Kitchen Tip: Preserving Fresh Basil
August 21, 2008
See that picture? That’s my basil that I left for too long in the fridge. I know, I should be punished for wasting such a good thing. But never fear, it was from a plant at home, so at least I didn’t spend money on it.
The question is, how can I prevent this from happening again? How can I keep my basil from turning black when I don’t use it all right away?
Luckily, The Test Kitchen recently, well, tested this very question. Their conclusion? First, wrap your basil in damp paper towels. Then, place the whole thing in a ziploc bag, but leave it un-zipped. That keeps the basil from getting too moist. Just store your ziploc in the refrigerator and it should last at least a week.
And while you have all that basil, why not consider some fresh pesto?
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August 21st, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I also use a ton of basil, and have a plant inside as well as outside in my garden. The garden plant will be moved inside once it gets too cold. It has blossomed into a tree! I also freeze a lot of my basil for future use. While not as pretty or as fresh, it sure beats the dehydrated version.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I’m so lazy I kept forgetting to look this up. It’s a piece of info I definitely needed cause I hate when my basil gets prematurely dark and wilty and/or brittle.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Don’t know if it will work for basil, but I’ve started freezing my parsley and cilantro. It is much easier to cut and retains its flavor.