what to do with it all..several bushes and I’d love to dry it all but no time to sit there picking off all the leaf.
I know it will die off come winter , so what if I just pull the whole bush’s up and hang somewhere to dry ?
I’ve made pesto, but want dried basil for winter.
Happy Potter said:
what to do with it all..several bushes and I’d love to dry it all but no time to sit there picking off all the leaf.
I know it will die off come winter , so what if I just pull the whole bush’s up and hang somewhere to dry ?I’ve made pesto, but want dried basil for winter.
Should work perfectly. Dry it in the microwave as well.
I hung mine on the clothes line…it smells nice out there now but I don’t have your energy and won’t be picking off the leaves…just ripped up the bush and hung it on the line with the root system in the air…
Pepe’s good lady preserves them with rock salt and olyve oyl and they are a beaut for cooking when preserved this way…but you still have to pick them off one bye one to do this…
pomolo said:
Happy Potter said:
what to do with it all..several bushes and I’d love to dry it all but no time to sit there picking off all the leaf.
I know it will die off come winter , so what if I just pull the whole bush’s up and hang somewhere to dry ?I’ve made pesto, but want dried basil for winter.
Should work perfectly. Dry it in the microwave as well.
I forgot to add, the basil is going to be pulled out anyway as they are in with the toms.
Thanks, I will try that Pomolo, stick a small green branch in the mic and zap it on low for a moment..
Dinetta said:
I hung mine on the clothes line…it smells nice out there now but I don’t have your energy and won’t be picking off the leaves…just ripped up the bush and hung it on the line with the root system in the air…Pepe’s good lady preserves them with rock salt and olyve oyl and they are a beaut for cooking when preserved this way…but you still have to pick them off one bye one to do this…
I’m not out of energy but out of time, and there’s too many leaves to pick them off one by one. I like the clothesline idea :) Ta.
Happy Potter said:
Dinetta said:
I hung mine on the clothes line…it smells nice out there now but I don’t have your energy and won’t be picking off the leaves…just ripped up the bush and hung it on the line with the root system in the air…Pepe’s good lady preserves them with rock salt and olyve oyl and they are a beaut for cooking when preserved this way…but you still have to pick them off one bye one to do this…
I’m not out of energy but out of time, and there’s too many leaves to pick them off one by one. I like the clothesline idea :) Ta.
I’d hang them up, but not in direct sun. Could wrap some paper around them before hanging them up.
Why do they look so green in the commercial bottles, but at home here, dry to black (or very dark grey, anyhow???)??
Dinetta said:
Why do they look so green in the commercial bottles, but at home here, dry to black (or very dark grey, anyhow???)??
Good question D. I just rang a chef friend who told me to freeze them as the dried leaf takes on a whole new flavour and colour.
But that still means I have to sit and pick off all the leaves.
Groannnnnnnn.
Could you cut off little twiglets with leaves, and freeze those? Do you just put them in clipseal bags, squeeze most of the air out, and freeze?
GTG, BBL
:)
Dinetta said:
Could you cut off little twiglets with leaves, and freeze those? Do you just put them in clipseal bags, squeeze most of the air out, and freeze?GTG, BBL
:)
yes I think I’ll do that, bag the bunches and vac seal and freeze.
Happy Potter said:
Dinetta said:
Why do they look so green in the commercial bottles, but at home here, dry to black (or very dark grey, anyhow???)??
Good question D. I just rang a chef friend who told me to freeze them as the dried leaf takes on a whole new flavour and colour.
But that still means I have to sit and pick off all the leaves.
Groannnnnnnn.
freeze them on the stalk?
Dinetta said:
Why do they look so green in the commercial bottles, but at home here, dry to black (or very dark grey, anyhow???)??
freeze dried? it is a very fast method of drying.
Happy Potter said:
pomolo said:
Happy Potter said:
what to do with it all..several bushes and I’d love to dry it all but no time to sit there picking off all the leaf.
I know it will die off come winter , so what if I just pull the whole bush’s up and hang somewhere to dry ?I’ve made pesto, but want dried basil for winter.
Should work perfectly. Dry it in the microwave as well.
I forgot to add, the basil is going to be pulled out anyway as they are in with the toms.
Thanks, I will try that Pomolo, stick a small green branch in the mic and zap it on low for a moment..
Put it between paper towel.
you know the time taken to sit here chatting about basil, you could of had half the leafs off the bushes in the same time?
pain master said:
you know the time taken to sit here chatting about basil, you could of had half the leafs off the bushes in the same time?
Don’t deny her her puter time. Bugga the basil I say.
pomolo said:
pain master said:
you know the time taken to sit here chatting about basil, you could of had half the leafs off the bushes in the same time?
Don’t deny her her puter time. Bugga the basil I say.
LOL Pom!
The basils done. I stood there on the lawn grabbing handfuls and throwing them into a bag, then the stalk into the garden cart.
Whole bag in the freezer loosly packed. I’ll vacc seal it later.
Yes BG , dry freezing it will keep it’s colour and it dries faster, so I’m told.
pain master said:
you know the time taken to sit here chatting about basil, you could of had half the leafs off the bushes in the same time?
LOL Happy Potter could do it in between posts? :D
Dinetta said:
pain master said:
you know the time taken to sit here chatting about basil, you could of had half the leafs off the bushes in the same time?
LOL Happy Potter could do it in between posts? :D
I was going to say don’t be silly but then I realised, thats what I did! lol.
basil harvest here as well.
a few notes -
lemon and purple basil are beaut but sweet basil is best. this is because purple basil is not as strong and lemon basil is unnecessary – same thing as lemon thyme really – beaut but not as pure and usable as the straight herb.
we’re having pesto on home made pasta tonight – with broc and beans from the garden as well YUMMO!!
you can make maggie beers pizza pockets that are filled with caramelised garlic and basil.
and pulling the basil leaves off the stalk is necessary
freezing with olive oil and salt in layers works well.
sweet basil – purple b – lemon b.
they are all worth growing but very few recipes use lemon or purple so sweet basil is the one that cooks use.
pepe said:
sweet basil – purple b – lemon b.
they are all worth growing but very few recipes use lemon or purple so sweet basil is the one that cooks use.
Thai Basil is a must have here.
Greek basil is a smaller leaf variety that can last into colder weather.
I generally have fresh basil for most of the year. You only ever need a few leaves unless you are preserving or making lots of pesto which I love.
Basil should be able to be put in bottles of oil like tarragon or oregano.
When the last and coldest frosts kill the plants I just break up the dried plants and spread the seed. Basil is back as soon as the conditions improve.
Basil is usually preseved in sauces etc., so that it is already in the sauce and has no need to be found and added.
Whole plants of basil and many herbs can be dried and stored in paper pags for use during lean times of fresh production. I’d cut the dirty old roots off though as clean herbs tase better than gritty ones.
Thank you RB and others. Next time I will have more of an idea of what to do with the basil.
And more time too I hope!