How do you do preserve freshly harvested basil?

"Sky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

Generally speaking, you don't. It's one of those herbs that completely loses
its unique characteristics when you try to preserve it, which is why dried
basil is worthless. Someone will come along and disagree, but those people
don't have noses.

Your best bet is to start some seeds in a pot and grow it in the brightest
window you've got. Even badly grown fresh basil is better than any preserved
version.

"Sky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

I make as much pesto as I've got basil for (sometimes I add a little spinach
to a smaller batch, for my kids) and freeze in ice cube trays. When trays
are frozen pop out cubes and put the in ziplock bags for easy use.
Teri

You could do 2nd best and make an infused oil highly concentrated with all
the basil you will have.

"Teri" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Sky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

I make as much pesto as I've got basil for (sometimes I add a little
spinach to a smaller batch, for my kids) and freeze in ice cube trays.
When trays are frozen pop out cubes and put the in ziplock bags for easy
use.
Teri

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

I don't bother to preserve it. I get dried basil from the bulk food section
of the grocery store and it is dirt cheap. I use fresh dill on tomatoes and
in pasta sauces and as a garnish.

Dave Smith said:

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

I don't bother to preserve it. I get dried basil from the bulk food section
of the grocery store and it is dirt cheap. I use fresh dill on tomatoes and
in pasta sauces and as a garnish.

As someone mentioned before, dried basil isn't worth having. It is one
of the few herbs whose flavor is lost rather than intensified with
drying. Basil freezes wonderfully. Freeze whole leaves, or blend it into
a slurry with water and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto freezes
beautifully. Oil infusions will not last long, even in the refrigerator,
and you may find it going rancid or growing little guests in it long
before you can use it all up.

Freeze the basil!

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard > to freezing pesto.

Depends how you intend to use it... for most uses just prepare the
dish (ie. pesto/tomato sauce) and freeze, If you plan to use it fresh
(in salads, sandwiches) fergeddaboudit. You can layer the leaves with
kosher salt and freeze and you can preserve some in vinegar but I
don't think it's worth the trouble. For those who like basil I
strongly suggest you cram as much as possible down your throat during
the growing season until you're sick of it, and then wait until next
year. I'm lucky, I hate basil. blech And I don't consider pesto a
sauce, it's much more a condiment.... actually a waste of good olive
oil, cheese, and pine nuts.

Sheldon

Pennyaline said:

Dave Smith said:

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

I don't bother to preserve it. I get dried basil from the bulk food section
of the grocery store and it is dirt cheap. I use fresh dill on tomatoes and
in pasta sauces and as a garnish.

As someone mentioned before, dried basil isn't worth having. It is one
of the few herbs whose flavor is lost rather than intensified with
drying. Basil freezes wonderfully. Freeze whole leaves, or blend it into
a slurry with water and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto freezes
beautifully. Oil infusions will not last long, even in the refrigerator,
and you may find it going rancid or growing little guests in it long
before you can use it all up.

Freeze the basil!

So, if you had fresh basil in your backyard, what's your own personal
process to 'save' it?

Sky, who's learning., hopefully!
--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Sheldon said:

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard > to freezing pesto.

Depends how you intend to use it... for most uses just prepare the
dish (ie. pesto/tomato sauce) and freeze, If you plan to use it fresh
(in salads, sandwiches) fergeddaboudit. You can layer the leaves with
kosher salt and freeze and you can preserve some in vinegar but I
don't think it's worth the trouble. For those who like basil I
strongly suggest you cram as much as possible down your throat during
the growing season until you're sick of it, and then wait until next
year. I'm lucky, I hate basil. blech And I don't consider pesto a
sauce, it's much more a condiment.... actually a waste of good olive
oil, cheese, and pine nuts.

Sheldon

Ding Ding Ding! Best answer yet so far (to me)! I find basil very
aromatic, but I so rarely eat it. Hence, I'm a newbie with regards to
basil. However, that doesn't preclude the fact I want to learn <G>!

Sky

P.S. Thanks for your reply 🙂

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Sheldon said:

Sky said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden? How is the basil
prepped for the process? What portions, etc. I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with
regard > to freezing pesto.

Depends how you intend to use it... for most uses just prepare the
dish (ie. pesto/tomato sauce) and freeze, If you plan to use it fresh
(in salads, sandwiches) fergeddaboudit. You can layer the leaves with
kosher salt and freeze and you can preserve some in vinegar but I
don't think it's worth the trouble. For those who like basil I
strongly suggest you cram as much as possible down your throat during
the growing season until you're sick of it, and then wait until next
year. I'm lucky, I hate basil. blech And I don't consider pesto a
sauce, it's much more a condiment.... actually a waste of good olive
oil, cheese, and pine nuts.

Sheldon

I'm not a basil fan, either, Sheldon. Gawd, I thought I was alone on that
one! I'll take oregano over basil any day.

kili

Pennyaline said:

As someone mentioned before, dried basil isn't worth having. It is one
of the few herbs whose flavor is lost rather than intensified with
drying. Basil freezes wonderfully. Freeze whole leaves, or blend it into
a slurry with water and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto freezes
beautifully. Oil infusions will not last long, even in the refrigerator,
and you may find it going rancid or growing little guests in it long
before you can use it all up.

It is certainly less intense, and somewhat different when tried. It is not
without any merit at all. I have used it for years in Chicken Chasseur. It
works in that. It is too early in the morning to think up other things
that I use it in .... but not much I think.

kilikini said:

I'm not a basil fan, either, Sheldon. Gawd, I thought I was alone on
that one! I'll take oregano over basil any day.

kili

Basil is one of my favorite herbs, particularly in tomato dishes. I
have to admit I've chopped it, put it in icecube trays and covered it
with water, then popped out the cubes. I've frozen it dry, as is.
Nothing beats fresh, IMO.

Sky said:

Pennyaline wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Freeze the basil!

So, if you had fresh basil in your backyard, what's your own personal
process to 'save' it?

<heavy sigh> That IS what I do with the basil in my backyard (it grows
in containers on my deck, actually). Freeze the basil!!!

Freeze it in whole leaf form or freeze a slurry in ice cube trays. When
the cubes are frozen solid, pop them out of the trays and seal them up
in plastic freezer bags. Keep frozen, taking out a cube at a time for
use in cooking. YMMV as to how many cubes you'll need for a dish.

Frozen pesto is great, too, but don't invest all of your basil into
pesto for freezing. If you do, and when you need basil for a dish and
all you'll have is pesto, you'll then have to invest your time into
beating your head against the wall chanting "I knew I should have kept
some plain! I knew I should have kept some plain!"

limey said:

kilikini said:

I'm not a basil fan, either, Sheldon. Gawd, I thought I was alone on
that one! I'll take oregano over basil any day.

Quoted message said:

kili

Basil is one of my favorite herbs, particularly in tomato dishes.

Basil is my least favorite herb... it's really suitable for only
tomato dishes and not much else. I don't mind a smidgion with tomato
but with the quantity some use they don't taste anything else. Basil,
like other herbs, should be used to add a bit of flavor, not become
the main ingredient. Anyone who thinks pesto is a sauce for pasta
should have no problem with dressing their pasta with just ketchup,
they're both equally condiments.

Sky said:

.....I'm curious about
everyone's variety of methods and ingredients, especially with regard to
freezing pesto.

Sky, who has a lot of fresh basil to process

For freezing pesto, make the pesto recipe minus the cheese. Add cheese
to thawed pesto before serving.
Mickey

Mickey Zalusky said:

For freezing pesto, make the pesto recipe minus the cheese. Add cheese
to thawed pesto before serving.
Mickey

Why?

Magdalena Bassett

Pennyaline said:

Dave Smith wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sky wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I don't bother to preserve it. I get dried basil from the bulk food section
of the grocery store and it is dirt cheap. I use fresh dill on tomatoes and
in pasta sauces and as a garnish.

Quoted message said:

As someone mentioned before, dried basil isn't worth having. It is one
of the few herbs whose flavor is lost rather than intensified with
drying. Basil freezes wonderfully. Freeze whole leaves, or blend it into
a slurry with water and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto freezes
beautifully. Oil infusions will not last long, even in the refrigerator,
and you may find it going rancid or growing little guests in it long
before you can use it all up.

Freeze the basil!

Since nobody has mentioned the obvious yet:

Take your freshly-harvested bunch of basil, and place it roots-down
into a container of water. A mason jar will do nicely. This way
it will stay fresh for easily a week.

Same with cilantro, cress, etc. etc.

Steve

(Steve Pope) said:

Pennyaline said:

Dave Smith said:

Sky wrote:
> As the subject line asks . . .. what method do you use to preserve
> freshly harvested basil from your backyard garden?
I don't bother to preserve it. I get dried basil from the bulk food section
of the grocery store and it is dirt cheap. I use fresh dill on tomatoes and
in pasta sauces and as a garnish.

As someone mentioned before, dried basil isn't worth having. It is one
of the few herbs whose flavor is lost rather than intensified with
drying. Basil freezes wonderfully. Freeze whole leaves, or blend it into
a slurry with water and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto freezes
beautifully. Oil infusions will not last long, even in the refrigerator,
and you may find it going rancid or growing little guests in it long
before you can use it all up.

Quoted message said:

Freeze the basil!

Since nobody has mentioned the obvious yet:

Take your freshly-harvested bunch of basil, and place it roots-down
into a container of water. A mason jar will do nicely. This way
it will stay fresh for easily a week.

Um, harvested has no roots.

"Magdalena Bassett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mickey Zalusky said:

For freezing pesto, make the pesto recipe minus the cheese. Add cheese to
thawed pesto before serving.
Mickey

Why?

Magdalena Bassett

The cheese will lose pretty much all its taste when frozen.

On Oct 14, 3:25?pm, Magdalena Bassett <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Mickey Zalusky said:

For freezing pesto, make the pesto recipe minus the cheese. Add cheese
to thawed pesto before serving.
Mickey

Why?

Only logical reason I can think of is that since hard cheese contains
a lot of salt by omitting it the pesto will freeze more solidly and
that would increase its freezer life by some small increment...
otherwise it's just something the poster thought would fool folks into
thinking he's smart. When people post such without giving an
explanation (like Moses from the mountain) you can bet your bipee that
they just made something up out of thin air so they can feel superior.
There's no reason not to freeze pre-grated hard cheese, in fact that's
the best way to increase its shelf life... anytime someone finds
themself with a glut of pre-grated hard cheese keep it frozen as you
use it... if you find yourself with a glut of hard cheese not pre-
grated then grate it and freeze it. If you freeze it while still in a
chunk it will be difficut to grate as it will tend to crumble. Even
soft cheese should be shredded before freezing.

Sheldon