Basil... preservation.

Hi all... I'm new here... hope I'm posting in the right place... please pardon me if I'm not.

This is my first year at attempting to grow a full garden... including herbs.... All things worked out well for the year.... but my Basil is still growing... everything else has died off. I live in Mississippi... and it's still very warm here... My basil and okra are the only two things left that are growing... The okra.. I love... but I know it's about to go away... The basil however... is still growing... rapidly... It's a huge plant.... Fall is already here, but yet, it's still 90 degrees everyday... but that won't last for much longer. Could someone with a much greener thumb than I have... tell me what I could/can do... to preserve my basil? I have hundreds of REALLY healthy leaves.... What is the proper thing to do here? I greatly appreciate any help!

Move the leaves promptly to an ice shower. Wipe the leaves off or turn dry in a plate of mixed greens spinner. The leaves must be just about as dry as could really be expected. Put the basil leaves in layers on material or wax paper and store them in a cooler safe holder.

First off, congrats on your first year of gardening! It sounds like you've had a pretty successful year, especially with that basil. Basil can thrive in warmer temperatures, which is probably why it's still doing so well in Mississippi's heat.

Preserving basil allows you to savor its freshness long after its peak growing season. For a traditional method, consider drying: simply hang bunches of basil upside down in a cool, dry location. After a week or two, when they're fully dried, you can crumble the leaves and store them in airtight containers. Another popular method is freezing: chop your basil and place portions in ice cube trays, filling each compartment with water or olive oil. Once frozen, these cubes can be used directly in your cooking, retaining the basil's signature flavor.

For those who enjoy culinary creations, making pesto is a delightful option. By blending basil with olive oil, nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, you'll produce a flavorful sauce that can be refrigerated or frozen for later use. Additionally, creating basil oil or basil-infused vinegar offers aromatic condiments that can elevate various dishes. www.imperiume.io


This message was edited Oct 29, 2023 9:45 AM

For a lot of basil you might want to keep around in excess several days, follow food chief Chris Morocco. The most effective way to keep basil new, he expresses, is to manage the closures of the stems as you would a bundle of roses, and afterward place the cut basil in a glass container, tall jar, or glass of water

I have dried basil, and I have also frozen the whole leaves, which immediately crumble over a hot pot of chili, or whatever you're adding it to. Last year I tried something different. I chopped the basil leaves and added them to a measuring cup, maybe the one-cup size. I pressed the chopped leaves down, added some water, and then put it in the freezer to freeze. I did this multiple times, and when each was frozen (it didn't take long), I popped it out of its one-cup measuring cup and slipped it into a freezer bag. One freezer bag held enough for me to get through the winter when I wanted the fresh, not dried, basil taste. I was amazed at how fresh the basil tasted this way. It stayed a pretty bright green, too. You don't need to thaw the basil first, and the small amount of water added just melted into the rest and really didn't make any difference. Give it a whirl next year if you have a big crop of basi, and I hope you do.l.