OSU Extension Service Workshop 2009
Sue Sierralupé – Instructor
Use of Herbs Culinary vs Medicinal
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Culinary- focus on preserving flavor in essential oils
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Culinary presentation – color is in flavonoids
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Medicinal – focus on preserving constituents for healing properties
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Entire plant may have medicinal value
Preservation Varieties
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Herbal Wines and Liquors
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Herbal Oils – cold infused and heat infused
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Dried herbs
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Frozen herbs
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Syrups and glycerites
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Jams and jellies
Drying Herbs
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Most herbs can be air dried away from light and dust by hanging it upside down, LABELED, (paper bag over seed heads) and checked to avoid over-drying
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Check color and texture
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Lay herbs on newspapers or baskets to preserve small herbs like thyme – LABEL
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Dry herbs with high water content like parsley, basil, nuts or berries in food dryer, toaster or oven
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Dry at 150 degrees with oven door ajar and check regularly
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Dried fruits may be roasted or slow-cooked with meats or veggies – dark fruit with red meat or darkly colored veggies and pale fruit with white meat or veggies
Frozen herbs
Vinegars
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White vinegar can be used to preserve hot and peppery herbs
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Apple cider vinegar preserves herbs with more subtle flavors
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White wine vinegar preserves flavonoid rich herbs like rose petals or calendula best
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Strain herbs after a few weeks and use vinegar up to one year after creation
Oils
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Culinary oils like garlic oil is best made with olive oil
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Medicinal oils may be made with cold pressed oils like olive, almond or apricot seed oil
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Oils may be used to make ointments and salves
Alcohol
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Culinary herbs preserved in alcohol – herbal wines, beers, liquors, cordials
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Cordial are easy to make – canning jar 2/3 full of fruit + ½ cup of sugar + brandy or scotch = cordial. Sit for 1 month. Strain out fruit. Let rest 1 week. Strain again. Serve.
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Tinctures are medicinal alcohol. Most herbs need scotch, brandy or rum. Waxy herbs like myrrh or propolis needs higher amounts of alcohol – everclear
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To get rid of alcohol ( for alcoholics), stir tincture into hot water, let cool and serve
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Do not combine herbs until after tinctures are done. Different herbs and different herb parts need different processing times.
Syrups
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Cook herbs on stove in water, strain herbs and keep resulting tea, add honey or sugar until sweetener is dissolved and refrigerate labeled for up to one year
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Glycerites are made the same way that syrups are made but the glycerine in added with the water.
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Glycerites can be cooked in a slow cooker
Canned Jams, Jellies and Sauces
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Applesauce can be medicinal for stomach flu
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Mint jelly is good for eating with lamb or to settle a stomach
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Try Elderberry or Oregon Grape jam or jelly as medicine
