you need some,
just take it out, sliver off as much as you need, and return it to the
freezer. Freezing it in a ball reduces the freezer burn problem.
-Tiger