Don’t Eat Soggy Brown Herbs! Here’s How To Keep Them Fresh

This article is sponsored by Orson Gygi.  Family owned and operated since 1945, Orson Gygi is the West’s premier source for kitchen tools, supplies, and specialty foods.  Visit them at Gygi.com.

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There’s nothing like fresh herbs in the kitchen.  Basil, cilantro, rosemary, parsley, and sage are all best fresh.  But there’s a problem.  Herbs can deteriorate quickly.

Here are three tips for keeping your herbs as fresh as possible for as long as possible.

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Treat Them Like The Plant’s They Are

Plants need water, and so do your herbs.  For long-stemmed herbs like cilantro, basil, and parsley, drop the stems in water and put them in the fridge.  The herbs will soak up water and stay fresher longer.  This is really necessary because those leaves are particularly tender and vulnerable to drying out.

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Paper Towels To The Rescue!

You already know paper towels do more than clean up messes.  Here’s another use for this versatile kitchen multitasker.

Wrap your fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage in paper towels.  Then put them in a bag and stash them in the fridge.  The paper towels keep moisture at bay.  If you don’t do this, moisture can build up around the herbs and turn them into a soggy, moldy mush.

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Let The Freezer Do The Work

If you need your fresh herbs to last a little longer, or if you notice some decay in the leaves, then go for this last method.

Chop the herbs and load them into ice cube trays.  Put them in the freezer for storage.  When you need the herbs, just pop them out of the tray and you’re good to go.

This tip is particularly useful if you like to buy a lot of herbs at one time.  You can buy a lot at a good price and not let them go to waste.  Plus, the pre-chop saves you time during meal prep.

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Watch Heather Smith and Candace Heward of Orson Gygi demonstrate these tips plus a few more on KSL TV’s Studio 5.