Drying is a great way to preserve fresh herbs if done correctly. However, once you have dried your herbs, what is the best way to store them to maximize their shelf life?
Dried herbs are delicate, and require careful storing to keep them at their best.
The delicate oils that give herbs their wonderful flavors can be easily lost or destroyed if they are not stored correctly.
You can store dried herbs in a paper bag. However, this is a short-term option only. They will last for a few weeks in a well sealed paper bag, however, the flavorful oils will eventually diffuse through the paper.
This leads to a loss of flavor of the herbs, and you will notice that you need to use more and more to get the desired flavor when you are cooking with them.
The best way to store dried herbs for lasting freshness is in air-tight glass jars or metal tins. This prevents the delicate herb oils being lost.
Dried herbs should be stored in a cool place. Even a little heat can lead to the oils in the herbs evaporating and being lost. This is particularly important if you are storing them in a paper bag.
Even if you are storing your herbs in an air-tight jar or tin this is important. Herbs stored in a warm area will start to lose their oils to the air in the jar, and then every time you open the jar more and more of the fragrance and flavor will be lost.