Fresh basil - to freeze or not to freeze!

Looking for the perfect technique to freeze fresh basil--tips anyone?

I guess you can freeze fresh basil, but why ? In the summer we use fresh from the garden basil, in the winter we use dry basil. Two different tastes for two different seasons and dishes.

Seafarer, how can you ask this question? Fresh spices are ALWAYS better than dried. I don't think you can even compare the taste, let alone the texture... People try to preserve all of the tastes of summer to use during the dreary, long winter because they simply taste better

I tried to freeze basil---found that it didnt hold as well as i would like and drying it was a better idea---and easy---of course I found that in the form of Pesto--it it keeps really well! Since 90% of the basil i use is in pesto i just make that and store it instead.

I once thought it would nice to have ALL fresh herbs and vegies i want all the time until i actually had that---living in Calif.'s central valley---after a while i missed the whole conc3ept of "seasonal"--and the specialness of first crop of fresh basil--or then first garden tomato.so now when theres no fresh basil-which usually means its cold---i make potao/cheese soup instead.

Blanch the basil leaves first, by dropping them in boiling water for a few seconds. Remove them, and immediately place them in a bowl of ice water to chill for a few seconds; take them out.

Then, blot dry with paper towels. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper, spread the basil leaves on it, cover loosely with plastic and freeze for an hour. Afterwards, place leaves in freezer storage bags and put them in the freezer. Good for several months.

Hope this helps. Good luck, NancyPeter.

Thanks, KimChee, I'll give it a try Nancy

Here is what I do. I put the clean (not washed) basil leaves into the food processor. I chop them fine add olive oil in a thin stream until it forms a paste (pesto) then line a baking tray with parchment, plop portions of the paste onto the parchment and lay in the freezer until solid. You can use ice cube trays but I find that messier and slower. I then peel the plops off the parchment (very easy to do) and place them in a plastic bag in the freezer. Use a good quality, plastic bag. All winter long I use these to flavor soups, pasta sauce and with some additions, I use them for pesto on pasta. The fresh basil taste is still there, quite intensely, and it takes very little room in the freezer. Doing anything else to fresh basil turns it into something totally different. Not bad, just different.

I have never agreed with the chefs and food writers who claim that fresh herbs taste better than dried. In my opinion they are different, but not worse nor better. Example; In Summer we make a simple quick tomato sauce of fresh San Marzanos and fresh basil, thyme, and oregano - it's great! In winter we make a long cooking sauce of canned tomatoes, dried herbs, etc - it is also great. In summer we grill our chicken, in winter we roast or stew the chicken - it's all about the seasons.

I suppose we are all entitled to our own opinions--maybe you're right! Thanks for your input, Seafarer...

quote:

Originally posted by finediner

Here is what I do. I put the clean (not washed) basil leaves into the food processor. I chop them fine add olive oil in a thin stream until it forms a paste (pesto) then line a baking tray with parchment, plop portions of the paste onto the parchment and lay in the freezer until solid. You can use ice cube trays but I find that messier and slower. I then peel the plops off the parchment (very easy to do) and place them in a plastic bag in the freezer. Use a good quality, plastic bag. All winter long I use these to flavor soups, pasta sauce and with some additions, I use them for pesto on pasta. The fresh basil taste is still there, quite intensely, and it takes very little room in the freezer. Doing anything else to fresh basil turns it into something totally different. Not bad, just different.

I do the same thing using tomato paste instead of olive oil. The drawback is you can only use it for red sauces.

While waiting to decide which freezing method to use, I had a huge bunch of basil from the local farm sitting in water like a bouquet. Lo & behold, roots have formed, so now I might be able to plant some also & keep it growing indoors on my plant rack! Keeping my fingers crossed this will work

One more preserving method to try with basil - gather and separate nice leaves and layer in a clean quart (or pint) canning jar with non-iodized salt (pickling or Kosher is best). Start with salt on bottom, and build layers of 50/100 or so leaves with a few Tbs of salt between. The salt wilts and darkens the basil, and it's amazing how many you can eventually get into the jar! To use, simply rinse off in water. Good basil essence, and this keeps on your spice shelf with no care. I agree with those who note that there are subtle differences to any and all preserving methods, but that each simply creates a slightly different taste. This is worth trying, especially if you are like me and hate to waste such beautiful summer bounty.

John Murren

I was wondering if anyone has tried freezing the basil in water and chicken bouillon to later add the rest of the pesto ingredients when the time comes? I've heard that the olive oil doesn't really freeze, it just gels?

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

I have never agreed with the chefs and food writers who claim that fresh herbs taste better than dried. In my opinion they are different, but not worse nor better. Example; In Summer we make a simple quick tomato sauce of fresh San Marzanos and fresh basil, thyme, and oregano - it's great! In winter we make a long cooking sauce of canned tomatoes, dried herbs, etc - it is also great. In summer we grill our chicken, in winter we roast or stew the chicken - it's all about the seasons.

Excellent point, seafarer john, altho dried herbs can be notoriously lacking in flavor if held too long. Dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavor and you need to use a lot less than with fresh and there are times when dried herbs are preferable to fresh.

Virtually any herb can be frozen when minced and mixed with olive oil, or, if you don't want the flavor of olive oil, some other flavorless oil. You can always add other ingredients later for pesto or whatever. They can also be stored in the refrigerator like this.

Basil leaves should be washed only if necessary and must be blotted dry to prevent the growth of mold; try not to bruise them. You can dry them in a number of ways but not in the oven or in the sun. They will darken and even turn black unless protected from oxidation. You can greatly retard oxidaton by covering them with paper towels.

You can dry them in a microwave oven; it takes a very, very short time and you'll have to experiment with it. Your mileage may vary . They can also be dried in a frost-free freezer.

I'm lazy, I just use the olive oil method and I grow so much basil around here I wind up throwing out containers of the frozen stuff.

I've never tried it but I have to say blanching delicate basil leaves seems like a very unnecessary step.

I have tried freezing basil without much luck. Also, I've read you can't freeze for more than three months without deterioration. Making pesto works but then you are restricted to that recipe. Use the dry stuff!

quote:

Originally posted by NancyPeter

While waiting to decide which freezing method to use, I had a huge bunch of basil from the local farm sitting in water like a bouquet. Lo & behold, roots have formed, so now I might be able to plant some also & keep it growing indoors on my plant rack! Keeping my fingers crossed this will work

Get a grow light at a hardware store of garden store and place it where your basil plant is located. Basil does quite well indoors with grow lights.

Thanks, Michael, I'll give it a go...

Basil is easy to preserve. You can freeze it in regular freezer bags, it will develop ice crystals on it but it is so good to smell it when chopping it! It stayed good this way for over a year in my freezer and still smelled fresh everytime the bag was opened! Another freezer method is to freeze leaves in water in ice cube trays. You can then just drop the cubes into soups and sauces.

I have had good luck with freezing basil. I don't agree that you just use dried basil in the winter; I do so, if there's no fresh left in the freezer, but it's just not the same.

All I do is pick the leaves and put them in a plastic bag, then freeze. The color isn't good, but the flavor is quite fresh. It's nice to have a pot of pasta sauce using your own frozen tomatoes and frozen basil in the middle of winter. Lets you know that cold weather isn't eternal.