3 Easy Ways To Preserve Herbs Using Salt
Have you wondered if you could use those lovely herbs from your garden all year long? Well, we are here to help you save your herbs for the entire year. Summer is the perfect time of the year for harvesting and preserving your home-grown herbs. And preserving herbs in salt is one of the easiest ways to do this.
How It Works
When salt is mixed with fresh herbs, it absorbs all the moisture from them, acting as a preservative. The essential oils of the herbs are infused into the salt in a way that brings out the flavour and intensity of the herb.
3 Ways To Preserve Herbs In Salt
Before preserving the herbs, you must clean, wash and dry the herbs properly. All the thick stems must be removed and discarded. For the salt, you can use sea salt, kosher salt or Himalayan Pink Salt. Avoid using salts that contain iodine.
- Alternate Layer – Take a clean glass jar and cover the bottom with a layer of salt. Add a layer of herbs, alternating with the salt, until the jar is full. Keep it in the refrigerator. When you need to use the herbs, take what you need, brush off the salt and rinse under cold water. Make sure you add less salt while cooking since the herbs will already be salty.
- Grind and Dry – For this method, the herb to salt ratio is 1:4. In a processor, add 1/4th cup chopped herbs and 1 cup salt and churn well. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet or tray and cover with a cloth. Keep it for a day or two away from direct sunlight till completely dry. Transfer to a clean glass jar. Keep it in the refrigerator for one year.
- Chop and Stir – This method is quite similar to the previous one but the herb to salt ratio is different here. For the chop and stir method, take 4 parts of chopped herbs and add 1 part salt to it. Churn it in the food processor for 30 seconds. The salt will take on the colour of the herb and you will get a fragrant herbed salt. You can store it in the fridge for 6 months.
Here are some of the herbs that you can preserve in salt:
- Basil
- Dill
- Cilantro/Coriander
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Oregano
- Celery
- Parsley
- Chives
How To Use Preserved Herbs/Herbed Salt
- Sprinkle on fresh tomatoes, cucumber or avocado
- Make salad dressing
- Use with your roasted or grilled vegetables
- Replace with normal salt for roasting nuts
- As a herb rub for meat and vegetables
- On pizza, soups and stews
When you give these DIY salts a try do let us know by tagging @himlayan_haat in your Instagram post/story.
Want to enjoy herbed salts but don’t have time to make them? Not to worry! Stock up on our Herbed Salts that are infused with the vibrant flavours of mountain-grown herbs and spices.
