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Google
Drying Basil
+13
audrey.jeanne.roberts
floyd1440
sanderson
trolleydriver
plantoid
Windmere
BeckieSueDalton
Razed Bed
boffer
AtlantaMarie
camprn
Marc Iverson
yolos
17 posters
Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
Drying Basil
I have been experimenting with the best way to dry Basil. One method worked better and had nicer looking dried leaves than the other two methods.
The first method I tried was my Excalibur Dehydrator. That took about 2 days and basil was blowing everywhere every time I opened the dehydrator to check on the doneness (because I forgot to turn off the dehydrator each time). It just took too long and I got tired of checking it and listening to the dehydrator running all the time.
Then next method I tried was hanging the branches (which were tied together in bunches). I tied them with string and hung them like mistletoe from my mantle. That took too long (about 3 weeks because it is too humid here).
The next method was microwaving them. This turned out to be the best for me. The leaves are still very green and pretty. This would be the way to go if you are giving away the dried basil. It was time consuming though. Wash basil, clip off the leaves, pat dry, spread on a microwave dish with two paper towels under the basil and one piece of paper towel on the top. Microwave. All microwaves are different but these are the time and settings I used. Power level = 8, 40 secs and check, 30 secs, and check, 20 secs and check. Done. The advice I got was to microwave in short burst because it is real easy to over cook it. Here are some pictures. Note the last picture showing the microwaved basil on the left compared to the air dried basil on the right.
As I said, this is time consuming. But look at the pretty green basil on the left. Now if you crumble it up and use it for seasonings, the color won't matter, but if you are giving it in pretty jars at Christmas time, the microwaved sure is eye catching.
PS - I am not going to break it up for seasonings until I am ready to use it. I read that it will hold its flavor longer if you do not break up the leaves until you are ready to use it.
The first method I tried was my Excalibur Dehydrator. That took about 2 days and basil was blowing everywhere every time I opened the dehydrator to check on the doneness (because I forgot to turn off the dehydrator each time). It just took too long and I got tired of checking it and listening to the dehydrator running all the time.
Then next method I tried was hanging the branches (which were tied together in bunches). I tied them with string and hung them like mistletoe from my mantle. That took too long (about 3 weeks because it is too humid here).
The next method was microwaving them. This turned out to be the best for me. The leaves are still very green and pretty. This would be the way to go if you are giving away the dried basil. It was time consuming though. Wash basil, clip off the leaves, pat dry, spread on a microwave dish with two paper towels under the basil and one piece of paper towel on the top. Microwave. All microwaves are different but these are the time and settings I used. Power level = 8, 40 secs and check, 30 secs, and check, 20 secs and check. Done. The advice I got was to microwave in short burst because it is real easy to over cook it. Here are some pictures. Note the last picture showing the microwaved basil on the left compared to the air dried basil on the right.
As I said, this is time consuming. But look at the pretty green basil on the left. Now if you crumble it up and use it for seasonings, the color won't matter, but if you are giving it in pretty jars at Christmas time, the microwaved sure is eye catching.
PS - I am not going to break it up for seasonings until I am ready to use it. I read that it will hold its flavor longer if you do not break up the leaves until you are ready to use it.
yolos- Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A
Re: Drying Basil
It tastes so different from fresh basil that I wonder why you wouldn't just freeze it instead. I love fresh basil, but the dried stuff might as well be a different plant.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
Re: Drying Basil
+1 Marc.I use a food processor then freeze mine in ice cube trays.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Drying Basil
I guess I should have clarified that I already have a boat load of basil frozen. Enough to last a year. I have eight basil plants and too much to use myself. A lot of my friends give me things they have made or harvested, such as walnuts, peach preserves, honey, salsa etc. This is my way of giving something to those who give me these types of things. I think a pretty little glass jar with some basil from my garden would be nice to give. My freezer is over flowing and I still have rattlesnake beans, fortex beens, lima beans, pinkeye purple hull peas, more tomatoes, corn, plus whatever I may plant and harvest this fall like peas, broccoli, etc. - all of these things will be frozen.
yolos- Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A
Re: Drying Basil
Thanks for taking the time to experiment on this, Yolos. I guess I know how I'll be dehydrating my basil from now on. A lot quicker & a lot prettier!
Re: Drying Basil
Here is the finished product. After experimenting and determining the proper amount of time to microwave the basil, I determined for my microwave it takes one burst of 1 min 20 sec on power 8 and then some times and additional 15 sec. You do not have to keep doing short bursts after you find out the proper time and temp to use.
Boffer, my research into this says to harvest just before flowering in the morning after the dew has dried. Mid Morning.
Boffer, my research into this says to harvest just before flowering in the morning after the dew has dried. Mid Morning.
yolos- Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A
Re: Drying Basil
Thanks, so it's time to harvest when they start going to seed? I've been pinching off the buds.
Re: Drying Basil
Yolos. You need another freezer. I just hang basil in bunches when I am drying them.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Drying Basil
Yolos, I tried drying Basil in the microwave after I read your post. It stayed green! Anything else you have microwaved?
Re: Drying Basil
sanderson wrote:Yolos, I tried drying Basil in the microwave after I read your post. It stayed green! Anything else you have microwaved?
Pretty dramatic difference in appearance. No I have not microwaved anything else. Basil is the only herb I am growing this year. Ants got into my herb bed and I tried all sorts of things. They kept coming back. So I decided to annihilate them with a very strong chemical. So I dug up all the herbs in that bed and planted non-edible flowers for a few years.
Here is one of the sites I visited when trying to decide how to preserve the basil. They discuss the different herbs.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/03/use-the-microwave-to-dry-your-herbs-for-long-lasting-intense-flavor.html
Last edited by yolos on 7/13/2015, 11:05 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Added link)
yolos- Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A
Re: Drying Basil
Simple way here--just grow it on your patio. It's nice, crunchy, and pungent.
Mostly Cloudy
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Today is forecast to be nearly the same temperature as yesterday. Thunderstorms developing late tonight.
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Elev 571 ft 36.05 °N, 86.93 °W | Updated 8 min ago
Mostly Cloudy
101.1 °F
Feels Like 101.1 °F
N
2.2
Wind from West
Gusts mph
Today is forecast to be nearly the same temperature as yesterday. Thunderstorms developing late tonight.
Today
High 94 | Low 76 °F
0% Chance of Precip.
Yesterday
High 100 | Low 71.4 °F
Precip. 0.1 in
Razed Bed- Posts : 243
Join date : 2015-04-01
Location : Zone 7
Re: Drying Basil
Thank you for this information, yolos. When I have basil later this year, I'll freeze some and also dry some this way as the final color of yours is gorgeous.
I may also try it this way for the spearmint and wild strawberry and wild black raspberry that I have. They'd need to be dried anyway instead of frozen or left fresh, as I want to make teas from them.
I may also try it this way for the spearmint and wild strawberry and wild black raspberry that I have. They'd need to be dried anyway instead of frozen or left fresh, as I want to make teas from them.
Good reminder
BeckieSue, I'm glad you brought up this post again. I have seven basil plants, and I want to make the most of them.
Thanks yolos for your research and instructions. My basil is beginning to bolt, so it's becoming time to use it.
Thanks yolos for your research and instructions. My basil is beginning to bolt, so it's becoming time to use it.
Windmere- Posts : 1425
Join date : 2013-02-26
Age : 55
Location : Fayetteville, GA - Zone 7B - 8A
Re: Drying Basil
Please reconsider the use of a microwave oven.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx
We have food dehydrators for making things like healthy raw crackers and kale chips. However, we found that by simply placing our things in our oven and turning on the light, the temperature reaches 110 degrees. We can make kale chips in 36 hours that never reach a temperature high enough to destroy the nutritive quality.
In a pinch, we have dried herbs by setting our oven at 135 and quick-drying them. I did this with some spearmint last week to make mint tea to add to lemon-water.
The convenience of a microwave is not worth the danger to your body.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx
We have food dehydrators for making things like healthy raw crackers and kale chips. However, we found that by simply placing our things in our oven and turning on the light, the temperature reaches 110 degrees. We can make kale chips in 36 hours that never reach a temperature high enough to destroy the nutritive quality.
In a pinch, we have dried herbs by setting our oven at 135 and quick-drying them. I did this with some spearmint last week to make mint tea to add to lemon-water.
The convenience of a microwave is not worth the danger to your body.
Razed Bed- Posts : 243
Join date : 2015-04-01
Location : Zone 7
Re: Drying Basil
Razed Bed wrote:Please reconsider the use of a microwave oven.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx
The convenience of a microwave is not worth the danger to your body.
Razed, an interesting read, but I am incredibly skeptical of ANY publication that makes such blanket statement with no citations or references.
In fact I think some of the claims of this article are outright fabrications, or at the very least distorted 'facts'.
Disclaimer, I am no expert on microwaves, however with just a little research...I learn something new.
Microwaves can be dangerous, however the ovens are generally considered safe, double locks and what not.. etc.... Read the link below.
Microwave ovens can emit 'radiation'. However, they are emitters of non ionizing radiation...near ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwave, radio waves, and low-frequency radio frequency (longwave) are all examples of non-ionizing radiation.
By contrast, far ultraviolet light, X-rays, gamma-rays, and all particle radiation from radioactive decay are regarded as ionizing radiation sources.
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/assets/docs_p_z/results_of_emf_research_emf_questions_answers_booklet.pdf
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/21/health/upwave-microwaving-food/
http://www.skepticink.com/health/2013/12/21/microwave-dangers-top-5-claims-vs-evidence/
I dry my herbs on my 3 season porch in the shade with good cross ventilation. Herbs are placed on a screen or hung in bunches on a line. I like the no fussiness.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t13650-pruning-and-picking-basil?highlight=Pinching+basilboffer wrote:At what point should basil be harvested for storing?
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Drying Basil
Love my microwave! I just don't stand in front of it for hours. Like any tool, use it properly.
Discussions about microwaves are divided into 2 camps, good tool and bad tool. Not worth the bytes.
Discussions about microwaves are divided into 2 camps, good tool and bad tool. Not worth the bytes.
Re: Drying Basil
:cheers:Big wave?
Micro wave ?
Over 30 yrs ago we made no end of simple microwave detectors out of a net work of capacitors and a small neon indicator bulb during my refresher electronic training course (City & Guilds industrial electronic test and service engineer ) . This was because there was lots of hype/worry about the new fangled microwaves that were coming into our homes and businesses.
What we found was that all commercially made microwaves for the general public & for commercial catering places have to conform to set standards , the glass door and the way the door seals along with the way the metal case body is made prevent any of the generated waveforms from escaping out the machine.
Now for some amazing news .
Our Toshiba microwave cost us just over £ 380 , 29 years ago almost £1,200 in today's money ie $760 USD now $1,800 USD.
Guess what .. ?
We still use it almost every day ... I wrote to Toshiba UK about five years ago asking them what the power of the machine on defrost was ..back came the reply , " Sorry we don't recognise the model number, are you sure it is one of our machines?"
I sent them a photo of the front and the information plate , back came a reply, this time from HQ in Japan saying , " Thank you for telling us of the outstanding microwave " . They had no record of it as it is so old .
Happily they then gave me a two simple formula for an engineer to check /calculating the power of it .
Micro wave ?
Over 30 yrs ago we made no end of simple microwave detectors out of a net work of capacitors and a small neon indicator bulb during my refresher electronic training course (City & Guilds industrial electronic test and service engineer ) . This was because there was lots of hype/worry about the new fangled microwaves that were coming into our homes and businesses.
What we found was that all commercially made microwaves for the general public & for commercial catering places have to conform to set standards , the glass door and the way the door seals along with the way the metal case body is made prevent any of the generated waveforms from escaping out the machine.
Now for some amazing news .
Our Toshiba microwave cost us just over £ 380 , 29 years ago almost £1,200 in today's money ie $760 USD now $1,800 USD.
Guess what .. ?
We still use it almost every day ... I wrote to Toshiba UK about five years ago asking them what the power of the machine on defrost was ..back came the reply , " Sorry we don't recognise the model number, are you sure it is one of our machines?"
I sent them a photo of the front and the information plate , back came a reply, this time from HQ in Japan saying , " Thank you for telling us of the outstanding microwave " . They had no record of it as it is so old .
Happily they then gave me a two simple formula for an engineer to check /calculating the power of it .
plantoid- Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK
Re: Drying Basil
sanderson wrote:Love my microwave! I just don't stand in front of it for hours. Like any tool, use it properly.
Discussions about microwaves are divided into 2 camps, good tool and bad tool. Not worth the bytes.
Maybe 3 camps. I remember reading that the radiation microwaves emit from their front and sides is well-controlled, but that they release many multiples of that level from their back ends.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
Re: Drying Basil
I have not yet tried drying basil but over the last few days I have been drying parsley.
I've got some hanging in my garden shed but that will take time to dry.
I have used the microwave and had some success. However, a very strange thing happened on more than one occasion. I put the pieces of parsley on a paper towel and then put another paper towel over the top. The first time I did this I took my eyes off the microwave and my wife who was facing it shouted "fire!". The paper was on fire. I noticed later that sometimes, a small piece of parsley near the edge of the paper would catch fire and ignite the paper. Maybe I had the power setting too high on the microwave.
Yesterday I dried two batches of parsley in the regular oven set at 170 degrees. That worked great and is now my preferred method.
I've got some hanging in my garden shed but that will take time to dry.
I have used the microwave and had some success. However, a very strange thing happened on more than one occasion. I put the pieces of parsley on a paper towel and then put another paper towel over the top. The first time I did this I took my eyes off the microwave and my wife who was facing it shouted "fire!". The paper was on fire. I noticed later that sometimes, a small piece of parsley near the edge of the paper would catch fire and ignite the paper. Maybe I had the power setting too high on the microwave.
Yesterday I dried two batches of parsley in the regular oven set at 170 degrees. That worked great and is now my preferred method.
trolleydriver
Forum Moderator- Posts : 5395
Join date : 2015-05-04
Age : 76
Location : Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Re: Drying Basil
Plantoid, you gave me a good chuckle from your intro of this post. At the risk of "bantering," I just had to mention that our Toshiba TV (about maybe 40 inches or so), just died at the age of about 27 years. I've noticed that Toshiba products can be pricy, but I'm thinking they're worth it.plantoid wrote::cheers:Big wave?
Micro wave ?
Over 30 yrs ago we made no end of simple microwave detectors out of a net work of capacitors and a small neon indicator bulb during my refresher electronic training course (City & Guilds industrial electronic test and service engineer ) . This was because there was lots of hype/worry about the new fangled microwaves that were coming into our homes and businesses.
What we found was that all commercially made microwaves for the general public & for commercial catering places have to conform to set standards , the glass door and the way the door seals along with the way the metal case body is made prevent any of the generated waveforms from escaping out the machine.
Now for some amazing news .
Our Toshiba microwave cost us just over £ 380 , 29 years ago almost £1,200 in today's money ie $760 USD now $1,800 USD.
Guess what .. ?
We still use it almost every day ... I wrote to Toshiba UK about five years ago asking them what the power of the machine on defrost was ..back came the reply , " Sorry we don't recognise the model number, are you sure it is one of our machines?"
I sent them a photo of the front and the information plate , back came a reply, this time from HQ in Japan saying , " Thank you for telling us of the outstanding microwave " . They had no record of it as it is so old .
Happily they then gave me a two simple formula for an engineer to check /calculating the power of it .
Windmere- Posts : 1425
Join date : 2013-02-26
Age : 55
Location : Fayetteville, GA - Zone 7B - 8A
Re: Drying Basil
TD, Try the way that Yolos recommended. "All microwaves are different but these are the time and settings I used. Power level = 8, 40 secs and check, 30 secs, and check, 20 secs and check. Done."
Re: Drying Basil
I may have to try the microwave method but this afternoon I will have a ton of basil to cut back and have always used my dehydrator. It takes 2 days but always comes out fine.
floyd1440- Posts : 815
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 70
Location : Washington, Pa. Zone 6a
Re: Drying Basil
I don't dry my basil, I like the taste of fresh basil the most, so I blend it in a small food processor and put approx. 1 TBS in a snack sized bag with approx 1 TBSP of olive oil. I flatten it evenly and freeze it.
When I want to use it, I just turn it out of the plastic bag and into the pan and in a minute it's melted and tastes as fresh as the day it was harvested.
You can do that with other herbs that are better tasting when fresh as well. I've never had it go bad, and I generally end up using all of the basil about the time my next crop is up so we have fresh all year around.
When I want to use it, I just turn it out of the plastic bag and into the pan and in a minute it's melted and tastes as fresh as the day it was harvested.
You can do that with other herbs that are better tasting when fresh as well. I've never had it go bad, and I generally end up using all of the basil about the time my next crop is up so we have fresh all year around.
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