Operating instructions
Herbs and spices are sometimes a neglected part of our cookery. Use your Excalibur® dehydrator to dry your own freshly grown herbs!
Buy bulk quantities of fresh herbs and spices, dry them and create special teas and seasonings. Left-over parsley will no longer be
wasted…as drying herbs and spices require rather simple preparation:
As far back as the beginning of recorded history, people have been using herbs and spices as food, beverages, medicines, and in
superstitious practices. Ancient Greeks and Romans ate parsley to keep from getting drunk. Hippocrates, “the father of medicine,” used
mustard in some of his preparations. In fact, if it weren’t for the importance of herbs and spices to food preparation, we might not be living
here today; remember that one reason Columbus was trying to find a shorter route to the East was to increase Europe’s supply of spices.
General Rules for Dehydrating
Herbs and spices are delicate plants, and they must be treated delicately if they are to retain their valued aroma and flavor. Herbs
should always be dried separately from other foods; the higher temperatures necessary for and increased humidity caused by moister
food would adversely affect the herbs’ quality.
Harvesting
Because the freshest herbs make the tastiest dried ones, you might consider growing some of your own. Select a sunny location for your
herb garden, tend it regularly, and watch it grow. Many herbs - such as chives, ginger, mint, oregano, parsley, and sage - can also grow
successfully indoors most of the year.
The actual time of year to harvest your herbs depends on the part of the plant to be used. Remove flowers when the buds are half open,
but not fully in bloom. Harvest leaves when they are young and tender. Seeds are best when their color changes from green to brown
or gray, but before the pods burst and scatter their contents. Dig out roots in the fall when the plant is fully grown.
When harvesting your herbs, always use scissors and cut them; don’t pull or tear them out. If you live in a dusty or heavily traveled area,
be sure to rinse off your plants the day before you plan to harvest. This will give them a chance to dry off overnight. Generally, the best
time of the day to harvest any herb is as soon as the morning dew has evaporated.
Preparation
As mentioned, herbs and spices require rather simple preparation. First, trim off any dead or discolored plant parts. Wash off the leaves
and stems of most herbs in cool water. A sink spray attachment is ideal for this purpose because it is gentle. Flower heads should be
rinsed thoroughly before the petals are removed. Discard damaged parts. Keep the heads whole for use in teas. After it is sufficiently
dried, remove the outer covering of the herb seeds by rubbing it between your hands. Be sure to dry the seeds thoroughly.
The possibility of insect contamination exists with some seeds, so it is a good idea to freeze the seeds for 48 hours prior to dehydrating.
While not always necessary, the freezing method is still a good precaution to follow and will eliminate the frustration of drying a whole
winter’s stock of herbs only to lose it to insect infestation. However, do not freeze seeds that you intend to use for planting or they will
not germinate.
Dehydrating
Your dehydrator will produce herbs and spices of the highest quality because of its controlled temperatures and air circulation; the
old brown bag methods just can’t compete. Preheat the dehydrator with the thermostat set for 95°F/35°C. Some plants may require
temperatures up to 105°F/41°C, but temperatures any higher than this will ruin the flavor. Place the prepared plants on the trays in a
sparse layer. When dehydrating large clusters, remove alternate trays so that the tops of the clusters are not touching the tray above.
Most herbs and spices require 2 to 4 hours to dry completely, but some may take longer. Make sure you remove the herbs and spices
from the dehydrator as soon as they are dry; dehydrating beyond this point destroys many of the oils, vitamins, and minerals. When
tested, they should be crisp and crumbly.
Storage
Herbs, seeds, and spices have somewhat special packaging requirements. The
containers must not only keep out air and moisture, but also light. Sunlight will
fade the herbs’ colors and flavoring oils. Dark colored glass jars are excellent for this
purpose, but you can also cover clear ones with brown paper or black plastic. Never store
herbs in cardboard boxes or paper bags; they are not adequate protection from
insects, plus the paper tends to absorb the flavoring oils. Only keep what you will
be immediately using in the kitchen; the moist air from cooking will cause the herbs t o
deteriorate faster. Smell your dried herbs before using. If the odor is faint or dusty, t h ey
won’t be much good as seasoning.
HERBS & SPICES
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