Homemade Dried Herbs, Spices and Aromatic Roots

Herbs, spices, peppers, onions and garlic are flavors that can turn ordinary into extraordinary. Dried versions are lovely and convenient because the flavors are more concentrated and they have a much longer shelf life than fresh. Due to sometimes excessively long storage times, however, store bought dried flavorings can be a bit bland. Fortunately, they’re quite easy to make at home. This is especially nice when you grow your own or the farmer’s market or grocery has an abundance of particularly beautiful offerings.

How to dry fresh herbs
Remove any dry or bad leaves. If necessary, rinse with cool water and pat well dry with paper towels. Wet herbs will mold and rot. Remove the leaves along the bottom inch or so of the stems. Bundle 4 to 6 stems together and tie as a bunch with string. The bundles will shrink as they dry and the tie will loosen, so check periodically and re-secure as necessary. Make the bundles very small if drying herbs with high water content (such as basil or mint).

Cut several holes in a small paper bag. Label with the name of the herb and place the herb bundle upside down into the bag and gather the ends of the bag around the bundle and tie closed. Make sure the herbs are not crowded. Hang the bag upside down in a warm, dry place. Check in about two weeks and keep checking weekly until the herbs are fully dry and ready to store.

Store in airtight containers. Zip closing plastic bags will do; small canning jars are ideal. The herbs will retain more flavor is you store the leaves whole and crush when you are ready to use. Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold. Place containers in a cool, dry place away from direct light. Dried herbs are best used within a year. Use about 1 teaspoon crushed dried leaves in place of a tablespoon of fresh.

How to dry peppers
Wash and dry peppers. Leave them whole, with stems attached. Using a long, sharp needle and strong thread or fishing line, string them together, leaving enough room for the air to circulate between each pepper. Hang in a warm, dry place, preferably in direct sunlight. They will take up to a few weeks to dry completely.

When completely dried, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Dried peppers can be ground as needed and used as spices, or you can soak them in water to re-hydrate them for use in soups and sauces.

How to dry garlic and onions
Heat oven to 160F. Peel garlic or onion and cut into thin slices. Place in oven and bake for 1 to 2 hours turning every 15 minutes or so, turn heat down to 130 and continue to bake until dry and hard (2 to 3 hours). Store in an airtight container, away from direct light. Best if used within 3 months. For greater longevity, store in the freezer.

To make homemade garlic or onion powder, grind dehydrated onion or garlic in a clean coffee grinder, blender or food processor. Best if ground as needed.