Freezing Herbs

In this thread (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x6363) Mary (merci_me) wondered about freezing herbs.

The April, 2005 issue of Cook's Illustrated may well have the answer. And it is a real "Duh! I knew that!" kinda thing.

They say to freeze chopped herbs in ice cubes trays covered in water. Lots of seafood is frozen this way to prevent freezer burn. Not in ice cube trays, obviously, but coated in, or immersed in, water.

The article specifically mentions parsley sage, rosemary, and thyme. Either they were smoking some "herb" and intently grooving on some old Simon and Garfunkel or they meant to exclude my favorite herb, basil. They close by saying that pesto can be frozen, and doesn't need the addition of water. I do this at the end of every growing season the night before the first frost is predicted so I can use the last of the year's basil crop. Mine has freezer burnt a time or two, but the great green (basil) color does not go black (as frozen basil is wont to do).

ROFL!!!!

that's great advice though, I bought a few ice cube trays at the thrift store a few weeks ago for freezing broth, here's another good use for my $1.99 investment lol

I tried to freeze basil because I had a bumper crop this year and I love to make pesto, but when I froze it, it discolored terribly (I can sorta live with that) and had no "body" when I defrosted it. Are you saying I should immerse it in water to make it freeze and defrost better?

did that help?

Chop up the herb you want to freeze. Put some of the chopped herd into the sections of your ice cube tray. Fill each section about half to three quarters of the way with the herb. Then fill each section with water. Freeze that.

The herb is now encrusted in ice, which is an insulator and will (should) stop it from freezer burning.

When you want to use it, you could either allow it to thaw and drain off the water, or reduce the liquid in whatever you're cooking by the amount of water in the ice cubes and just toss the cubes into your preparation.

in the microwave and kept it in a jar in the freezer. It's amazing how much basil you can cram into a jar - I just kept packing it in and packing it in. And despite the fact that it was dried first, it was NOTHING like the storebought dried basil!

And we freeze pesto in cube trays - I'm planting an extra row of basil this year just for pesto cubes! :7

I've had real trouble storing Thai sweet basil. I can only buy it in Chinatown in London, so when I'm in town I buy a couple of bags....Only problem is that it doesn't keep so well, and just goes all wet and minging.

I've tried drying it and that's OK but not as good as fresh. Freezing it in a bag just makes it go black....So now I'll try this new method! Good work! Thai food ahoy!!!

It works very well!

I've never tried it, but fresh cilantro is one of my favorites, and is kinda hard to keep on hand fresh (for me, anyway) and like chives, it just doesn't work very well dried. Pointless to try.

I plan to grow some parsley this year, so I might try the ice trick with parsley too.

My dad, who fished sometimes, would freeze his little crappie and the occasional small bass in those waxed carboard milk cartons (1/2 gallon -- remember them??), filled with water (which became ice, of course). I'd forgotten all about that. You guys are bringing back all kinds of childhood memories for me tonight.