Kooklabell

Besides making and freezing pesto sauce, how do you store, save your basil? Do you dry it? How? Do you freeze it? How?

I have sooooo much, I don't want to throw it away :cry:

Bonnie

Mine is just starting and I will be watching how to keep it.

redquilter

I've tried drying it but don't care for the flavor. I freeze it - wash,, dry and put into plastic bags or containers. A hint about your pesto - freeze some in ice cube trays then pop into plastic bags or containers. Wonderful for tossing into spaghetti sauce or as a topping for fish or chicken, etc. Of course, you can always send some to me. No matter how much I grow, it's never enough!

jaciqltznok

I simply wash them, chop it up, removing the larger stems, then fill plastic ice cube trays with the basil and water..let freeze then pop into a ziploc bag labeled basil...then if you need FRESH basil in JAN. you have it! Simply thaw it out in a screen strainer and fresh basil!
Great to toss into the soup pot as well!

leatheflea

I dry mine in a dehydrator.

Kooklabell

Thank you Jacquie. I've heard about this freezing method, but you've explained it much better :)

Kooklabell

I've thought about buying a dehydrator. How do you like it? What else do you use it for?

MissSandra

i dry them, and put them in a plastic bag roll it tight and crush as i want to use it, crushing before takes oil away from the flavor. i tried drying in a dehydrator, and they blew around lol, so i leave them on the stem and in a vase to dry out oh what an arrangement they make lol

jaciqltznok

oh please don't...basil is too fragile...meaning all of the flavor oils are sucked out into no flavor land in the dehydrator...freeze them instead...so much nicer!

jaciqltznok

did you know you should hang them upside down? just like for drying flowers...herbs should be hung downward to preserve the most oils!