Don’t let herbs go to waste by preserving a taste of summer

The tomato plants are fading, the squash vines have withered, leaving just their fruit behind. The only remnants of the summer garden still thriving good are the herbs, somehow managing to defy the season by looking as fresh and full as they did two months ago. The grim reaper of plants, however, will soon come calling and it’s time to start using them up before a cold night takes them.

Not only is preserving herbs an excellent way to use up the harvest, it’s also an economical way to keep savoring the flavor of summer long into the cold season. And depending on how you like to use them, there are a number of ways to save them.

Basil is among the most tender, with temperatures just below 50 potentially affecting it. Probably the simplest way to keep basil is to strip the leaves from the stems, rinse and dry them, then pack them tightly into a zip-top bag and roll them into a cigar shape, removing as much air as possible from the bag before tossing it in the freezer. To use them, simply slice from the frozen log. 

The same method works for other leafy herbs such as parsley. Chives need only be chopped and frozen.

Whipping up a batch of pesto with basil, garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil is a delicious way to use basil, although it should be used or frozen in small portions — ice cube trays or small zip-top bags are handy — within four days.

Drying is a traditional method for preserving herbs, but for the best results there’s more to it than just bundling up cut stems and hanging. Smaller bundles typically dry more evenly and should be tied and hung out of sunlight in an area with good airflow. Most herbs take five to 10 days to dry before they can be stored. 

A dehydrator set at a low temperature — about 100 degrees — speeds the process to a matter of hours.

Herb vinegars are another way to make use of a glut of summer herbs. Any vinegar that has at least 5% acidity can be used, and bruising the leaves and stems of washed and dried herbs with a rolling pin helps extract the flavor. More delicate stems like basil and tarragon work best by just combining vinegar and herbs in a jar, but tougher stems can benefit from heating vinegar to about 200 degrees, just shy of boiling, then pouring over the herbs.

A good proportion is about a cup of herbs to 16 ounces of vinegar. Let the mixture sit in a cool place for two to four weeks then strain the flavored vinegar into bottles to remove all planty bits.

Herb salt mixes are increasingly popular and make excellent gifts. Recipes vary, but generally speaking herbs, sometimes including flowers and stems that aren’t used in other preservation methods, are combined with salt in a food processor or other method and then dried. 

Regardless of the method, preserving herbs before frosts and freezing temperatures not only makes the most of the harvest, but it does something even better: offers a tiny taste of the summer garden in the depths of winter.