Step 1

Try to harvest your herbs at their peak, usually just before they flower. Also, if possible, I recommend harvesting them mid-morning after the dew has dried and before the day gets hot. This is when the most oil is on the stem and leaves. Like all food preservation, the quality of the food when it’s fresh determines the quality of the food when it is preserved.

Step 2

Wash and dry the herbs. You can pat them dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel. But a salad spinner is also a quick way to rinse and dry them.

Step 3

Remove the fresh herb leaves. You can leave the tender, young stems on soft-stem herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, etc.). But remove any old, tough, or woody stems.

Step 4

Place the prepared herbs on the freeze dryer trays. Some folks like to line the trays with parchment paper, but I haven’t found it necessary. Ensure the herbs don’t go above the top edge of the tray. This is easy with dill and oregano, for example. But leafy herbs like basil are harder to squish down. Divide the herbs among the trays as needed.

Step 5

Place the trays into the freeze dryer. Close and seal the freeze dryer door.

Step 6

Adjust the settings so the freeze dryer does not heat above 95° F (this is under the "Custom" menu on most machines).

Step 7

Make sure the drain valve is closed (it should be perpendicular to the drain line). Hit start.

Step 8

Let the freeze dryer do its magic! The process’s length depends on the quantity of herbs and the room’s temperature (if your freeze dryer is in a garage, for example, it can take longer on hot days). But the drying time usually takes around 12 hours or more.

Step 9

Once the freeze dryer has completed the process, check the herbs to ensure they are completely dry. If there is any moisture, return the trays to the machine, select “more dry time,” and add 2 hours.

Step 10

When the herbs are completely dry, store them in vacuum sealed glass jars (short-term storage) or mylar bags with an appropriate-sized oxygen absorber (long-term storage up to 25+ years).