The ideal way to preserve rosemary once it has been harvested from the plant is to always have it fresh, on hand. Alternatively, it can be stored in the home freezer for up to six months, and for a long time also in salt and oil.

Rosemary is an aromatic plant that should never be missing from the vegetable garden or in a pot on the balcony of your home.

In fact, in this case, the pot should be placed near the entrance to the kitchen to always be within reach when preparing various recipes.

The ideal would be to consume rosemary as soon as it is picked, but if you find yourself in the situation of needing to preserve a few sprigs , I will tell you about some methods that guarantee quality conservation, in terms of flavour and aroma, so that you can use it even in winter .

How to preserve rosemary

Drying fresh rosemary

One method of preservation is to dry the rosemary sprigs by placing them in the sun for a few days, remembering however to bring them back indoors in the evening, especially if it is not summer: rosemary, in fact, must not get damp.

Alternatively, you can dry the rosemary in a dry and cool place in the house , such as the cellar. In this case, hang the sprigs to let them air out better.

As soon as the rosemary leaves have taken on a brownish color, it will mean that the sprigs are finally dry and therefore you can store them in a hermetically sealed glass jar.

Another method, certainly faster, is to dry the rosemary, putting it in the oven , at a temperature of 50°C . Leave it to dry for about 4 hours, leaving the oven door slightly open to let the humidity out.

Once the sprigs are finally dry, remove them from the oven and let them cool and then place them in a glass jar.

Store fresh rosemary in the fridge

You can also consider storing rosemary in the refrigerator: it is a cool place, away from lights and heat sources, which can help you maintain its taste, flavor and aroma.

All you need to do is wash the rosemary sprigs and dry them with absorbent paper. Then wrap everything in kitchen paper and put it in the refrigerator.

Store rosemary in the freezer

Freeze the rosemary sprigs in the freezer after having arranged them on a surface well spaced apart from each other. Once frozen you can place them in a food bag, in an airtight container or in a glass jar to always keep in the freezer. In this way the rosemary can be preserved for up to 6 months . Always remember to write the freezing date to ensure that it is still of good quality once thawed.

Preserving rosemary in salt

Finally, by putting some fresh rosemary leaves in a bowl with coarse salt, you can mix everything and store it like this, in a tightly closed jar. Alternatively, you can blend the coarse salt with the rosemary leaves in the blender and obtain a powder to use to flavor your dishes.

Preserving rosemary in oil

There is also a method of preserving rosemary in oil. Simply place the fresh rosemary sprigs in a bottle and cover them with extra virgin olive oil. Leave to macerate for about twenty days. At this point you can use the flavored oil to season any dish that is suitable.