KEEPING BASIL LEAVES FRESH

CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE BEST WAY TO STORE BASIL LEAVES FOR THE WINTER AFTER THEY ARE PICKED. I LOVE BASIL AND LIKE TO USE IT FRESH ALL YEAR LONG. I TRIED PUTTING THEM IN A PLASTIC CONTAINER AND THEM FILLING IT WITH OIL BUT THEY BECAME TO SOGGY. RIGHT NOW I HAVE THEM IN A PLASTIC CONTAINER WITH A COVER IN THE FRIDGE. I ONCE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT COVERING THE LEAVES WITH KOSHER SALT BUT HAVE NEVER TRIED IT. IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THEM. THANKS

What about chopping them, covering with water and freezing them in ice cube trays? I have not personally done this but I have read of it.

BADSEED - THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. DOESNT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING I WOULD DO. WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE LEAVES WHOLE FOR USE IN COOKING. THANKS AGAIN

How about pesto? You can make it and freeze it in small jars. For cooking just add a few tablespoons to your dish. It beats dried basil.

i would have replied, but I have issues with all-caps posters...

DeepRoots, some people are so new to computers and posting that they don't realize ALL CAPS is considered shouting, and is considered ill manners. (Besides that, it is VERY hard to read.)

Give the benefit of doubt. We were all ignorant once, at least about some thing....

deep roots - sorry, didnt know about caps. i have trouble reading small print but in future will not use them. now that ive been forgiven please send your reply to my question about the basil leaves. i really need something quick. thanks

Herbie, If you are unsin Internet Explorer, you can go to Preferences and make the type size larger. I have to do that since I lost my good glasses.

Sorry I cannot help much with the basil. I freeze some in ice cubes and make pesto from the rest. I didn't like them in olive oil although after time, the olive oil is basil-flavored and I use it that way.

Herbie, I tried putting basil in salt one year. I just layered the big leaves with salt to cover and put the whole covered dish in the cupboard. It worked ok, but the basil lost alot of its flavor. I too freeze some in ice cubes and also just freeze the washed & dried leaves in ziplock bags. The only problem with that is that the basil will turn dark and not look very nice. It's great for cooking but not for anything fresh, like salad.

What is wrong with drying your basil? Especially if it is fresh from your own garden! I have dried mine and then used the "Food Saver" to vacuum it. Your own fresh dried is nothing like the worn out, flavorless "God only knows how long it has been sitting on the grocer's shelf" stuff!

P.S. The caps is a mute point. I'm sure that there is no offense meant, and (by me) there is none taken!!

Hedy :-))

I use my basil for pesto and the dried leaves don't work very well for that. Has anyone tried growing it inside? I've heard some of the pros say it can be done but I don't know anyone who has. I have a very sunny area in my dining room but I've never tried growing any inside the house. I'd love to have fresh basil in the winter!

Herbie, freezer is still the best. The color changes but keeps it flavor. Open the fridge, and it always there.
I also ziploc whole tomato and tuck a few leaves of basil
with it. Need a portion of sugo.... just pop it into a saucepan.

11 years in Napoli was quite a learning experience.


sheran

chop them up, freeze in ice cube trays.
pop em out when you need them... perfect size for most cooking.

Zulu, I grow basil inside on a sunny southwestern facing windowsill. Have for years. It's great to have fresh basil all year. By spring, the plants are pretty tired, but by then I've got the thinnings from my seed flats to keep my going til my garden starts producing.

FYI, I also dig up and bring in Italian flat leaved parsley, sage and rosemary for the winter. My rosemary plant of five years finally dies this year. Sad to see it go, but the sage is still strong. It'll be it's 6th year inside.

Basil and parsley are just the best plants still in the garden at the end of September.

to aLL OF YOU WHO REPLIED TO MY QUESTION REGARDING THE BASIL. I THANK YOU. I THINK I WILL TRY A LITTLE OF EACH

read this in a herb book.
paint leaves with olive oil and freeze.
i am going to try this and I am also taking starts from my genovese basil to grow inside this winter
I like you LOVE basil fresh!!!

Layer clean, dry leaves together. Roll tight like a cigar and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Put in freezer. When ready to use ~ take out ~ chiffonade.

So...if I pick the basil in the morning, how long until it is considered "dry" enough to freeze? (I like the plastic wrap idea.) I discovered today that 30 minutes in a 200 degree oven does not work. Neither does 40 minutes. LOL

Straight from the garden; roll it up tight like a cigar; wrap tight in plastic wrap; then into the freezer. does not have to be dried.
Edited for spelling
This message was edited Saturday, Aug 30th 6:18 AM

This message was edited Saturday, Aug 30th 6:20 AM

I have just put leaves on a cookie sheet in the freezer, and when the leaves are frozen, just put them in a plastic bag (and keep frozen until use - this technique can be used for berries, tomatoes, uncooked cookies, etc). OR, To dry them, I put in the microwave after wrapping them in paper towels, and zap it in increments, until the leaves are completely dry. Both ways the leaves stay green.

I also came across columnar basil last year - it does not flower, and winters over in the house nicely.

I have never heard of this type of basil that doesn't flower. Did you get it locally or could you provide a resource?

I picked it up at the Old Thyme Herb Fair last October that Lewis Mountain Herbs & Everlasting conducts every year. They sell off the rest of their potted herbs then. I got it on sale then for $1. I just checked their online catalog and it is not listed.

However, it is listed at Companion Plants for $3.50. Both of these Ohio companies are in our Garden Watchdog.

Official Name of this basil is: Ocimum basilicum var. Greek Columnar Basil.

Described in Companion Plants catalog as: Outstanding flavor and an unusual appearance. While reaching 3' in ht, it only grows 10" across, giving it a columnar appearance. This is a non-flowering Basil, so it maintaints its flavor year round and acts like a tender perennial if kept warm and well lit.

I have tried growing basil indoors, under grow lights. It grows OK, but it had very little of the fresh flavor. I don't have a sunny window available to try it that way.

I have tried several of the methods above to preserve basil, my favorite way is to dry it on cookie sheets in a warm oven. I keep the leaves as intact as possible, when I use them I crumble them. That seems to work best, but space for storing all the whole dried leaves is a problem for me: I grow and use a LOT of herbs. At last count, I had 86 different jars/bottles/cans/bags of herbs and spices.

I usually make pesto with basil and have read and done the following....take basil leaves and put into the food processor with the oil...no pinenuts or parmesean cheese. I freeze it in small container and then take out a container to use for soups, tomato sauce, etc.

Also, freshly picked basil can be rooted in water and then potted up for the winter stay indoors or it can just stay in water for quite a long time to keep it fresh if you are going to use it in the next couple of weeks.

I love basil. Even just going out to the garden and brushing against it, the smell makes me feel happy. I have read that it is good for your mood! It certainly is for mine, Margie

Hey Margie!! I'm the same - the smell is incredible, I make everyone take a leaf when they visit! I'm so excited to have three new kinds of basil, too - lemon (wunnerful), curly (doesn't smell very strong yet, but it's young) and my favorite (besides sweet!) - CINNAMIN!!!! Wheeeee!! :) AND, I have an experiment going. I've rooted a couple dozen basils, mostly in wine glasses or glass vases, etc, but this ONE...in a broken tall coffee cup...rooted a hundred times faster & more than the others. Could NO sunlight to the roots have a part in this??? Hmmm. Experiment is ongoing -will keep you posted!! :)

TamTam,
Yes, keep us posted please. That will be good to know if light makes a difference to the rooting...are you rooting them in water or soil?
Reminds me I should root some up for winter. Also time to make pesto ! Summer is passing too quickly all of a sudden. Margie

I hear ya, Margie, with this Harvest Moon tonight I just can't stop planting & planning! SO much to do! (Love it!!) All the basil are rooting in water, definitely double branches with the center one pinched out root best, still working on sunlight or not. I planted two in little pots so far and have given many rooting-in-water starts away!! I think they'll do fine in water over the winter, not sure about soil tho - I'm hoping!! And the Basil Seeds - Lordy!! My fingers are cramping up from cleaning them while I watched my son's 2 hour football practice, and I've barely made headway. I'm going to sure try planting some still in the pods in the Spring, maybe I won't have to "shell" them next year!! What FUN this is!!! :)

Update!! Just about all the basil are rooting, in water, in clear glass OR not!! They're good rooters, for sure!! The planted ones are thriving too. Don't think we'll have a problem with fresh basil leaves this winter!! :)

? you shell basil seeds, TamTam

Yes, eh-hem, you're asking me if I shell them, Picturelady? I figured I should - each little pod has 2-4 seeds in it, but they're hard to break open. Think I ought to just forget it and store them in the pods??? (If you say "yes" you'll make my day!!)

TamTam...I never even looked at the seeds !! Some gardener I am, right! I just go to the store and buy a package of seeds. I will have to look when I go outback this morning! Sorry if I got you excited !!

Do you plant all the seeds or sell or trade them?

I'm experimenting. The ones I shelled & threw, starting a month or so ago when I let some go to seed, are already sprouting. So are the ones I DIDN'T shell. Some I'm storing, I'll send some to any & all who want them, and some I'll toss out in the spring! Aren't I just so good to cover ALL the bases?? :)

P.S. Can't forget the ones I'm rooting in water, the ones planted in pots and the leaves in the freezer - LOL!!!!

......I just plain chop em up And store in a tightly covered plastic container in the freezer.
......Just tap on the counter to loosen the basil,remove what you need and "immediately" return container to freezer. Or you can use heavy duty freezer bags.
........I do this with parsley and chives also.I feel this is the best method to preserve essential oils and flavor.
>^,,^< SB

Scooter - I'm with ya!! That's what I'm doing, too. Also doing that with my iguana's food - I pick 3-4 times as much as he'll eat, clean & tear it up, then in a baggie it goes! I hope he'll eat it when the time comes - haha!

i got some of the Ocimum basilicum var. Greek Columnar Basil. from him at out local herb fair and it is doing great except i left it out a bit long.
for storing basil I K.I.S.S. it i just pick the leaves and stuff them in a gallon zip lock bag and stick it in the freezer then the next day i smash the he&& out of the bag(instant choping :-)) usually do this a few times so as not to let it out to long and thaw. then i put the crushed leaved into a glass jar and back into the freezer and just take it out long enough to pour out what i need YUMM

I grew some Tai basil this year and it is the "yummiest" yet! I have been picking out all those tiny seeds so I have some to grow next year and all I had to do was pick each pod off? THANK YOU, Tam Tam for doing those experiments for us.