Drying Parsley Methods

Drying parsley methods include using a dehydrator, solar drying, and air drying. Each method has its pros and cons.

Parsley is a useful culinary as well as medicinal herb. Parsley's main medicinal quality is as a diuretic, but it is also used to treat stomach upset and gas. Dried parsley may be used to season food or to make an herbal tisane.

Dehydrators use hot air to gently and slowly remove the moisture from food. They can be used to dry fruit, vegetables and herbs. Generally it takes several hours to dry herbs properly in a dehydrator. Some dehydrators are box shaped while others are rounded. You use them by stacking food or herbs in a single layer upon trays and sliding the trays into the dehydrator, then setting the time and temperature. The trays have tiny holes or perforations in them to allow the warm air to circulate among the herbs. Dehydrators can be pricey, but if you plan to dry a lot of herbs or produce from the garden they can pay for themselves.

To dry parsley in a dehydrator, simply spread the parsley on the trays and set the dehydrator as recommended by the manufacturer. Since machines vary, you must check the instruction book that came with your specific dehydrator for the proper drying time.

Your oven or microwave can be used to dry herbs. Simply set the oven for 180 degrees, spread the parsley in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and bake for two to four hours. Be sure to watch the oven carefully to avoid burning the parsley. To microwave dry parsley, spread parsley on a paper plate in a single layer and microwave on high for a minute or two.

Many people who use herbs for medicinal purposes recommend dehydrators, air or solar drying instead of oven and microwave drying. They feel that using the high heat of an oven or microwave degrades some of the medicinal qualities of the herb. Both oven and microwave drying are convenient and economical, so choose which method works best for you.

Solar drying herbs is easy and economical. All you need is a nice sunny day, a clean sheet or a baking tray, and a bit of patience.

Choose a day when it's not too humid and there's no rain or thunderstorms in the forecast. You may want to pick a time when there's no rain in the forecast for several days to ensure maximum drying time. Pick fresh sprigs of parsley from the garden and rinse to remove surface dirt.

Spread a clean sheet on a picnic table and weigh it down with bricks so that the breeze can't move it. Alternately you can use an old baking sheet, cookie sheet or roasting pan. Old window screens make the best solar dehydrating racks because they allow air circulation. If you have an old window screen, place four bricks on the ground to support the corners of the screen.

Now lay the parsley sprigs in a single layer on the sheet, in the pans, or on the screen. Put it in direct sunlight and leave it alone. Turn it over once a day until it's crispy and dry. Take the herbs inside into the garage or house at night so that the dew doesn't get them wet, and always move them under cover if rain threatens.

All herbs can be air dried. You'll need a warm or hot and dry place to air dry herbs. Gather parsley together into a bundle and use kitchen twine. Tie the bundle together on the stem end. Use a thumb tack or a nail and hang the bundle in your selected place until the herbs are dry. Good places to air dry herbs include garages, attics, garden sheds, kitchen pantries and even the kitchen itself if it's not too moist and you don't mind the smell of herbs drying. Many herbs, including parsley, can be dried this way.

When using these drying parsley methods, you'll need to do one more step after the parsley leaves are dry. You'll need to remove the dried herbs and store them.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Wash and dry your own hands thoroughly.
• Spread newspaper over the table where you'll be working.
• Make sure you have a clean, dry container with a tight fitting lid to store the herbs.
• Using your bare hands, crunch up the dried leaves and funnel them into the container. Discard stems.
• Label and date the container.

You don't need to spend a fortune on fancy herb containers unless you want to. Coffee cans and jars, clean and dried jam and jelly jars, and plastic containers such as whipped topping containers all make fine dried herb storage containers. Enjoy your dried parsley within a year of harvest to make sure it's fresh.

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