Storing Herbs and other kitchen essentials

 

Homegrown herbs and spices from your garden are the best rewards any gardener could have. Fresh herbs to any cook are like precious gold to a king or queen. Therefore, storing those precious herbs is important for long-term storage.  Once your herbs are dehydrated at a temp of 95F, and completely dried, I always stored my herbs and spices in clear glass jars with clamp lids from Ikea as pictured below.  These jars come in a variety of sizes from 4 oz to gallon size. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/korken-jar-with-lid-clear-glass-40378571/

Clear jars give me the opportunity to see what I have and how much, so I never run out. The same goes with using these jars for sugar, flour, pasta, etc. in my kitchen to ensure I always know how much of each I have on hand.  

I can remember filling gallon jars with basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme one year and since I had so much of it that year, I didn’t plant any the following 3 years. And what did come back without my planting, I dried and gave to friends and neighbors. Let me tell you they loved me every year for sharing the spoils of my garden because it not only saved me money at the grocery store but saved them money as well. They also make great Christmas gifts in a gift bag. Be sure to label the jars and note what year they were harvested.  Never store your jarred herbs in a hot or direct sun location. Always store in a closet near the kitchen that is dry and cooler than the rest of the house. Also, be sure to rotate your herbs once a year.

Speaking of storage, the best way to store your filled mason jars or the Korken jars above that you'll store your herbs in is to store them on a shelf in the coolest, darkest place in your house. Here is an example.  Remember you can store anything in glass jars besides herbs. You can store dried beans, baking staples, various flours, sugars, and pasta. 

Author Elizabeth Kilbride is a former political operative, author, scriptwriter, historian, journalist. business professional, and creative artist. Ms. Kilbride holds a Masters in Criminology and a BS in Business Management who stepped out of the loop for a while, but who is now back with a powerful opinion and voice in the direction of this country and our economy. Ms. Kilbride is also a gourmet cook who loves to garden and preserve food for the winter months, as well as cooking amazing meals for friends. .