Dried Herbs

Step 1

Start with clean hands, equipment, and countertops.

Step 2

Wash the herbs: Rinse the herbs under cool water and shake or use a salad spinner to dry

Step 3

Remove thick stems and damaged or bruised leaves and discard. Keep healthy bunches of leaves.

Step 4

Arrange the herbs on your dehydrator trays. If you’re using a tray that has large holes, line it with parchment paper or, even better, a mesh liner cut to the size of your tray. Leave space between the pieces to allow air to circulate.

Step 5

Dehydrate at 95ºF (52ºC)—or as low as your dehydrator will go—for 4-12 hours until the herbs are dry and crisp (see note 2). Depending on your machine, you may need to rotate the trays every so often to promote even drying.

Step 6

Let the dried peas cool completely before storing.

Step 7

Pack the herbs into airtight containers. The flavor of the herbs will last longer if you store them whole instead of crumbling them—do that right before you use them for best results.

Step 8

Store in a cool, dark, dry location for up to 6-12 months.