Rosemary is a versatile spice that is used for cooking and medicinal purposes. The twigs, flowers and leaves of the plant are used for cooking meat, fish, seafood, and vegetables. The greens are characterized by a pine smell and a moderately pungent taste. The essential oils contained in rosemary allow it to be used for medicinal purposes by preparing decoctions and teas. Since greens cannot be stored fresh for a long time, let’s look at how to preserve rosemary without losing its beneficial substances.
How to choose good rosemary?
Most housewives grow the plant on the windowsill. In this case, the greens are collected before flowering, since it is during this period that they contain the maximum amount of nutrients. For storage, choose the juiciest shoots, up to 20 cm long.
The inflorescences are used for teas and tinctures. After collection, they should be immediately sent to dry, otherwise they will wither and lose their aroma and beneficial properties.
When purchasing fresh spices, it is important to pay attention to its appearance. The leaves should have a slight bluish tint, and the leaves should adhere well to the branches. If the leaves are wilted or have black or yellowish spots, you should not buy them.
When purchasing dried spices, first of all pay attention to the expiration date. It is no more than 6 months from the date of packaging.
It is best to buy rosemary that is packaged in the summer.
The spice should not contain additional ingredients:
- salt;
- pepper;
- preservatives and other additives.
How to store rosemary fresh for the winter?
Fresh spice can be stored in the refrigerator and at room temperature. It is recommended to wash the spice immediately before use.
To store in the refrigerator, the greens are wrapped in parchment paper and the packaging with the herbs is moistened with a spray bottle until the paper is completely saturated with water. Then the spice is placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator.
The second method involves storing greens in a container of water. Use a knife to cut off the ends of the grass, place the bunch in a container with cool water, and cover the top with a plastic bag. Using a paper towel, wipe the leaves regularly to remove accumulated moisture. Every few days the water is changed to fresh.
Note! The optimal storage conditions for rosemary are a temperature no higher than 5 degrees and high humidity. To ensure that the spice lasts as long as possible, it is regularly checked for spoiled leaves and twigs.
Drying the plant
For long-term storage and use of greens in winter, they are dried. This is done in several ways, each of which has its own advantages.
On air
It is best to dry the plant in a well-ventilated and dark place. You can place the spice under awnings on the street.
It is important to prevent rosemary from exposure to sunlight, otherwise the color and most of the beneficial substances will not be preserved.
Initially, the greens are sorted, discarding spoiled leaves. Then the selected rosemary is laid out on thick paper or cloth and turned over daily. You can dry them individual leaves or small bunches. In the second case, they are hung upside down in the attic.
After 1.5–2 weeks of drying, the rosemary will be ready for use.
In the dryer for vegetables and fruits
Many gardeners purchase special electric dryers to quickly dry their greens. To do this, the plant branches are cut into small pieces, about 5 cm, and then laid out on grates.
The drying temperature should not exceed 40 degrees, otherwise the plant will lose most of the nutrients.
The inflorescences are dried in a similar way, but 2 times faster.
In the oven
Since it is difficult to control the oven temperature, drying rosemary properly this way is not easy. But in the absence of a special dryer, the oven is used for these purposes, setting it to minimum heat.
The oven door is left slightly open, and the baking sheet with rosemary is placed on the top shelf. The greens take about 4 hours to dry.
Other ways to harvest rosemary
The above methods for storing greens are far from the only ones. Rosemary lovers are constantly coming up with new ways to prepare it and sharing their recipes with others.
Freezing in oil
This method involves using olive oil and ice containers. First, the rosemary sprigs should be washed and then cut into small pieces. Arrange them among the molds, leaving a little space in each cell. After all the cells are filled with greens, they are filled with olive oil and placed in the freezer. In this form, greens can be stored all winter. Remove cubes as needed.
Many housewives freeze the spice without olive oil. Place the branches in plastic containers and remove them as needed.
Paste
This storage method has long been loved by gourmets. The only thing is that it involves adding additional ingredients.
- Place 200 g of rosemary in a blender bowl.
- Add lemon zest.
- A couple of cloves of garlic.
- Ginger and other ingredients or herbs, depending on taste preferences.
- All this is poured with a glass of olive oil and crushed.
The finished mixture is placed in glass jars and stored in the freezer. Use the paste to season various dishes, adding 1-2 teaspoons.
Vacuum
In home harvesting conditions, special vacuum machines are often used. This is the most convenient way to store greens. To do this, just pack the plant branches in small vacuum bags and place them in the refrigerator.Many housewives prefer to mix and store rosemary with other herbs. In the refrigerator, vacuum-sealed greens will keep for up to 2 months. For longer storage, the bags are placed in the freezer.
There is another interesting way to get the aroma and flavor of rosemary in prepared dishes. Several sprigs of greenery are placed in a bottle with sunflower oil or vinegar. After 1.5–2 weeks, the liquids will acquire a characteristic spicy aroma.
Thus, you can prepare rosemary for the winter in various ways. Everyone can choose the most suitable one for themselves. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations. Frozen rosemary should not be re-frozen. Therefore, the spice is taken out strictly in those portions that are required for cooking.
