10/19/2023
How To Dry Fresh Herbs Using a Dehydrator 🍃
- Preheat your dehydrator with the thermostat set between 95 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in a particularly humid climate, you may want to set your temperature as high as 125 degrees.
- If your herbs are damp, be sure to gently blot them dry with a towel to remove as much moisture as you can.
- Place the herbs on the dehydrator trays in a single layer.
- Small leaves can remain on the stems, but removing larger leaves from thick stems will shorten the drying time.
- Drying times will vary depending on the moisture content of your herbs. Loose, fine herbs like yarrow and mint will dry more quickly than moisture-filled herbs like plantain or comfrey. Expect 1-4 hours for most herbs.
- Check your herbs periodically for dryness.
- If you are using a stacked dehydrator, place the harder-to-dry herbs on the bottom and the lighter herbs on the top. It will be easier to remove the faster-drying herbs if they are on top.
- Be sure to keep track of which herbs are in each tray – it may be difficult to tell them apart when they are dried.
- You can dry any combination of herbs at one time as the flavors will not blend.
- If you are drying roots, scrub the dirt from them, pat dry, and cut into ¼ to ½- inch pieces. The roots will harden when dry, usually within 6 – 10 hours.
- The herbs are dry when the leaves crumble and the stems break when bent.
- After you remove the herbs from the dehydrator, allow them to cool before storing to avoid condensation forming.
