Keep herbs for use in cooking and for decoration. Begin by collecting them early on a sunny day, so that they are dry. The text files HRBS.TXT and POTPOU.TXT in the Garden Forum contain a great deal of information about drying and preserving herbs. We condensed some of the information to provide a little more information about the slide show.
Hang Drying
Gather a bunch of one kind of herb and tie the ends of the stems together with string, and hang them upside down in a place that's warm, dry, and away from the direct sunlight. Sunlight will damage the leaves and their flavor will be lost. Make sure they have free air circulation to prevent mildew. Good air circulation absorbs the moisture in a way that the oils in the herbs are not destroyed. If the drying area is dusty, place the herbs in a paper bag that's been perforated all around. Tie the bag around the stems. This is also a good method for drying seed heads-- as the seeds dry and fall they are caught by the bag. If no seeds are involved, cut out the bottom of the bag to insure more air movement.
Depending on the weather, hanging herbs usually takes about two weeks to dry. They should be crisp and crackly to the touch. Store in labeled bags or jars. It is preferable that dried herbs and seeds be stored in airtight containers.
To dry whole onions, shallots, or garlic, simply store in a mesh bag or wire basket. Or make a decorative braid to hang-- leave stems on the bulbs; braid stems, beginning with 3 bulbs. Continue braiding and adding bulbs. Tie off end with twine and hang in a well-ventilated place.
Quick Drying
Spread leaves on a rack in the oven at the lowest setting. Leave the oven door open and stir the leaves until they are crisp. Another variation is to use your microwave oven. Use the lowest settings to gain the slowest, thorough drying possible. Spread one layer of herbs over a paper towel on the bottom of the oven. Run the microwave for about 2 minutes. If not fully dry, turn over and set the machine for 1 or 2 minutes more. Thick-leaved herbs, such as basil and comfrey require a couple of days of air drying before using the microwave.
Tray Drying
A simple box constructed from 1" x 1" inch lumber with screen mesh or cheesecloth stapled to the bottom works fine. Make boxes small enough to hold just a few leaves-- ten inches square is a good size. Put a one inch block at each corner if you want to stack them. Let the leaves stay on the stems or strip them off. Make one layer in each tray. Stir the contents gently every few days to ensure even drying. Most herbs dry crisp within a week or ten days depending on the temperature and humidity. Dry seed heads the same way, then gently rub the capsules through your hands. A fan on low speed or a natural breeze will waft away the chaff as you drop the seed into a tray or bowl.
Freezing
This works for herbs such as basil, burnet, fennel, tarragon, chives, chervil, dill, and parsley. French tarragon and sweet marjoram can either be dried or frozen. Tie a bundle of the herb together and blanch it in unsalted boiling water for a few seconds. Cool the bundle immediately by plunging it into ice water for a couple of minutes (blanching isn't necessary for basil, chives, and dill). Remove the stems and put them into plastic bags, label, and freeze.
Freezing is a good way to save the herbs that you pick and don't use fresh during the season. Just chop the leaves before freezing and store in bags as much as you'll use at one time.
Salt Curing
Basil, burnet, dill, fennel, and parsley are good candidates for salt curing. Wash and drain, remove leaves from their stems, and place them in alternate layers with plain non iodized table salt in a container, beginning and ending with salt layers. Fill the containers completely, press down the leaves and salt firmly, and cover with an airtight lid. Label and store in a cool, dark place.
Use the salted leaves as you would fresh herbs, but be sure to rinse them first in clear water or else allow for the extra salt when using the leaves in a recipe. Also, the salt from the container can be used to flavor meats and salad dressings--this works especially well with chive salt.
Packing in Vinegar or Oil
Tightly pack tarragon leaves in little jars, then completely fill the jars with vinegar. This method is also used for dill and keeps the herbs almost as good as fresh-- in distilled white vinegar. Place the container in the refrigerator.
When you want some, pull out a sprig or two, rinse lightly and pat dry. Or keep herbs often used in oil-based dishes, such as basil and oregano, in olive oil. CAUTION: REFRIGERATE OIL AND DISCARD AFTER A FEW WEEKS. DO NOT STORE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
Fixatives
Once fixatives are applied to herbs, the herbs are inedible. These chemicals prevent discoloration and loss of fragrance. Orris root and musk are two types of commonly used fixatives. Simply sprinkle or mix on the herbs, petals or fruit you are preserving, and leave in a dark, warm, well-ventilated areas for about three weeks.
Storage and Shelf Life
To retain their flavor, dried herbs should be kept as whole as possible and stored in airtight containers away from any heat and moisture. During the first week of storage of dried herbs, occasionally look to see if any moisture or condensation has formed on the inside of the containers. If moisture does appear, the herbs are not quite fully dry and should taken out and dried for another day or two to prevent them from decaying in storage.
When stored in a cool, ventilated place, leafy herbs can be expected to retain freshness for an entire year. Seeds and roots will keep somewhat longer depending on the sturdiness of the crop. Frozen herbs retain texture and flavor much longer than one might expect. They'll keep indefinitely but are best when used within one year. Once thawed, they cannot be refrozen.
