Cooking with Chef Jo: Storing Herbs and Spices

It's no huge secret when buying herbs and spices that it's cheaper in bulk. Sunday, I wrote about the herbs I harvested. Average lifespan of store bought herbs and spices is six months to a year. For every six months after that it loses flavor or the essential oils within the herb or spice dissipates. Store bought herbs and spices can add up fast in hard earned money. Is it any wonder I grow as many as I can. But even with home grown herbs and spice, I face the same problem, or do I?

That's a big, fat no. How many of you keep your herbs and spices in clear plastic or glass containers? How about next to the stove where you use them most? These are two big no-nos. Heat and light are the biggest reasons for herbs and spices to have short usable life spans. If you read the instructions on the label it says, "store in a cool, dark space." Most people overlook this.

So Jo, how do you store your herbs and spices? With homegrown herbs and spices, it's the same way I'm outlining here.

• I leave them whole until I'm ready to use them.
• I'll grind or chop the herbs in advance by a week, depending on the menu. I'll put them in these cute, little spice jars in a rack.
  
• I'll only pull as much from long term storage to last for a month at a time. During a heavy canning season when I canning meals like chili, spaghetti sauce, or when I make a lot of dry seasonings, etc I pull a pound or more of each.

But how do you preserve them?

• After dehydrating them, I'll package them whole in small to medium (lunch bag size), kraft paper bags. Bought in bulk 1000 for $26. No more than 4 ozs per bag.
  
• On each bag I'll write what it is, weight, and the date (month & year harvested)
• I fold and seal the opening with freezer tape.
  
• Place each bag into a vacuum sealer bag. (I buy big, multiple rolls off ebay)
  
• I'll seal them with my vacuum sealer.
• The vacuum sealed bags are then placed in a used tin container (like what popcorn or snack come in at Christmas).
• Each time I add bags, I'll place it in the bottom of the tin so it's a FIFO (First In First Out) use.
• On the outside of the tin I'll write on a piece of duct tape what's in there and dates (from to) so I always grab the appropriate tin.
• Once the tin is full, I'll duct tape around the lid to further make it air tight and pest proof, and start a new tin.

I've done herbs and spices this way for ten years. Not that I've stored herbs that long. The oldest herbs and spices I've used that I've stored this way has been 5 years without severe flavor or texture impact.

Even when I buy bulk sized packages of herbs and spices (I can't grow everything), I do this too. I can afford to pay the store prices for a few that I buy, because of the majority of herbs that I do grow. Let's face it. I paid for these herbs and spices. I want them to flavor your foods for as long as possible. Processing my herbs and spices this way, is more labor intensive, but it'll save me money in the long run in not having to replace them as often.

Now that makes sense and cents.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Chef Jo