Making Your Own Dried Herbs

Herbs, just about everyone likes them. They take a dull soup or sauce from blah and dreary, to bright and flavorful. Making your own dried herbs is an easy process  and an economical way to have spices year round. Besides, it’ll feel good knowing you made those herbs every time you add a pinch to a dish. It’ll be like you’re adding a little extra love to your food.

What you need:

• herbs of choice
• brown paper bag
• string (not too thin), bread ties, or plastic ties
• staple gun with staples
• knife or scissors
  

How to do it:

Rosemary Bunch

1. Tie up a small to medium sized bunch of herbs. (Leave enough string to pull through the top of the bag for a later step.)*
2. Label the brown paper bag so you don’t forget which herb is in which bag.
   
3. Cut several slits/holes in the paper bag for ventilation.
   
4. Hang the bunch upside down in the paper bag. (Be sure no part of the herbs are touching the sides of the bag.)
5. Secure the bunched herbs to the top of the bag by stapling the string to the side of the bag.
6. Close the bag, but make sure there is enough room in the bag. The herbs can’t touch the sides of the bag.
7. Staple the top of the bag so it stays closed.
8. Open the bag up after two weeks.
9. Crush up the herbs and store in a jar. (Don’t forget to label the jar!)
   

*Note: A rubber band can be used to bunch up the herbs, but you’ll still need the kitchen string to secure it to the bag.

Do you have any herb tricks of your own? Have you ever tried drying out your own before? Share about it in the comments.