How to preserve dill for the winter at home: the best storage methods

Dill – a wonderful spice that can be used as a seasoning. The benefits of the plant were discovered in ancient times, and its popularity continues to this day. There are many ways to preserve dill for the winter at home and get the vitamins you need during the season in various forms: from fresh herbs to marinade.

In this article you will find the most popular and best methods, and also find out what is the shelf life of dill seeds for planting.

How to prepare dill for long-term storage

To keep dill suitable for consumption for a long time, it must be carefully prepared.

Pay attention to the appearance. There should be no darkened or withered areas on the branch. Also pay attention to the smell of the bunch: the smell of rotting is unacceptable. The stem cut should remain elastic.

Storing fresh dill for the winter at home

Fresh herbs in a dish always look bright and spring-like, emit a pleasant aroma, and have a pleasant and rich taste. What can we say about the preserved beneficial properties.

The herb will not lose its juiciness if you make sure that it is not exposed to light and is kept cool. There are several ways to store fresh dill in the refrigerator for a long time.

In packages

Remove any hard stems from the grass, remove any yellow leaves, and rinse. Place the dill in bags and leave in a dark place at a temperature of 2–6°C.Greens stored in this way can be added to salads, soups and other hot dishes.

Dry thoroughly before laying, otherwise moisture will cause rot. You can store both whole branches and cuttings in this way.

In paper towels

Dry the washed herb, wrap it in a paper towel and put it in the refrigerator. Can be stored for up to 10 days.

To increase this period three times (up to 21 days), place the dill packaged in this way in a plastic bag and change the towel every 3-4 days.

In bouquets

Place the bunches in jars of water. In this case, you need to maintain humidity: tightly close the jar with a plastic lid or pull a bag instead of a lid, securing it with an elastic band. Leave the jars in the refrigerator. This method will preserve the dill for several days. But this period can be significantly increased. To do this, chop the greens and place tightly in a dry jar. This way the grass can be preserved for about two months.

Frozen

One of the most popular and convenient methods of preserving spices until the next season is freezing. This dill can be used for 8 months. In addition, greens do not lose beneficial vitamins and have a wonderful appearance and smell. Freeze using the following methods.

Bunches

Dill is frozen cut and in whole bunches. Sort and dry the greens, divide them into bunches. Wrap each bunch in plastic and place in the freezer. It is very convenient to defrost such separated bundles in the required quantity.

Attention! Do not take a very large container, because you cannot freeze greens a second time; you will simply have to throw them away. It is better to take several small containers.

Chopped greens

Prepare the dill: wash, dry and chop.Place chopped greens in bags or containers. Cover tightly and place them in the freezer. This way the dill will be preserved for a long time and will not lose its properties.

In ice trays

Prepare the dill, wash and chop. Place in ice trays and fill them with water (you can use melted butter or vegetable oil). Freeze until frozen and place the cubes in a bag. Can be stored in the freezer for a long time.

You can grind the greens in a blender and fill the molds with the resulting mushy dill liquid. In this case, there is no need to use water; the greens will freeze perfectly without it. Other spices added to such freezing will give an even more pleasant smell to any food. The cubes are stored for up to six months. They are convenient to add to hot liquid dishes.

Dried

Drying greens - an equally popular and effective storage method. This dill will have a rich smell for a whole year, and it is very convenient to store it even at room temperature.

The drying process must be approached with special attention. The main thing is to avoid moisture, too high temperatures and sunlight.

Natural drying

This is the most common air drying. As usual, the dill needs to be sorted, washed and chopped. Do not overdo it with chopping, because dried dill crumbles very easily in your hands. Be sure to remove any tough stems.

Place the chopped herbs on a large flat surface (you can use a baking sheet), first laying clean paper on the bottom. Make sure that the dill is not exposed to direct sunlight, otherwise it will turn yellow. Keep away from dust and insects.

Important! During drying, the herb needs to be provided with fresh air. This will allow the entire mass of dill to dry evenly.

But it is not necessary to dry the chopped dill. You can lay it out in branches on a flat surface, cover it with a napkin and put it in the refrigerator. True, such drying takes a long time - about 20 days.

Another option is drying dill in bunches. Hang the prepared greens by the branches in the shade, where constant access to fresh air is provided. The bundles must be protected from dust by covering them with some light cloth or gauze.

In the oven

The oven allows you to dry dill much faster, but here you need to carefully monitor the process. Place the prepared raw materials on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Be sure to monitor the temperature - it should not be higher than 40°C. Stir the greens on the baking sheet occasionally.

Attention! When drying in the oven, it is necessary to provide access to fresh air, so there is no need to close the oven.

In the dryer

A special dryer that runs on electricity is called a dehydrator.. The device provides all the conditions necessary for proper drying. You don't have to monitor the temperature and provide constant access to fresh air.

All you need to do is prepare the greens, load them and turn on the machine at the desired temperature (no more than 40°C). The device will do everything itself, and you can do your own thing at this time. What could be simpler and more convenient?

Canned

Another method of preserving dill for a long period, proven over many years, is preservation. Allows you to use greens for about a year, provided that everything is done correctly. At the same time, the spicy herb does not lose its wonderful properties.

In salt

Pickling dill allows you to preserve maximum aroma, taste and color of the greens.To pickle, you need to take fresh dill, wash it, dry it, and remove the hard stems. Place the herb tightly in layers in a sterilized jar, alternating with salt.

Attention! It is not recommended to use iodized salt for preservation. This will ruin the taste of the product and reduce its shelf life.

Close the lid when the juice is released. To speed up this process, you can slightly crush the dill in the jar. Store in the refrigerator.

When you use it, keep in mind that the dill is very well saturated with salt. Don't forget about this so you don't end up with an oversalted dish.

In oil

You can also preserve dill in oil. Prepare the greens and fill the jar tightly. You will need refined oil. Olive or sunflower - depends on preference. No need to add salt. Pour oil over the placed dill, close the jar well with a lid and place in the refrigerator. Let the oil steep for 14 days and you can use it.

Storing seeds for planting

Dill seeds also suitable for various uses. They can be treated and added to pickles. They are stored for a long time. Over time, the seeds lose essential oils, causing them to lose their beneficial properties and smell. But they are suitable for planting for several years.

Preparation

Preparing dill seeds for storage is very simple. You need to collect dill umbrellas, place them in a paper bag and dry them. After 2-3 weeks, shake the umbrellas, collect the fallen dry seeds and store them in a dry jar.

Terms and Conditions

Seeds should be stored in a dry jar with a tight-fitting lid at room temperature. An important condition is to prevent moisture from getting inside the jar.After a year of storage, it is no longer worth using the seeds for supplements or treatment, since they will lose their beneficial properties, but will still be quite suitable for planting.

Conclusion

There are several ways to store dill. You can choose the one that suits your taste and soul - from fresh herbs to spicy frozen cubes. In all cases, dill retains beneficial substances that are necessary for a healthy diet.

An important plus is the shelf life of the herb, whether dried or canned method.

Good luck in your culinary endeavors!