The basilis without question one of the most popular herbs because its aroma is simply unique. In addition, the plant can be cultivated wonderfully in a pot even without a garden, which also pleases amateur cooks who value fresh ingredients. But now the plant is mature and you don't know what to do with all those basil leaves? Would you like to preserve basil but are not sure how to process or preserve it for this purpose? We have put together a few options and explain to you which methods or end products made from basil allow you to still use and enjoy your beloved spice even in the cold season.
Preserving basil – How should you harvest basil?
To the bestFlavors from the plantTo preserve basil, it is also important that you harvest basil correctly. The first harvest usually occurs just 8 weeks after sowing. Then the leaves are strong enough. Here's what you should keep in mind if you only need a few sheets:
- Harvest in late morning. Morning dew should have dried by this point. It is also important that you choose a dry day. Do not wait until midday heat as this reduces the essential oils.
- Do not pick individual leaves to prevent the plant from becoming bare. So instead of picking off every basil leaf, use a sharp knife to cut off the entire shoot tip - the area above the leaf branch.
- One or two pairs of leaves should remain on each shoot. Only then will the plant sprout again.
If you would like to harvest a large quantity at once, please note the following:
- During and after flowering, the leaves acquire a rather bitter taste. Therefore, harvest them shortly before the flowering period.
- Annual varieties are usually pruned (and harvested) in late summer or early fall.
What can you do with basil after you harvest it?
Of course, basil, like all other herbs, tastes best when it is fresh. Therefore, you don't need to harvest all the leaves at once. Instead, it's best to only use as much as you need. Once you have bought the fresh spice, you have to act and process the basil or preserve the basil in some way. But how can you preserve basil? Firstly, you can freeze or dry basil:
Freeze whole leaves of these herbs
The basil leaves can be frozen quickly and easily. For this you have toblanch first. Remove the stems of the leaves, boil water and prepare a bowl of ice water. Place the leaves in the boiling water for 2 seconds and then immediately into the bowl of ice water. Then spread the leaves on a suitable surface so that they can dry well. Once dry, freeze them in layers in a suitable container. You can divide the individual layers with baking paper.
Freeze chopped basil
Can you freeze basil? However! And this is probably the quickest and most obvious way to preserve fresh basil. It is also the best option to preserve the flavors. Since you wash the basil and then chop it into small pieces, you can then use it directly when it is frozen - for a wide variety of things such as salads, cooked foods or pesto.
This is how you can keep basil fresh in ice cube trays
Wash the leaves and chop them finely or blend them in a blender (remove the stems first). Now you have to make your own basil oil. To do this, mix the chopped leaves in any container with enough oil to cover all parts of the leaves (approximately a 4:1 ratio). The result should be a thick paste. This basilspread in oilThen put it in an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once the basil is frozen, remove the ice cubes and place in sealable freezer bags.
You can then simply add the cubes to the dish in question at the end of cooking, while it is still warm. If you use it for a salad, allow a little time for it to thaw - this works quickest if the cube is added directly to the salad and stirred regularly.
Prep and preserve basil for pesto
You can also combine some of the chopped leaves in oil with other ingredients and in this way prepare cubes that you can use directly if necessaryMaking delicious pestocan use. How to freeze basil for pesto? Simply mix equal amounts of chopped basil and parsley with oil as described above. In addition, you can also mix in garlic and/or chopped nuts. Now you can also freeze this seasoned oil. It is best to add any other ingredients, such as parmesan, after defrosting.
Preserve basil with ready-made pesto
Would you like to make pesto yourself and are wondering how you can store it afterwards and preserve the basil pesto? In principle, pesto lasts for several monthsin the refrigerator. So if you want to make basil pesto long-lasting, you don't need any special methods. This also applies to the following basic recipe:
- 100g fresh basil
- 100 ml olive oil
- 10g salt
- 1 lemon
- optionally some parmesan
You can replace the basil with other herbs or combine them with them (e.g. rosemary and wild garlic). Puree all ingredients and pour into a clean, sterilized jar. Now fill the jar with more olive oil, close it and store it in the refrigerator. But could you also freeze this paste made from herbs?
Can you freeze pesto?
While we're on the topic of “pesto”: Da pestofor a variety of delicaciescan be used and is undoubtedly very popular, many people are probably wondering whether you can freeze basil pesto in a jar. Theoretically yes. However, the pesto frozen in a jar is harder to use afterwards. You would have to defrost it completely each time and refreeze the unused ones, which of course also affects the shelf life.
If you want to preserve basil pesto, we recommend portioning it out beforehand. You can again use an ice cube tray for this purpose. And whenever you're about to make something with basil pesto, just use the amount you need.
Dry basil
If you want to preserve basil, you can also dry it. There are several suitable methods for this that we would like to introduce to you:
- Air dry: On the one hand, you can preserve basilby drying, by tying the whole shoots together into a bouquet and then hanging them upside down in a warm, dry and dark place. Also make sure the place is well ventilated. As soon as the bouquet rustles when touched and the stems break slightly, the spice has finished drying. This usually takes 2 to 3 weeks.
- In the oven: Drying in the oven or dehydrator works faster. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature. Remove the stems and wash the leaves. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the leaves on it. Bake the leaves on the top rack for between 2 and 4 hours, until the leaves begin to shrivel. Let them cool and crumble them into an airtight container.
