how do i dehydrate herbs without a dehydrator

by Sigurd Kling Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Less Tender Herbs — The more sturdy herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, summer savory and parsley are the easiest to dry without a dehydrator. Tie them into small bundles and hang them to air dry. Air drying outdoors is often possible; however, better color and flavor retention usually results from drying indoors.

How to dry fresh herbs using a dehydrator?

How do I dehydrate herbs without a dehydrator? How to Dry Parsley or any Herb – without electricity! Wash your flat leaf parsley and allow to dry. Separate large bundles into smaller packets. Use string to tie up the loose bundles, or twist ties. Check occasionally to be sure it's drying well. Click to see full answer.

How to dry herbs the right way?

Aug 02, 2012 · After harvesting the herbs, I cut the leaves and smaller stems with my wonderful herb scissors onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. I spread them evenly into a layer, no more than 1/2″ thick and place them in a 150 degree oven. I stir occasionally. The herbs are dry in 1 – 3 hours depending on the type and the amount of herbs on the tray.

How to dry herbs and spices at home?

May 04, 2022 · How to Dehydrate Food Without a Dehydrator: 6 Simple Methods Method 1: Oven. The easiest method for dehydrating food involves using a standard oven, which you probably already have... Method 2: Microwave Oven. Your microwave can also be used as an effective way to dehydrate foods, especially ...

How to dry herbs in the microwave?

Apr 16, 2021 · They have a low temperature of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, if your air fryer does not have a dehydrator option, then check the minimum temperature you may get with it. 120 degree Fahrenheit it is ok for food dehydration.

How do you dry herbs quickly?

Cover the herbs with a second paper towel or clean dish towel, then microwave them on high power. Most hearty herbs will take around 1 minute initially, followed by a few 20 second bursts until completely dry. Delicate herbs will take 40 seconds followed by a few 20 second bursts until completely dry.

How do you dehydrate fresh herbs?

Place the herbs on the dehydrator trays covered with a fine screen to catch the dried leaves if they fall from the stems. Preheat the dehydrator to 90-100º F. Dry 1-3 hours or until the herbs are dry and crumble easily. Microwave ovens are a fast way to dry herbs if you only have a small quantity.

How do you dehydrate leaves naturally?

Place leaves in a shallow container or tie them in bunches. Expose to direct sunlight for a few days, checking every day or two to see whether they're dry. The sunlight will dry out the leaves, but the edges may curl. This makes them hard to use in some craft projects, but works well for dried flower arrangements.

Is it better to freeze or dehydrate herbs?

However, drying doesn't always capture the flavor as well as we'd like, and for herbs with a higher moisture content like mint, parsley or chives, dehydration may not be an effective option for preservation. Freezing herbs is fast, easy and retains much of the taste, smell and nutrients found in fresh herbs.

How do you dry herbs indoors?

Place a single layer of leaves on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Lay another paper towel on top, and microwave on high for one minute. Watch closely, and stop if you smell the herbs burning. Continue heating at 30-second intervals, if needed, until the herbs are fully dry.Jul 26, 2012

How do you dry herbs in the microwave?

Here's how we do it: Spread your herbs (leaves and tender stems only) in an even layer on a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Toss the herbs and continue to microwave in 15-30 second increments until the herbs are completely dried.Aug 25, 2015

Can you dry herbs in the oven?

A kitchen oven is often used for drying herbs. Microwave ovens can also be used for quicker drying of herbs. When oven drying herbs, place the leaves or stems on a cookie sheet and warm them about one to two hours with the oven door open at about 180 degrees F.Feb 19, 2022

How do you dry dandelions without a dehydrator?

I use a tea towel to pat the leaves dry, then allow them to air dry. Separate large bundles into smaller packets. Use string to tie up the loose bundles, or twist ties.Oct 16, 2013

Do you wash herbs before drying?

You can definitely give the herbs a wash in cool water prior to drying, just be sure to gently shake off the excess moisture, and remove any wilted leaves, spots, insects, or other unsavory elements. I find air drying to be the easiest method and this can be accomplished in a few different ways.Jun 23, 2014

What do you do with fresh herbs at the end of the season?

When you harvest your herbs at the end of the season, you can trim your plant to the ground. If your herb is a perennial, it will come back in the spring. If it is not a perennial, you can always save seeds from that plant or purchase new seeds or transplants in the spring.

What is the best way to preserve herbs?

Freezing herbs

Place a few sprigs or leaves in freezer wrap or in an airtight freezer container.
Spread on a tray or cookie sheet and place in the freezer. When frozen solid, pack into airtight containers.
To use in soups or stew, dice washed herbs and pack into ice cube trays. Fill the spaces with water.

Is it better to freeze or dry basil?

You can dry it or freeze it, but freezing retains the fresh taste better. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step.Aug 4, 2014

HANG DRYING

Hang drying herbs is one of the simplest ways to dehydrate the harvest. We still use this method on our farm today, where it is applicable. Hang drying can be great for large batches of herbs where you don't want to take the leaves off before dehydrating.

OVEN DRYING

Dehydrating in your home oven can be super affordable since there is no additional equipment that needs to be purchased. While it is super handy to have your oven do your dehydrating, there are a few downsides. Oven temperatures are often not adjustable at the super low temperatures that fruits, flowers, and herbs need.

AIR DRYING

Air drying is very similar to hang drying in that they use the same form of air control but a different space to dry on. Air drying can be done in various ways, but this quick method works for small batches of flowers or herbs. It may not be the best method for fruits depending on your environment.

HERB CURING CABINETS

Herb curing cabinets are the home herbalist's dream. This is not a photo of an herb curing cabinet... as this home herbalist is still dreaming. I'm going to have to get my Farmer on that, though!#N#While this isn't the dreamy herb cabinet the idea is basically the same.

SUN DRYING

In the heat of summer, when there is nothing better than to be outside in the garden, you might be tempted to just sundry those herbs, fruits, and flowers!#N#It's a good idea but let me tell you what you want to do it right.

Ways To Dehydrate Your Foods Without A Dehydrator

An oven is a common appliance in most homes. While it’s not necessarily designed to dehydrate food, it can be perfectly used for that. You only need to know how to play with the temperature and time settings.

Alternate Methods Of Dehydrating Food Without Electricity

As I told you earlier, the people of old didn’t rely on electricity to dehydrate their food. And it’s still very possible to do the same today.

Store Your Dried Food For Future Use

Your food will take a varying amount of time to dry depending on the type of food and the type of method that you are using. An easy way to tell whether the food is okay is the cracker effect.

How to Dry Herbs Without Electricity

So, when shopping for produce a few weeks ago, I picked up a couple of more bundles of parsley.

How to Dry Parsley or any Herb – without electricity!

Wash your flat leaf parsley and allow to dry. If you have a salad spinner, this is a great way to quickly dry your parsley. I use a tea towel to pat the leaves dry, then allow them to air dry.

Sundry the foods naturally

Food dehydration is a slow process. Drying up the foods in direct sunlight is even slower. You should make small slices of the foods and keep them in direct sunlight. It may take few days to complete the drying up. However, the time depends on the size of the slices. You should also keep spaces in between the slices.

Using an air fryer

Nowadays air fryers are in every kitchen. There are so many variants of air fires you will find in the market. It is a great option for dehydrating foods at home without a dehydrator. But all your fires are not equally good to accomplish this job.

Using a convection toaster oven

You may also use your convection toaster oven for food dehydration. As with the air fryer, make sure that the oven has a dehydrator option. Otherwise, if you can set the temperature manually, make sure that the oven gives you a lower temperature of around 100 to 120 degrees fahrenheit.

Dehydrating using fire

Fire drying of foods is a primitive process. If you have a consistent source of fire, then you may place the sliced fruits or vegetables around the fire to dry them up. However, it may not possible to control the temperature in this process. Therefore, it is not the best way to dehydrate foods. Fire drying is usually done in an open space.

Final words

Whichever process you follow to dehydrate food, the basic principle is that the temperature has to be as low as possible. In the dehydration process, we get the water out of the food without breaking the nutritions. At high temperature, the water removing process gets faster, but the food gets cooked. Therefore, they can not be preserved for long.

Advantages of Dehydrators

Drying fresh herbs in a dehydrator allows you to carefully control the temperature and drying time of your herbs.  There are many choices available for home dehydrators. The advantages to drying fresh herbs in a dehydrator include:

Some Things to Consider When Purchasing a Food Dehydrator

Size and space. You can choose small dehydrators and work with small batches of herbs, or you can go large. Just remember to consider the space you have for using and storing the dehydrator.

Storing Dried Herbs

Store your dried herbs in air-tight containers labeled with the plant and drying date. Although storing whole leaves takes more space, the herbs will retain their color, aroma, and quality better than crushed leaves. Be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight as well.

Types of Home Food Dehydrators

If you live in a climate of eternal sunshine, preserving food by drying is virtually effortless. But if you live elsewhere, or want greater convenience, you should consider a home food dehydrator.

Stackable Dehydrator Units

While these models may stack as high as 30 inches, they have a small footprint and consume little counter space. They also provide the least expensive way to get started with food dehydrating.

Box-and-Shelf Dehydrator Units

Some of the box-and-shelf dehydrator units position the heat source and fan at the back of the shelves instead of beneath them. Hot air blowing across the shelves eliminates the bothersome need for tray rotation that hinders the stackable units.

Harvest and Prepare the Herbs

A dehydrator can be used with nearly all herbs but is especially good for herbs such as basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm, and mints. These herbs have a high moisture content and they often mold if they are not dried quickly in a dehydrator or some other method.

Place in a Single Layer on the Dehydrator Tray

After rinsing with cool water and shaking the leaves dry, place the herb leaves in a single layer on the dehydrator tray so the leaves will dry more evenly. You may need to cover the dehydrator tray with a fine screen to prevent herbs from falling down into the bottom of the appliance.

Remove Tray Above for Good Airflow

To allow space for the larger leaves, you may want to remove some of the trays. It is important that all leaves receive plenty of air circulation, so remove any trays that aren't necessary.

Dry on the Lowest Setting Possible

For the best flavor, dry herbs on the lowest setting possible. If your dehydrator does not have a thermostat option, use the shortest period of time possible and check on the herbs often. A suggested temperature is 95 F to 115 F, but in conditions of high humidity, you may need to use 125 F. Typical drying time is one to four hours.