My rosemary bush is out of control. It’s wild and full and gorgeous, but it’s growing into my screen. A definite no-no which means it’s time to clip the rosemary. The perfect fall afternoon chore, right? Great. Now with my hands full of the stuff, what next? I can’t possibly eat it all.
How about drying some? Use some, dry some, root some, display some! Fantastic! And very easy to do. Set your oven to 200°F. Place clipped rosemary branches on a baking sheet and “bake” in oven for approximately 2 hours or until dry. Don’t overdue it. Bake until “just” dried.
To separate leaves from stems, I simply squeezed the branches and the leaves crumbled off onto my awaiting pan. Voila!
Dried rosemary, ready for storing! Store whole or if you prefer, go ahead and crumble further before putting the dried leaves into an airtight bottle.
I had so much I ended up with a canning jar full! Which would make for a great gift, BTW. 🙂 And how about using some fresh rosemary for dinner? I injected my pork loin with garlic cloves (from my garden) and then covered it with fresh rosemary. Let me tell you, the scent of garlic-rosemary cooking in the oven is divine.
Don’t forget the kids! Steep a few sprigs of that fresh rosemary in a cup of boiling water for 2 minutes then add to a jug of fresh lemonade. The kids love this twist on an old favorite. Check my recipe section for full details.
You can even surprise them with a petite bouquet of rosemary for their bathroom. Ahhhhh….am I at the spa? Certainly smells good in here! Rosemary provides a natural mental boost too, so if you ever need a quick lift, try a nose-full of fresh rosemary.
If you’re the adventurous type, you may want to create your own essential oil. Easy to do and oh so heavenly!
The most important thing to remember is ENJOY the fruits (or herbs!) of your labor. After all, isn’t that what gardening is all about?
How can you tell if the rosemary is over dry? I baked my rosemary at 200 degrees F and after only 50 minutes the leaves were dry and easily fell off the stalk when I squeezed them. Should I have baked the stalks longer? Thank you for the information.
Not a bit! Once your leaves fall easy from the stem, you’re good to go! Store in a seal-tight jar and enjoy for months to come!
Thank you for the info. Another question: Does freshly dried rosemary smell and taste different than store bought dried rosemary (whole, not crushed leaves)?
Garden-fresh rosemary that you oven dry will retain much of its scent, provided you don’t overdo it. Once you break or crush it, the scent is more pronounced, but yes, you can definitely tell it’s your glorious dried rosemary!
Loving the Rosemary aroma in my kitchen. Thank you again for the info.
Janet
One of my favorites.