Nesco Food Dehydrator manual Herb Drying Guidelines, Part of Plant, Average, Preparation, Uses

Herb Drying Guidelines

Most herbs may be dried in your NESCO® American Harvest® dehydrator right on the plant stalk or stem. Seeds and leaves are easily stripped from the plant when dry. Drying temperature should not exceed 90°-100°F (35°C). Do not dry herbs with fruits and vegetables. Store in glass containers in a cool, dark place to reduce flavor loss. Label clearly before storage because they are difficult to recognize when dry. Do not powder leaves until you are ready to use.

			Average
Food	Part of Plant	Preparation	Drying Time	Uses
Anise	Leaves	Rinse in cold water	1-3 hrs.	Soups, stews, sauces,
				and vegetable and
				fruit salads
Anise	Seeds	Rinse in hot water	2-5 hrs.	Cake, cookies,
				sweet breads
Basil	Leaves	Clip leaves 3 to 4	1-3 hrs.	Italian and
		inches from top of		Mediterranean dishes,
		plant just as first		tomato dishes, meat,
		buds appear		salads, soups, fish,
				poultry and egg dishes
Caraway	Seeds	Clip entire plant.	2-5 hrs.	Pork, sauerkraut, rye
		Dip in boiling water		bread, cheese,
				vegetables and cookies
Chili	Pods	Rinse and dice	5-12 hrs.	Powder for seasoning
Peppers
Chives	Leaves	Chop, rinse in cold	2-3 hrs.	Mild onion flavor, use
		water		in moist recipes
Cilantro	Leaves	Clip with stems.	1-3 hrs.	Mexican, Chinese and
		Rinse in cold water		Mediterranean dishes
Coriander	Seeds	Clip entire plant.	2-5 hrs.	Sausage, pickling,
		Dip in boiling water		spices, apple and
				pear dishes
Cumin	Seeds	Rinse in cold water	2-5 hrs.	Curries and chili
				dishes
Dill	Leaves	Rinse in cold water	1-3 hrs.	Salads, vegetables,
				potatoes and fish

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