How do you dry and store fresh rosemary?

QUESTION: How do you dry and store fresh rosemary?

ANSWER: There are multiple ways to dry fresh rosemary. Before you choose an option, be sure to harvest your rosemary, and wash it under cold water prior to drying.

After this step has been accomplished, pick your method. If you choose to dry the rosemary by hanging, tie your harvest together and hang it upside down in the sun. It should remain there for two weeks.

The other option is to dry the rosemary in a dehydrator. Set the dehydrator on approximately 100-degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature may vary based upon differences in equipment.

Place the rosemary on the trays of the dehydrator, and allow it to dehydrate for approximately three hours. Again, the time may vary based upon differences in equipment.

Whether drying rosemary by hanging it or using a dehydrator, you’ll know it’s dry when the leaves are brittle but not crumbling.

When the rosemary is dry, place it in an airtight container in a location that doesn’t receive direct lighting. You could store it in your pantry, in a cabinet, or even in your root cellar.

The rosemary should last approximately twelve months. Hopefully, you’ll use this information to preserve your herbs in an easy and effective manner that will allow you to enjoy their flavors long past their growing season.