How to Air-dry Basil

Basil grows as a warm-season annual, providing foliage for fresh kitchen use during the summer months. Drying and preserving some of the summer bounty gives you enough basil for your winter cooking needs. Basil gets it aromatic flavor from the oils produced in the leaves. The flavorful oils peak before the plant flowers, so you can harvest basil for drying and preservation before the plant begins producing flower buds. Harvest the entire plant or just a few stems at a time, depending on how much basil you wish to preserve.

Rubber bands
Paper bag
Storage container

Instructions

- 1
  Rinse the basil stems and foliage under cool water. Shake the excess moisture from the foliage.
- 2
  Gather the cut end of the stems together. Wrap a rubber band tightly around the stems, securing the bunch together. The rubber band holds the bunch tightly, even as the stems dry and shrink.
- 3
  Cut the bottom off a lunch-size paper bag. The bag protects the basil so dust and grime doesn't settle on the foliage as it dries.
- 4
  Place the bunch of basil inside the paper bag. Gather the opening closed around the stem end of the bunch. Wrap a second rubber band around the gathered bag, securing it to the stems.
- 5
  Hang the bag wrapped bunch by the stems in a well-ventilated, dry place where the temperature remains between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Basil takes approximately one to two weeks to dry completely.
- 6
  Remove the bag once the basil is dry and crumbly. Remove the leaves from the stems. Store the dried leaves in an airtight container for six months to a year.

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