Canning and Preserving For Dummies (56 page)

Drying dill is super easy. Follow these steps:

1. Lay the dill leaves in a single, loose layer on trays.

2. Set your oven or dehydrator temperature to between 100 and 115 degrees and dry 3 to 5 hours, rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

Properly dried dill leaves are crispy.

3. Store dried dill in airtight containers, out of light.

This herb loses its delicate flavor quickly if left in sunlight for too long.

Chewing a few dill seeds can help with indigestion. Historically, dill was an ingredient in gripe water for colicky infants.

Marjoram

Marjoram is sometimes mislabeled as oregano, and the two do look surprisingly similar. Marjoram, sometimes called sweet marjoram, is the perfect addition to any recipe that calls for oregano. Many people dislike the bitter taste that oregano can have, and using marjoram takes care of this problem. I (Amy) find that marjoram’s taste has much more depth than oregano, too. (I am a true convert to this delicious herb!)

If you’re growing your own marjoram, harvest its leaves when they are young. Cut the soft stems in the morning, after the dew has dried and before the sun becomes too hot. If you’re buying marjoram at a farmer’s market, look for young, small leaves with a bright green color and aromatic scent.

To dry marjoram, follow these steps:

1. Lay the marjoram stems on trays, allowing room between them for proper air circulation.

2. Set your dehydrator’s temperature to between 115 and 125 degrees and dry your marjoram for 3 to 5 hours, checking carefully after 3 hours and rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

Properly dried marjoram leaves crumble easily.

3. Store the stems, whole, in a cool dry place, away from sunlight.

To use dried marjoram, crumble leaves in your hand before adding to the dish and add the herb in the last 10 minutes of cooking to keep its flavor.

For the best flavor, remove flowering tops of marjoram as they appear. Once it flowers, the scent and flavor fade. Harvesting just before flowering, however, produces the strongest flavor of all.

Mint

Mint is arguably the herb most people are familiar with and also the easiest herb to grow. It only requires sunlight and water to thrive. Yes, you can grow mint on a counter in a glass of water — forever!

Mint comes in dozens of flavors, with more being created all the time. From citrus to chocolate, mints are available for any palate. Grow as many varieties as you want, but keep them contained! And harvest them often, throughout the growing season, for drying.

Mint is a highly invasive herb and will overtake a garden within one growing season if left to spread on its own. Plant mint in a container to keep from having it go wild (literally). If you grow more than one variety of mint, plant them at least 10 feet apart to avoid cross-pollination. Although you will still get mint, it will no longer be true to the original scent you planted, if cross-pollinated.

To dry mint, follow these steps:

1. Cut the stems that seem to want to straggle, and lay them on a drying tray.

2. Set your dehydrator or oven temperature to between 115 and 125 degrees and dry for 3 to 5 hours, rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

Properly dried mint leaves easily crumble in your hand.

3. Store mint in airtight containers.

Try making it into tea or adding a few leaves, crumbled, to boiled potatoes.

Oregano

Oregano is another easy-to-dry herb. Used in any tomato-based dish, oregano adds a distinct flavor to your meals. By drying oregano, you ensure that you have plenty of this popular flavoring available throughout the winter months. Use only young leaves, as older oregano has a tendency to taste bitter.

To dry oregano, pick the young leaves once the dew has dried in the morning and then follow these steps:

1. Remove any leaves that have insect damage or have been crushed while harvesting.

These sometimes turn an unappealing black when drying.

2. Arrange in a single layer on trays, but don’t fill them too full. You want air to flow around them.

3. Set the temperature on your dehydrator to between 115 and 125 degrees and dry the oregano for 3 to 5 hours, rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

Properly dried oregano is dry and crumbly.

4. Store dried oregano in its whole form until ready to use.

To use dried oregano, crush the leaves in your hand just before adding to the dish. Add oregano to the dish in the last 10 minutes of cooking to preserve the flavor.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a centerpiece to any herb garden. Its scent is recognizable by nearly everyone, and its lovely bluish flowers are truly special. Rosemary can be harvested throughout the season. To dry, cut the smaller, side stems where they branch off from the main stem and then follow these steps:

1. Lay the whole stems onto the drying trays.

2. Dry the herb for 6 to 8 hours at a temperature between 110 and 115 degrees, rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

They’re done when the leaves slightly shrivel and release from the stem easily.

3. Remove the leaves by holding the stem over a dish or container and running your fingers along the stem.

The leaves come off with a gentle touch and you are left with a clean stem.

4. Store rosemary leaves whole, and only break them up right before adding to your recipe.

This keeps most of the flavor inside until needed.

Save the dried rosemary stems for making kabobs. They contain plenty of the rosemary flavor, and make a unique presentation. Use the stems as you would skewers.

Sage

Sage is an easy-to-grow herb that is available as seeds or plants that quickly grow into small, lovely bushes. You can use any variety of garden sage for drying. Some offer a stronger flavor than others, so be sure to taste it before purchasing to find your favorite. To dry sage leaves, harvest them as they become large enough (1/2 inch or more in length) and then
follow these steps:

1. Lay out your sage leaves in a single layer on your drying trays.

Be sure to leave room between the leaves for even drying.

2. Dry the herb for 6 to 8 hours at a temperature between 115 and 125 degrees, rotating the trays periodically to facilitate even drying.

It’s dry enough if a leaf crumbles in your fingers.

Be careful to dry these leaves thoroughly; they are slightly thicker than many other herbs and require careful attention.

3. Store the dried leaves in their whole form until needed.

If you find that you use rubbed sage often, dry the whole leaves and rub them through a mesh strainer to create a fluffy sage powder perfect for cooking.

Stevia

Stevia may not be as widely known as some of the others in this list, but it is a very useful herb. It’s been used for hundreds of years in other parts of the world as a replacement for sugar. Stevia users have found that it has a slight licorice aftertaste. You may find that your family enjoys stevia as much as sugar!