Find out how to Dry Sage – Sustainable Cooks

April 6, 2023

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Study learn how to dry sage 4 methods – in a meals dehydrator, within the oven, within the microwave, or air drying. Drying sage is a straightforward option to protect this scrumptious pantry staple!

a small metal dish with dried sage in it, and fresh sage leaves on a white board.

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Dried sage is a scrumptious and versatile herb for residence cooks. Sage can be extremely simple to develop in a house backyard. In most rising zones, you may plant it as soon as and it’ll come again yr after yr.

Drying your individual sage is each simple and inexpensive, and I’ll present you ways.

From this simple sausage stuffing to spicy butternut squash soup to home made breakfast sausage, to hasselback butternut squash to Immediate Pot stuffing, sage packs a lot taste into a lot of implausible dishes.

HOW DO YOU DRY FRESH Sage?

There are 4 strategies you need to use to dehydrate contemporary sage – the dehydrator, the oven, air drying, and the microwave.

I’ll stroll you thru every of the choices within the printable recipe card on the backside of the submit.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DRY FRESH Sage?

Between you and me, my desire is at all times to make use of my dehydrator. It’s energy-efficient, I can dry quite a bit without delay, and I do know it is going to constantly dry my herbs.

However, in the event you dwell in a heat place with restricted humidity, hanging sage to attempt can be tremendous easy.

SHOULD Sage BE WASHED BEFORE DRYING?

Sure, completely! Particularly whether it is coming in contemporary from the backyard! The underside of sage leaves are magnets for grime and small bugs.

Rinse the leaves in a bowl of cool clear water and shake to dry. I favor to permit the leaves to completely dry earlier than beginning the precise dehydrating course of.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRY FRESH Sage?

Drying situations and technique will decide the full drying time, however on common, it takes 20-24 hours within the dehydrator.

I’ve owned this dehydrator for not less than a dozen years, and it has held up fantastically. I’ve added further trays through the years and it’s a workhorse in summer season and fall.

I can dehydrate rosemary, dehydrate garlic, dry peaches, dehydrate basil, dry oregano, dehydrate mint, dehydrate marshmallows, dry limes, dry chives, dehydrate tomatoes, dry pears, dehydrate onions, and dehydrate apples in a flash.

That’s what known as a preserving win. (Issues cool children say).

How Lengthy Does it Take to Air Dry Sage?

The general time for air drying sage will fluctuate relying on situations. In a heat location with low humidity, it might probably take 1-5 days.

HOW TO STORE DRIED Sage

So long as it’s saved in a cool and dry place, your dehydrated sage might be good for a yr.

Ensure the dried sage is absolutely cooled earlier than placing it into an air-tight container. Because the leaves cool they are going to launch warmth that might end in condensation and ultimately trigger it to mould.

FOUR WAYS TO DRY Sage

DRYING Sage IN A DEHYDRATOR

Rinse the leaves in a bowl of water, after which rigorously dry them in a salad spinner or between layers of a tea towel/flour sack.

Organize the leaves on the drying racks in order that they aren’t touching. Set the dehydrator to 95F and dry for 20-24 hours, rotating the racks each few hours if attainable.

HANGING Sage TO AIR DRY

Air-drying leaves of sage in a paper bag will work nice in heat locations with out loads of humidity. Droop small quantities of sage leaves in a paper bag with holes punched in it and shut the highest of the bag with string, yarn, or a rubber band.

Dangle in a spot the place it might probably get air circulation. Peek within the bag each few days. Drying occasions will fluctuate relying on the situations.

DRYING Sage IN THE MICROWAVE

Place sage leaves flat between two paper towels and microwave on excessive for 40 seconds.

Transfer the leaves round and microwave in 20-second increments till the sage is dried and crunchy (~1.5-2.5 minutes).

Drying sage leaves in a microwave solely works effectively in small portions. Don’t attempt to dry an excessive amount of without delay.

DEHYDRATING Sage IN THE OVEN

Place clear sage leaves on baking drying racks set inside baking sheets. Don’t let the leaves overlap or contact.

Place the trays within the oven on the lowest temperature attainable (normally 140-170F levels) and prop open the door with the deal with of a picket spoon. This permits condensation to flee as an alternative of simply settling again onto the go away.

Bake for 3-5 hours. Test each 45 minutes, rotating trays and ensuring leaves are usually not touching.

PRO TIPS/RECIPE NOTES

Keep away from the temptation to extend the warmth on the dehydrator or oven to hurry up the method. Low and gradual wins within the race on this one.
The sage is prepared when items of it break or snap as an alternative of bend. It would really feel like dried fall leaves when prepared.
Retailer leaves complete or grind them in a meals processor, mortar and pestle, or a espresso grinder used only for spices. Sage can be fairly simple to crunch up into small items with simply your fingers.
Retailer in an air-tight container like a mason jar for as much as a yr.

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