How to Use a Food Dehydrator for Drying Herbs

Herbs have a lot of purposes, specifically in cooking. Apart from adding more flavors to the food, it also brings an aroma plus it helps make the presentation look pretty too.


Herbs have been used for culinary purposes for a very long time, but they’re also used for medical purposes especially in Asian traditions.

For those who have an herb garden, you must be used to having a constant availability of herbs and having it obtainable whenever you need it. Problem is, herbs are unable to last into the cold season. Exactly what can you do to preserve herbs?

A great way to help make herbs last (even for years) is via dehydrating. Dehydration is a popular process for preserving foods, and it can be used for various food types like meat, fruits, vegetables and of course - herbs.

The following are the steps for dehydrating herbs using a food dehydrator.


1. Gather herbs early in the day, and harvest them before the plants bloom for the most flavorful herbs. Choose leaves from the top of the plant. Employ a different container for each and every variety of herbs so you don’t get confuse which is which.


2. Place the herbs in a colander and wash the leaves under cold running water. Shake the colander appropriately after washing to drain off excess water.


3.  Grab the trays of the dehydrator and set the herbs in a single layer. It is advisable to place one type of herb per tray because they would change in look when they dry and you will be unable to distinguish the difference.


4. For the most suitable drying time, check the food dehydrator’s manual. However, herbs normally dry up within an hour when dried in a temp of hundred or so degrees.

5. Check the herbs after around an hour of dehydrating. The leaves should be crisp and ought to crumble with a soft touch. If not, extend the dehydrating time. At this point, remember to look into the herbs every a few minutes.


6. After it has cool down, put the herbs in separate plastic bags. Make sure to put a label on each to ensure you know what type of herb is inside the bags. Remove as much air from the bag as possible. For this purpose, I would recommend using a Ziplock bags.


7. Tip: Oregano, mints, basil, tarragon, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary and lemon balm are only a few of the herbs ideal for dehydrating.