Adding fresh herbs to any dish adds that special touch that dried herbs or spices just cannot give. The color, aroma and flavor of fresh herbs is something everyone wants in their cooking but is sometimes hard to achieve when you are in a pinch and your last bit of basil or cilantro from a few days ago just wilted.
If you don’t have a green thumb or are unable to keep an herb garden in your home, here are a few tips and tricks for keeping cut herbs fresher for longer.
When you first bring the herbs home, give them a once over and make sure all the stems are still green and healthy. If you find any brown or slimy stems or leaves, just pick them out. And, do not wash your herbs until you are ready to use them.
Soft-stemmed herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, and tarragon are best kept in a glass of water, like a bouquet of flower. Bundle the herbs up, trim the stems, and place them in a cup or mason jar water filled below the leaves of the herbs. They can sit at room temperature but will last longer in the fridge. Basil is the only exception as it is not cold tolerant. If you are storing your herbs in the fridge, make sure to put a plastic bag or plastic wrap around the bouquet and place it in the warmest part of the fridge.
Hard-stemmed or woody-stemmed herbs like rosemary, oregano, marjoram, and thyme are best stored by wrapping them in a damp paper towel or kitchen towel and then wrapping them loosely in plastic wrap, a resealable plastic bag or airtight container.
Didn’t go through all the herbs? You can always de-stem them and freeze them or dry them!
Hard-stemmed or woody-stemmed herbs — after wrapping them as described above, should they go in the fridge or remain on the counter?
The fridge will keep them fresher longer, for sure!