Recipe · summer
Drying Herbs Without a Dehydrator
A dark closet, a paper bag, and two weeks of doing nothing.
Meal: preserveMain: basilHands-on: min
Ingredients
- Fresh herb stems
- Kitchen twine
- Paper bags
- Clean jars
Steps
- 1Cut stems mid-morning, after the dew and before the heat.
- 2Bundle loosely — a tight bundle moulds in the middle.
- 3Slip a punctured paper bag over each bundle to catch falling leaves.
- 4Hang somewhere dark, dry, and moving with air for 10–14 days.
- 5Strip leaves whole into jars; crush only when you're about to cook.
Meet the plant
- BasilA tender annual that wants full sun, heat, and consistent water — tomato's best friend in the garden and in the kitchen.
Tips that help here
- The Ten-Minute Evening Slug PatrolNo sprays, no pellets — just a flashlight and a bad attitude.
- Label the Lid, Not the JarA small habit that saves an hour every canning season.
- Water Deep, Not OftenShallow daily sips train roots to stay near the surface where it's hottest.
More like this
- Basil PestoA summer staple in Cindy's kitchen — "It isn't possible to have too much basil in my opinion. That's what pesto is for."
- Homemade Greek SpanakopitaA savory Greek spinach pie with crispy phyllo layers, taught to Cindy by a family friend and made with whatever fresh garden greens are on hand.
- Freezer Tomato PacksNo canner, no pressure gauge — the easiest way to keep a tomato glut.