Freezing Herbs
Tips on Freezing Herbs
Growing herbs is the best way to ensure they will be fresh but after the growing season is finished, freezing herbs is the next best thing to fresh herbs.
Herb gardens provide the freshest of herbs and can consist of all of the herbs cooks use continually in their kitchens. No one can deny that fresh is best, but what happens after the growing season is over? Some plants can be brought indoors when cold weather sets in to extend their season, but not everyone has the room in their homes for multiple herb containers. Also, there are some herbs that require some winter down time in order to continue their life cycle. In cases such as this, the next best thing comes in the art of freezing herbs.
Any herb can be frozen. Those that have high water content, such as chives, mint, basil and tarragon actually last longer in frozen state than in dried form, since they have more of a propensity to grow mold while drying. Homegrown herbs picked straight from the plant should be frozen immediately to capture the freshest and most vibrant flavors. Even fresh herbs purchased from the local grocery store can be frozen. Since most of these herbs are sold in bundles, there is usually more than you will need in one recipe. Rather than allowing them to spoil, these are perfect candidates for freezing herbs! Discard any damaged or dead portions of the herb sprigs, and freeze the remaining herb sprigs.
One great method of freezing herbs is to chop them as you would when fresh, place the chopped herb in ice cube trays and then fill the tray with water. After being frozen, the “herb cubes” can be popped out of the tray and stored in labeled freezer bags. When a recipe calls for the addition of the herb, simply take out the required number of cubes and drop them into soups, stews or sauces, figuring in the amount of water included in the ice.
Freezing herbs in whole form is also a good method, especially when the leaves of herbs are generally used. Remove each leaf, and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm. When frozen, place the leaves in a freezer container marked for type and date.
When freezing herbs, it is important to remember that they will be used in the same amounts as fresh herbs, so they should be frozen in quantities to match basic recipe standards; i.e., 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon, etc., and then be sure to mark the freezer container accordingly.
Anyone who is a fan of fresh can have herbs at their disposal at anytime, since freezing herbs can provide the next best thing to fresh in cooking all year long.