How to Dry Parsley: 5 Ways

In winter, when fresh greens are unreasonably expensive, and the human body needs an additional intake of vitamins and microelements, the housewife comes to the aid of home preparations of spices necessary in cooking. One of the most popular is dried parsley. In summer it grows on every homestead, inexpensive sold in markets, so it is not very difficult to make the necessary stock for the winter.

What kinds of parsley are good for drying

Parsley is a frequent guest on the table, a basic condiment for dishes. But not everyone knows which varieties of greens leave not only its flavor, but also a lot of useful substances. To provide yourself with useful vitamins for the entire winter time, you should know quite simple information about this plant.

All varieties of parsley are divided into several subspecies: leafy, root and early-ripening, mid-ripening, late-ripening. Depending on the preference for the consumption of greens, the desired variety is chosen. All early-ripening ones are suitable for winter storage, pickling, storing in salt, and drying. These include some of the most beloved varieties of gardeners: curly, beads, titan, chastushka, bravo, rialto. They give seedlings in just a few days, and the full maturity of the plant comes on the 55-60th day. Varieties are high-yielding, fragrant, unpretentious in care.

How to prepare herbs for drying

Dried herbs do not take up much space, easy and long storage. Before the drying process, you need to pay attention to a few important rules, without which it is impossible to prepare successfully dried herbs.

1. Greens for the subsequent process should be chosen with young leaves, not large stems.
2. For drying it is necessary to take fresh, not wilted parsley, without yellowing of leaves, rotten stems.
3. Greens that have stood in water are unsuitable, because they have become saturated with excess liquid, will not dry well and for a long time.
4. If you dry herbs from your own home garden, they should be collected in dry weather.
5. If several types of herbs are being dried at the same time, you need to keep them away from each other so that the flavors do not mix.

Before the process, it is important to prepare the herbs. Simple steps will help to avoid further mold and festering:

1. Rinse parsley thoroughly in cold running water.
2. Spread it on a cotton towel, so that it absorbs excess moisture. You can also blot it with a paper towel.
3. Pick, remove wilted, yellowed leaves. Also remove the woody parts of the stems, trim the lower part of them.
4. Cut the greens into pieces about 5 cm long. During drying they will significantly reduce in size.
5. If the drying process is carried out in natural conditions, the greens do not need to be cut. It is enough to spread it in a thin layer or hang it vertically, tied in a bundle.
6. Purchased parsley should be further processed by soaking for 15 minutes in salt water, at the rate of 1 tablespoon per liter. Then dry the herb thoroughly.

How to dry parsley at home

In every grocery supermarket in the spice department you can find a large variety of spices. Among them there are bags of dried parsley. But dried with your own hands, in home conditions, it will be much cheaper, in addition, you can be sure of its quality. It is necessary to know how to dry parsley to preserve all its useful qualities.

Drying has a lot of advantages: it reduces the moisture of the greens, stops oxidative reactions. Not only the shelf life of the spice, but also its taste depends on the correctness of the process. There are several basic ways of drying parsley at home.

In the oven

Drying herbs in the oven is the most convenient way for housewives to prepare seasoning for the winter. For it to fully retain its properties, it is necessary:

1. Cut the leaves of herbs together with the stems, coarsely or finely - depending on the preference of the hostess. If parsley will be used in most cases as a condiment to main dishes - chop it finely.
2. Preheat the oven to 50 ° C, cover the baking tray with parchment paper. Spread herbs in a thin layer on it. It should not be more than 2 cm. Place in the oven for 2-3 hours. During the process, you can ajar the oven door.
3. Periodically, gently stir the herbs to dry them evenly.
4. Place the prepared seasoning in a dry glass container. Close tightly with a lid. Store parsley in a dry, cool, darkened place for a year.

In an electric dryer

Drying herbs in an electric dryer has several advantages. It reduces the time required by several times. The process also does not require much effort on the part of the housewife.

1. Cut the stalk of parsley into several pieces of 2 cm, place them on the tray of the machine in a single layer. If you use 2 trays, then during the drying they need to change places.
2. On the electric dryer to set the mode "grass" or the temperature of 45-50 ° C.
3. Drying time depends on the power of the machine. Approximately it is about 2-3 hours.
4. After turning off the electric dryer, let the herbs cool, but it is undesirable to leave them for a long time, as they will become soft.
5. Store the seasoning in a glass container, with a tight lid.

In the microwave

The method of drying in the microwave is suitable only for small amounts of herbs. The technology is quite simple and does not require a lot of time.

1. Finely chop the herbs, remove the thick stems.
2. Place 2 paper towels on a glass microwavable plate, with a thin layer of parsley on them. Cover the top with another paper towel. Place the construction in the microwave.
3. Dry the greens on the power of 800 watts for 5 minutes, but periodically checking and turning.
4. At the end of drying, the parsley should be completely dry and brittle.
5. Place the finished seasoning in glass, tightly sealed jars.

In the air grill.

The method of drying in an air grill is much more convenient than a similar process in a microwave oven. It takes less time than cooking in an oven or electric dryer.

1. Grind the herb to a length of 5 cm.
2. Place the parsley in a single layer on the bottom grid of the air grill. Between the bulb and the lid, you can install a skewer or other heat-resistant object, which will draw some of the humid air to itself.
3. Set the temperature to 120 ° C, time 15-20 minutes, low speed. It is at this heat mode greens retain their color.
4. Store in tightly closed glass jars, cloth bags.

In the sun

This is the most traditional and natural way involves two options. The first requires parchment, the second option requires twine, twine. But you should take into account that a long stay in the sun destroys useful microelements in the greens, and it itself burns out. Rainy cold weather also adversely affects the drying process of greenery. Keep in mind: the faster the drying process, the more useful trace elements will be preserved in the herbs.

1. Spread the herbs on parchment or canvas cloth in one thin layer.
2. Place the tray on a window sill on the sunny side.
3. Twice a day, the herb is gently inverted with slow movements to maintain the integrity of the leaves.
4. The drying process outdoors is quite long and takes 4-5 days. The optimal temperature is 23-25 ° C.

Dry herbs can also be dried in bunches. This does not affect the taste, nutritional qualities and depends on the preference of the hostess, who chooses the more convenient and best option for themselves.

Bundles
Drying parsley in bunches involves several sequential steps:

1. From the sprigs of the plant to form small bundles. Each should be no more than 6-7 pieces of stems.
2. Tie all the bundles tightly with a thread.
3. Put them with their cuts upwards in a dry place with good ventilation. Strong gusts of wind can cause the aroma of the spice to weaken. The distance between the bundles should be at least 10 cm.
4. The vertical drying time is 2 to 7 days. How long it takes to dry depends on the temperature and humidity. Overdrying is not allowed, because it collects excessive dust, weathered flavor. Properly dried herbs retain their color, a little elasticity.

In the future, for better storage bunches can be further dried in the oven on a tray or leave in the open air, pre-wrapped with gauze.

How to check the readiness

To check the readiness of herbs during the drying process is quite easy - it is determined in several ways:

1. By appearance: the color of the leaves changes, they lose their outer elasticity, they become brittle.
2. To the touch: when squeezed with the fingers, the dry parts are crumbling, easy to crumble.

Is it possible to dry parsley root

Useful parsley is widely used in cooking. Zealous housewives are engaged in harvesting not only greens, but also storing the root for the winter. Nutritious, fragrant, it not only complements the taste of cooked dishes, but also makes up for the winter lack of minerals and vitamins.

Before harvesting parsley root for the winter, you must first understand what kinds of plants are best used for drying. It is this parameter that determines how to store the greens.

Root varieties of parsley suitable for drying, there are only medium-ripening and late. In addition, several recommendations should be heeded:

1. Root vegetables should be prepared in late autumn, it is in late September they become more juicy, gain weight, the necessary density.
2. To preserve the maximum amount of vitamins in the root, you should not cut the haulm before harvesting.
3. The main harvesting of the root crop is done in late fall, before the first frost.
4. When drying, the root vegetable partially loses the vitamins, which go with the moisture, but the seasoning can be stored for more than 6 months.

The most versatile method of preserving is to dry the parsley rhizome.

Before the drying process, the root should be rinsed thoroughly under running water, a coarse brush can be used. Next, with a sharp knife, scrape off the thin top layer of skin. Cut off the top, the tail of the parsley. Peeled in this way, cut the roots into thin, small slices, oblong straw.

Parsley root can be harvested in several ways:

• outdoors;
• in an electric dryer;
• Using an oven.

When drying outdoors in a ventilated room or under a canopy, place the cooked roots on a pallet, covering the top with two layers of gauze. It is important to turn and turn the raw material regularly to avoid mold. If the temperature is not high enough during the drying process, the roots will take on a gray color.

If you use an oven, the process of drying the roots will be radically different from the preparation of parsley greens. Roots should be crushed, put a thin layer on baking paper and dried at 40 ° C with the door slightly ajar.

Regardless of the method, the prepared seasoning should be placed in glass jars, cover with a tight lid. You can also store in small canvas bags. Keep the dried root in a dark place, away from heating.

How to properly store dried parsley

Properly harvested at home parsley does not lose its useful qualities, flavor, and is not harmful to health. When storing it, it is important to follow a few simple rules:

1. Dried greens are easy to grind. You can use a mortar, a hand mill. It is undesirable to use a coffee grinder.
2. The best for storage are considered glass containers with sealed lids. But spices can also be kept in cardboard boxes, closed plastic bags, cloth bags or paper bags.
3. Regardless of the choice of container, a label with the name of the seasoning should be attached.
4. Humidity and small aphids are the greatest enemies of dried herbs.

Properly dried herbs do not get moldy, do not lose their taste, aroma, and useful properties. Its shelf life is about a year - until the next herb season.

What are the benefits of dried parsley

Parsley not only acts as an additional spice to dishes, it contains useful vitamins, minerals, has a healing effect on the body.

Even dried spice contains such substances:

1. Vitamin C. The greens contain a large amount of this vitamin, which is a natural antioxidant and immunostimulant.
2. Beta-carotene in its composition is responsible for the development of bone tissues, prevents the development of ophthalmic diseases, problems related to the reproductive system.
3. Inulin helps the metabolism, helps to reduce blood glucose.
4. Potassium prevents the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
5. Essential oils affect the taste buds in the mouth and promote the production of saliva, which is necessary for digestion.

Consumption of dried herbs has a beneficial effect on human health:

1. Attention is increased due to the presence of vitamin B9.
2. The state of the nervous system is stabilized. Parsley has a small dose of choline, which has a calming effect. The herb has a favorable effect on the CNS, suppresses depression, restores strength.
3. The vitamin composition helps to cope with such a problem as loss of appetite.
4. Strengthening the immune system. Folic acid and a large amount of minerals have a positive effect on the human immune system.
5. Help in restoring the vitamin balance. The group of B vitamins, ascorbic acid, present in the composition of greens, helps to make up for the lack of useful substances in case of avitaminosis.
6. Reducing edema. Dried spice has the effect of a mild diuretic.
7. Benefits during periods of influenza, acute respiratory infections. Parsley has anti-inflammatory properties, it is used during colds.
8. Mild choleretic effect (as a prophylactic from diseases of the pancreas, liver).
9. Strengthening the cardiovascular system. Rich vitamin complex is beneficial to people with heart disease and vascular disease.
10. The spice contains a small amount of inulin, which normalizes blood sugar.
11. Beta-carotene, which is in parsley, removes harmful toxins from the body.

Contraindications
Speaking about the positive qualities of parsley, it is necessary to mention its contraindications. From its constant use should be abandoned:

• When inflammatory processes occurring in the body;
• during exacerbation of urolithiasis;
• Individual intolerance.

Parsley contains minerals that may provoke uterine contractions. This on the small terms of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, on the late terms - cause premature birth.

But it is important to understand that in small quantities the intake of dried greens can not harm human health. The main thing, having learned about the useful properties, do not start consuming parsley in any of its forms - dried, fresh, in large quantities, at every meal.

Where dried parsley is used

Dried greens are widely used in the preparation of dishes of meat, vegetables, fish. A small amount of it improves the taste of appetizers and main dishes.

When using it as a spice, remember that it is introduced a few minutes before cooking in order to fully develop its flavor. Some recipes call for warming in a dry pan before adding it to the dish, thus revealing its aroma more intensively. When adding dried herbs during cooking, be sure to cover the dish with a lid so that the aroma of the spices does not evaporate. And, of course, by putting it just before eating it on the plate, you can turn an ordinary meal into a work of culinary art.

Dried spice is used in cooking everywhere. It is used in cuisines around the world as:

• the main ingredient in salad dressings;
• spice for main dishes;
• additive in home canned foods;
• flavor enhancer;
• seasoning for floury unsweetened products;
• additive for breading.
• Spice recreates in the kitchen aroma of summer, sunny carefree.

Dried herbs are widely used in medicine and cosmetology as decoctions, lotions, infusions.

Folk recipes with dried parsley

Parsley has a beneficial effect on the body of women and is actively used in alternative medicine. It has a positive effect on the reproductive system, helping to restore the process of ovulation. Masks, which include dried greens, help in preventing and smoothing wrinkles, have a slight whitening effect. It helps to reduce pigmentation on aging skin.

1. For the broth, pour 1 tablespoon of dried herbs with a glass of water, bring to a boil, insist 30 minutes, then strain. Take half a cup 3 times a day before meals. After using the decoction of parsley for 2-3 weeks, digestion improves, the body is cleared of toxins, has a beneficial effect on the skin and overall health. In addition, the growth of hair and nails improves.
2. Decoction of parsley is used in diseases of the genitourinary system. Take 1 teaspoon of dried parsley per glass of hot water, adding the same amount of the root of the plant. The decoction should be brewed and taken by half a glass two times a day.
3. When rashes on the skin, a decoction of this dried herbs is effective. Small cotton compresses should be applied to the inflamed skin. Micronutrients included in the composition, soothe, disinfect.

Interesting facts about parsley

1. Parsley got its name from the Latin word Petroselinum, which means "growing on a rock".
2. In ancient times on the territory of Southern Greece, it grew on the ground, between a large number of stones. The Greeks called it "stone celery." It is often mentioned in the mythology of the ancient country - the Greeks wove wreaths of parsley and put in the burials of their relatives, winners of sports games were awarded with garlands of the plant.
3. In ancient Rome, parsley was used in sauces and salads. The philosopher Pliny in the first century BC. mentioned in chronicles that not a single dish was served without it.
4. People have always given parsley miraculous powers. They believed that if you called the name of your enemy over a freshly picked branch, he would immediately die. Hence the saying "they need parsley," which was said about terminally ill people.
5. The favorite food of the eighth-century emperor Charlemagne of England was cheese dressed with the seeds of the plant. The rulers of Rome presented it every year as a gift. In Britain parsley appeared only in the 16th century.
6. It is known that the culture takes a very long time to give the first sprouts. So earlier in the villages was said that "it goes to the devil seven times, and as many times returns before it germinates. Hence the belief that a good harvest could only grow with people with magical powers.
7. The healing properties of the plant are mentioned in Beatrix Potter's fairy tales about Peter the Rabbit, who chewed parsley to get rid of nausea and make his breath fresh.
8. Russian proverbs say about the usefulness of the herb: "He who chews parsley - lives long", "A handful of parsley is heavier than two handfuls of gold."

Drying parsley for the winter can be done in different ways - in natural conditions outdoors, with the help of home appliances: aerogrill, electric dryer, microwave, oven. Drying in the traditional way takes a large amount of time for the hostess, depends directly on weather and climatic conditions, but at the same time has a lot of advantages - it preserves the useful, flavorful qualities of herbs. Artificial drying with the help of technical assistants significantly reduces the cooking time, is available at any time of the year, any weather.