Preserving Herbs

So my jungle is coming along nicely (despite the almost unbearable heat). To keep the jungle looking tame and to have fresh herbs in the winter, I trim the herbs and what I don't use right away, I like to freeze. 

{See the jungle has really started taking off!}

{The newest addition to my jungle: Wandering Jew!}

I have tried to dry herbs in the past, but I didn't have a dehydrator (or access to one) so when I put them in the oven and turned them on warm, they honestly just got crispy and burnt tasting (gross).  I might try to use my grandparent's dehydrator, but I have a feeling with their three HUGE basil plants, I might not.  Click here for more information on which herbs dry the best and which freeze the best.  All of the herbs I have will freeze the best so that is what I aim to do.

All you have to do to preserve herbs is to chop them finely, put in an ice cube tray, pour chicken broth (or water) until the herbs are coated or the cube compartment is full, freeze, and then pop out of the tray and store in a bag in the freezer.  Easy!

I am freezing as much cilantro as I possible can because my grandparents planted 30 tomato plants!!! O.O  that is A LOT of tomatoes!!!  Soooo I am freezing cilantro so we can make and can some salsa!  Yummy!!! 

We will be spending a weekend at some point canning all kinds of tomato goodies: sauce, salsa, relish, diced, spaghetti sauce, etc.  If anyone has any ideas and/or recipes for canned tomato products, we would appreciate it!

How do you preserve the herbs you grow?  Or do you just use them as they grow?Pin It