Basil is a delicate herb that spoils easily if not stored properly. That’s why you must know how to store fresh basil.
Fresh herbs are notorious for spoiling very quickly. We all know how, upon opening the refrigerator door, our gaze sadly catches a bunch of fresh grass that has already withered. Basil is one of the most perishable herbs. Tender basil leaves wither at such a rate that most cooks don’t buy them for this reason.
But everyone knows that the aroma of basil cannot be replaced by another aroma. With a few culinary tricks, your fresh basil can stay fresh for a long time. Here’s how you can keep basil fresh for a long time:
Buy basil in a pot
The best way to keep every herb fresh for a long time is to keep it alive. Basil is no exception. It is easy to buy a pot of basil and even easier to take care of this fragrant plant. All you have to do is take the pot home and find a sunny spot for the basil. Basil loves warmth, but loves indoor spaces even more, for this reason, it is best to grow it indoors. If you decide to plant basil in your garden, the air temperature should not be below 5-10°C. It must be remembered that the basilica needs frequent watering. This is a guarantee of new leaves on the plant that will stay fresh for many weeks.
How To Store Fresh Basil – Bouquet of flowers
If you don’t have room for a pot of basil at home or don’t have a sunny spot, don’t be sad. You can keep basil fresh by treating it like you would a normal bouquet of flowers. But unlike a bouquet of flowers, the basil should be covered with a transparent plastic bag – this will keep it fresh.
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Clean the basil from yellow leaves or from injured and rotten leaves. Cut off a small portion of the stems.
STEP 2: Place the basil in a glass of water – just a few centimeters – and cover the basil with a clear plastic bag (do not dip the edges of the bag into the glass, the basil needs to breathe). A plastic bag is ideal as it is very thin and will not damage the leaves.
Step 3: Then place fresh basil on the countertop and don’t forget to change the water every 2 days.
Many people believe that keeping basil in the refrigerator will help it stay fresh – this is not true. NO! Basil does not tolerate colds. Moderate temperatures are the key to the well-being of this prized herb.
How To Store Fresh Basil – Freeze
Freezing is an easy way to store fresh basil. Before you put it in the freezer, you must first blanch the basil. Blanching seems complicated, but you just have to throw it in boiling water for a few seconds or a minute, then throw it in ice water to stop the cooking process. Blanching will keep the vibrant green color of the basil. Without a beautiful color, basil turns into a repulsive brownish-black mass. Blanched basil leaves should be dried and then frozen. You can freeze basil leaves whole or freeze them by placing them in an ice cube tray and filling them with water.
How To Store Fresh Basil – Drying
There is no need to buy dried basil from the store when you can dry it at home. You don’t need any special equipment to dry basil. You just need to spread the basil leaves on paper and leave them to dry. There is only one storage condition – before pouring dried basil into boxes, you need to make sure that the leaves are actually dry. If they are not dry, they will mold after a few days in the jar.
Dried basil is stored in a tightly closed container. Dried basil can be stored this way for a year or more. It must be remembered that the aroma of dried basil is much stronger than fresh. If the recipe calls for fresh basil and you have dry basil, reduce it by one-third of the indicated amount.