Personally, I still prefer fresh herbs over its bottled equivalent. But having fresh herbs at hand can sometimes be difficult. One way of preserving fresh herbs and saving them for later, is by freezing them. Yes, you read that right: you can easily freeze herbs. And the best way to preserve them is by freezing your herbs in oil!
Now why would you use oil? Because preserving herbs in oil reduces some of the browning and freezer burn that herbs can get in the freezer.
Another convenience is that they are easy to use. Simply start your dish with a cube of frozen herb oil and get cooking. The herb-infused oil has a great taste of herbs that will spread throughout your entire dish.
This preservation method works best with tougher herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano. These herbs would probably be cooked when added to a dish anyway.
BTW: I found 8 tips for preserving fresh herbs in oil on thektcn.com:
- Choose firm, fresh herbs (preferably from the market or your own garden).
- If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves.
- Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
- You can mix up the herbs; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
- Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
- Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
- Don’t forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!
