Preserving Herbs in Salt
Preserving herbs in salt pulls moisture from the leaves and replaces it with salinity, locking in the essential oils and color for months. You are essentially creating a concentrated herb-salt that keeps the texture of the herbs supple rather than brittle, ensuring they brighten a stew or a roast long after the garden has gone dormant.
Choosing the right greenery
Use woody or sturdy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, or oregano. Soft herbs like cilantro or parsley tend to turn into a puree and are better handled through freezing.
- small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
- sharp knife
- clean kitchen towel
What goes in.
- 1 cupsturdy herbs, leaves picked and stems discarded
- 1/2 cupcoarse kosher salt (avoid iodized table salt)
Layering for preservation
The goal is complete encapsulation. Every surface of the leaf must be covered in salt crystals to prevent oxidation and bacterial growth.
The method.
Dry the herbs
Wash the herbs and pat them completely dry with a towel. Any residual water will cause the herbs to rot in the jar rather than cure.
Layer the jar
Spread a thick bed of salt at the bottom of the jar. Add a layer of herbs, then cover them completely with more salt. Repeat this process until the jar is nearly full, finishing with a final layer of salt to create a seal.
Cure
Close the lid tightly and place the jar in a cool, dark cupboard. The herbs will be ready to use after three days, but their flavor deepens over the following weeks.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use the salt alongside the herbs when cooking, but taste your dish first as the salt level will be high.
Do not pack the herbs down hard; you want the salt to flow between the leaves.
If you see any dark liquid pooling at the bottom, add a bit more salt to absorb the excess moisture.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long do these keep?
Stored in a cool, dark place, these will hold their flavor for up to six months.
Can I use fine grain salt?
Coarse salt is better because it allows for air circulation around the leaves, which prevents the herbs from clumping into a solid mass.
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