Can You Dry Herbs Better Using a Microwave ?
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
- Kitchen Experiment : I learned how to dry culinary herbs using a microwave oven ! Easy but...
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For the record : 2 layers of parsley leaves took 2 minutes and 15 seconds to fully dry out at 700w-ish ( arf, it's an old microwave oven with no watt power readings )
Honestly there's a learning curve. I used that drying technique to dry parsley, mint, coriander, cilantro, dill and chives in my microwave oven. First, I use the microwave plate, then I used kitchen paper to absorb moisture, and then I flattened the leaves to ensure better moisture absorption, and finally I created a structure to evacuate steam better. Microwave dried herbs are better in terms of texture, flavor and color. And they can be made way faster than using traditional methods like hanging a bunch of herbs upside down, or using a low oven.
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BIG love,
Alex
Congrats to 300k! Well deserved!
Ermude10 500k!
@@JHA8542 million!
Very good Video , you are easily the best cooking blogger on this thing called internet
Congrats on 300k btw
Hey Alex, can you keep a batch o dry herbs and repeat the comparison between your batch and the bought one in a couple of months? I'm curious to see how the homemade herbs turn out with time, since factors like oxidation will catch up and "ruin" a little bit the flavor of the herbs. After all you confronted a freshly-made product with a probably "older" one ;)
geissepeter825 it is very fair, dried is dried whether its 2 or 4 months old makes no difference
This is demonstrably incorrect. Go buy a new version of the oldest dried spice/herb in your cupboard, then compare the two. After even just a few months (once the initial packaging seal has been broken) the older one will be noticeably changed.
Just my thoughts, please remake the vid in a couple of months, storing your product same way as bought product. :)
Interesting point and i have an additional idea to that. If Alex dries the herbs and leaves them as whole leaves instead of crushing them, I would assume that the flavour preserves much longer if he freshly crushes the dried leaves in a couple month. He should test that aswell!
From my own experience drying herbs, you'll find that fresh dried herbs like these will still taste a lot better, even after several months. Just like he indicated, it's very noticeable on the delicate herbs like basil. I grow my own from seeds and dry a good batch every year, and the difference between my own dried basil and store bought is night and day, even in winter, over 6 months later.
Alex you are AMAZING!! You might not be working in an engineering company, but you are an engineer through and through.
aviramster i guess Alex worked at an engineering company before
He worked at NASA
catchytuna He studies network engineering and worked as an engineer but decided to pursue his passion - making food.
I'm sure this would be asked a bunch of times but how come not a simple at home dehydrator? Would microwaving the herbs kill/breakdown the nutrients and flavor profile? Versus if you use a dehydrator it's more of a natural but assisted process. I'd be curious to see what the difference there would be like.
I always have a TON of spearmint and lemon mint that takes over the garden every year and it's such a pain to try and dry all of that. I run out of space in the room I dry stuff in before I ever run out of plants.
Congratulations on 300,000 subscribers. I was around when it was only 15k and have loved seeing the channel grow! Keep it up Alex!
Man these videos are so good, best food related channel on UA-cam.
Got her seriously trying to find out how to dry my basil quickly, but you're so much fun.
One thing I sometimes do with fresh leafy herbs, is chop them up and pack tightly into ice cube trays, then top up with water then freeze. Then you just pop them in a dish as required. I like this idea as well...except I don't have a microwave haha.
I like this idea! I think this might work better than to directly freeze them in ziplock bags.
That sounds like a really good idea, especially for the winter. I need to try that sometime.
I put the stalk and leaves into a vacuum bag (though I try not to give them "full vac") before freezing. They lose the leafy shape but stay green and come out in a lump which can be chopped into small pieces when needed. May give the ice cube thing a go, though it'll have to wait until next year as there aren't a lot of leafy herbs around in October.
I've also done it with chicken stock instead of water just for extra flavour. It's worked with parsley, coriander, tarragon and dill. I've not tried basil though as that bruises so easily once chopped so I'm not sure that would work so well. 🤔
Congrats from an italian to a french guy both loving good and fresh cousin. I'm just harvesting a lot of different herbs for the winter. Normally i store them in an box inside of the fridge. Tomorrow I will try some with your drying method.
So funny to see this I just dried all my herbs from my
jardin today! Glad to see my technique is validated by your video
I don't know why, but you are extremely endearing. I like how you obviously love the projects that you get yourself into and try to share that passion with others. I wouldn't be surprised if you hit 1m subs within the year.
i love the engineering aspect of this....he's like a mcgyver chef
Your accent is so cute, please don't ever lose it ^-^
Also I looooooove your videos ^^
I love your tenacity in working it through!
Been watching for awhile, but I have to say this channel is about to explode, and you deserve it!
I started drying my Thyme some time ago after I discovered how much better it is than any bought dryed Thyme. Just for emergencies, when I can't get my hands on fresh one for some reason, but thank you for the tip. I will give it a try.
Alton brown has a brilliant dehydration method on Good Eats Season 9 Episode 3. I would recomend checking that out, as you would be able to do a massive volume at one time. you could probably do 3 or 6 herbs in a single batch.
First time commenting on one of your videos, I have been binge-watching most of your stuff lately :)
I really enjoy your positive attitude and overall positive energy! (It is helping me through depression / a breakup!)
Loved seeing the trial and error process!
for someone who cooks for myself alone, I did not like to buy a bunch of fresh parsley since i would use a bit of it for a dish I would cook that same evening, and then the all the rest (which was most of the bunch) would wilt and go bland in a couple of days. With this technique, I now won't hesitate to buy fresh parsley since I can preserve what I don't use. Thanks Alex!
I didnt think this would be entertaining but ran out of your other vids to watch and was pleasantly surprised that this is exciting just like every single one of your vids
A great way for drying herbes ! Easy and fast keeping all the favors and nutriments ! Use the oven light ..meaning put the leaves or thym rosemary or any other kind of herb the ovenlight is a dry heat process safe and fast exactly the right temperature !
I dont use my microwave...I use my dehydrator for all my herbs and such...congrats on the 300,000 mark..next thing you know your going to hit the MILLION mark lol..
You can also freeze the leaves it keeps the flavor even more fresh
Alton Brown did a drying episode of Good Eats... It involved box-fans and square filters for (a heating system?? I forget what for), no cooking necessary.
I remember that episode
Alton Brown's take on drying meat, which was what he did in that episode, was that you avoid heat altogether, and simply expose the meat to moving air. To accomplish this, he sandwiched the food between food-grade mesh grids, sandwiched those between forced-air heating and cooling system filters, bungee corded them to a box fan and ran air through the contraption for a day or so. Actually he used the same rig in one show for meat and another show for fruit.
I'm curious how the taste is going to evolve with time. Obviously your dried persley was freshly dried so maybe a lot of the qualities it has over the store bought are due to it being only recently dried. Could you make another comparison in few weeks?
I believe it's not the alternative to the store bought options, but the way to save those beautiful herbs you can't use in time because of the work, college, holiday - well, life.
You should always keep a bunch hanging then rotate when you run out. Smells and looks good
I love the herb cabinet idea
Pro tip. Stretch Clint film over wooden bowl, add a layer of fresh herbs to try, cover again with cling film and using a toothpick Pierce evenly before blitzing in the microwave. Use this methods for perfectly flat dried herbs for presentation.
Congratulations on 300k. Very much deserved, this video was probably the best one so far!
Hi alex,i must admit it you are a genius when its coming to solving this issue in a scientific way,keep up the good work!
My air fryer has a dehydration option and it does it very well… I’ve even made fresh beef jerky
Good job Alex. Here in Greece we just leave it for a couple of days in the sun and with the scorching hit they just dry as hell.
Mint is actually great and fragrant when dried. It's just very different from fresh mint. It's used a lot in Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisine.
Still a good reference video, even after years. Thanks @alex
All the second guessing is driving me crazy. Alex is the most entertaiing food guy om the internet and more entertaiining one on the tellie as well. He breaks things down into simple terms and isn't afraid to try new things. POWER TO THE PEOPLE, uh, Alex.
This was a really cool experiment
This is why I like your channel. It's original
It takes longer than the method depicted, but salt-drying works beautifully for herbs like basil. Which is to say, basil, for example, dried by this method, retains more of its fresh flavor than it does when dried commercially.
To dry herbs in salt, fill small glass containers with secure lids, such as preserving containers, with kosher salt and the herb, burying the latter in the former as you work and making sure that individual leaves are surrounded by salt. A week should do the trick. Remove the dried leaves, store the herb, and reuse the salt for future drying.
First time commenting on your videos
going to share my method tho I'm not using a microwave oven
What I'm using is the oven of my Stove-Top-Oven
I just put the scatter the herbs on the oven tray then close the oven but not fully close; I leave about 3 inches opening for the fresh air to come in. Mostly I bake it around 3 to 5 hours with 70-75C temperature :)
If you are storing the one you just made, you should wait a couple of days to make the comparison. Certainly, the store bought one has longer shelf period and some oxidation might have happened. Great videos though!! Big fan of the channel!
As a black guy who study Japanese in college, I can more than appreciate a french guy posting Ramen videos. Love it all the way!!
second best video to dried beef in my opinion and rest all videos are awesome love your cooking alex
I started watching your channel with the raman noodle addiction. Thanks to your addiction, I'm now addicted to your channel. ; )
Same
I love the way he says parsley
I have parsley and basil(s) to dry...will try your method, toot sweet!
You have the best ideas. Your restaurant will be a success. 😙😍😚
get a House fan, and a large air-filter. lay the fan down elevate it slightly. Then place the filter in the fan then put the herbs on the filter
You the best, thank you. Tried it out and works like wonderful.
Take a hint from Alton Brown. 20 inch box fan and some HVAC filters (the cellulose kind) secured with bunjee cords.
You are my hero, absolutely love all of them, it's even far better than netflix hehe, make a beer tutorial!!! i've been waiting forever for that one!
20 second intervals work bien. Worked well with some fresh basil that was starting to get a bit floppy on my kitchen counter. Can't waste that yumlicious sweet spaghetti essence!
Box fan, stacked air conditioner filters, and bungee chords. Alton Brown did it on his show Good Eats. Dont use heat. The oils are fragile compounds. They are volatile. They can be destroyed by light.
yep. i have a fish net drying rack so i can sun dry alot of stuff... so far i dry mushrooms. cause i cant eat all of them before they spoil. thats why i use a bambo mat( sushi mat) when cooking in the microwave...it creates a buffer zone so i dont get soggy bottom
Amazing videos awesome idea of a possible quick time dehydrator . . . but
Did you just buy fresh herbs that are generally pricier to make dry herbs that you can buy for cheaper pre-dried ? ? ?
Put them in a dry pan on the lowest heat you can and keep tossing. Works like a charm.
Hey Alex awesome video I tried that once and my herbs ended up black too but I stumbled across a way where you use a box fan and a few air conditioning filters (non fiberglass) stacked to it and you blanch your herbs first. Figured I'd pass it on
Why do you even need dried parsley? Lol love you Alex!
Selfishly I have the flu and would love a recipe for a simple soup. Great video as always. Congrats
That is pretty cool. Now you need to see the difference between dried and frozen. Same with maybe infused in oil? Is it possible to do it with alcohol? You're the engineer, figure it out!
Use and envelope. Take it out and shake every minute or so. You can also use the defrost setting.
I’m glad you showed us this. I tried baking them on low and ended up with burnt dust lol Thank you
During the summer when I have an excess of herbs, I (lightly) vacuum pack them and freeze them. The process makes them a bit mushy but they stay green! Also easy to use as they come out in a block which is easy to chop. Is this a legit idea or am I committing a cooking sin?
Great. Lol
I don't own a microwave but I do have a woodstove the size of an oven.
I set a cooling rack on the wood stove lay a paper towel on it then whatever I'm drying on the towel.
By morning- dry.
So easy unless you live city style.
+Cuppy Duppy I'd love that.
I love your channel. Just discovered a few hours ago.
You are really amazing.
And best of all: i perfectly understand your english ! ah ! Maybe 'cause i'm french ? x)
have you tried just with silica? I got 500g of silicagel a couple of years ago and I still use it to dry herbs and shrooms from time to time. when the silica changes color just pop it on the microwave or the oven for a couple of minutes and the water evaporates and its good to go again.
this changes everything
Your content is great ! Keep it up ! You will get millions of subscribers soon !
Hrmm, can't really accurately compare freshly dried to store bought since there's no indication of when the store version were dried. They could be over a year (depending on brand/quality) old.
Myself, I dry over the baseboard heater/radiator, suspending the herbs about a foot or so over the heat surface. Slow but effective and economically prudent. I've always wanted to try wind driven dehydration but space and airflow tend to be a bit limited to try that sort of thing in an apartment.
Hahahaha! Alex you crack me up with some of your 1 liners.
nice..wasn't expecting that to work
Whoah! Yeah, I don't really like store-dried parsley or basil ... the difference is huge if u buy it fresh or not! I will definitely try your method! :)
I always have trouble finding Thai Basil. I found a supply and bought bunches of it. I used a dehydrator to dry it and keep it in a bag so I have it all year. It took me NINE FREAKING HOURS to dry one half pound of THAI BASIL, and you did it in like 4 minutes!!!!!!??????? Why do you not broadcast this information better to the masses better??? You should have billboards across America and Europe telling us all how to do this in the microwave!!!!! You could start a UA-cam channel or something.... oh, wait a moment, you did...
genius as always
In some South Asian countries, certain herbs and spices aren't even dried on direct sunlight, but are dried on shade. Both heat and direct sun light can destroy flavours and delicate oils in them.
chopped leaves can also be stored in a clam-shut plastic box and frozen...
You should have other people do a blind taste test so it’s not biased.
you can do it yourself
You are very right, I should have asked people to taste it for me. (I guess the only thing left for me, is to encourage you to give it a try. It's honestly a game-changer )
However : I have to disagree with the blind taste thing, reason is you first taste with your eyes, and their color clearly are part of their flavor.
Alex French Guy Cooking a blind taste test or experiment doesn't necessarily require you to be 'blind', just unaware of which one is which.
You new? He often tries again an again till he gets it to satisfaction. The rest is up to you to make it as you so choose. My bad if you’re just into watching people do it and questioning it’s quality 😉
You are a genius! Seriously, great idea!
That’s super inspiring! I would try that right the way. Merci beaucoup!
I prefer leaving parsley, rosemary and other herbs on to dry on a plate. I leave them to dry at room temperature. That works well for me.
Instead of encasing the herbs and trapping the steam, maybe try putting the herbs on a pan in a low heat oven with the door slightly open so that the heat stays inside but the steam can escape. Just a thought.
I thik that freezing leaves before putting in microwave could eventually improve the process. Part of water should escape by sublimation while leave is still quite cold .
Alex, get a vacuum chamber and dry it using that. No heat, no loss of flavor.
So I had a thought, in my kitchen there is a vent directly above the table which can dry out an entire loaf of bread (while wrapped in a towel) in a week and if the bread is cut into inch cubes it will dry those completely overnight. And I've dried herbs by hanging them under a cold air current and they're still dry and mold free over a year later. I haven't tasted them yet, but perhaps that's a good way to remove the water and keep all of the flavour?
Awesome video as always!👏🏾 I'm always iffy about fresh herbs, but also have a hard time finding good dried ones I like. I will say your last video about herbs and what to use them in was SUPER helpful, I even took screenshots so I could write it all down (no joke!).
I do have a question... could you maybe do a few recipes using the herbs, but say either cook them in a pressure cooker, or make them super simple, super quick and super yummy 😊. Oh and ummm meatless 😏, I mean not all of them cuz I know we don't wanna offend the delicate sensibilities of the carnivores or anything, lol 😂. I know this is probably a silly and very basic request, but as a single mom who's also a student ( yeah... I did the crazy adult thing and decided to take a new career path 😫). I often have very little time to make good meals, much to my teen daughters consternation. Lol. Thx 👍🏽
P.S. Congrats on the 300k! It's so amazing to ur channel grow. I have no doubt that you'll hit a million soon 👏🏾😘
great video, Alex.
I probably missed a video but your studio looks great!
Cool tips dude. I liked to watch the whole process though
i was thinking about dried tomatoes and dried chilli peppers but i think oven is much better for them. Can you try that as well? Thanks for the videos!
Hahaha.... I love your video! Thanks for the clip!
it worked 100% with me! thx a lot dude
I want an update on the color and quality. I bet the bright greens are looking closer to olive browns with time.
Hmm would it be better to use something like wire mesh to make a holder for your herbs then just use your heater fan and set up a small tunnel like you have done in other videos?
Brilliant brilliant Alex!
Fine video. Time/energy/money+final product; I went to the dollarstore and bought 6$ of parsley and only threw out 1....50c. My method wins for me
also try air drying in your fridge yes I said fridge!! no plastic laid apart not bunched, you will find you can dry your herbs in your fridge over time without it going bad takes days but works!
I dried chili peppers the same way :)
When i was a kid we would take flower and leaves and press them between heavy books. in a few days they were crisp and brittle. have you tried drying the herbs in the air without any heat?
Great video, but not exactly controlled, as your self-made parsley is basically freshly dried. Maybe if you leave the dried herbs for a few weeks to let them age, and see if the associated freshness + grassiness is still as noticeable?
This may seem like a dumb question but what about a dehydrator?