How to dry dill for the winter at home: using an oven, electric dryer

How to properly prepare dill for drying

It is recommended to dry only young, juicy, fresh dill. It appears in late spring, early summer. Collection is carried out until the formation of umbrellas. At this time, greens contain the maximum amount of aromatic substances. But it is allowed to dry the seeds separately, or whole grains.

Preparation instructions:

We collect in dry weather. Cut off at the root. It is advisable to do this in the morning after the dew has disappeared or on a cool evening. In hot weather, plants are not cut.
Let's sort it out. We throw out limp, yellowed, pest-damaged twigs. Drying such raw materials is useless. We immediately tear off the green and fresh branches and get rid of the thick stems.
We wash the branches under running water. Allowed to be dipped into a basin. It is important not to soak. Otherwise it will take too long to dry.
Dry from water droplets, shake off. It is important not to delay the process. Do not let the dill wither.
Let's cut it. It is allowed to dry entirely, depending on the chosen method.

Do you use dill seeds in cooking?
Not really

Dill can be dried in twigs, slices, and bunches. Use an electric dryer, oven, and fresh air. The shelf life of the product is 24 months. Dried herbs are used in cooking, medicine, and cosmetology.

Preparation of raw materials

Almost one and a half hundred varieties of dill are officially registered in the State Register of the Russian Federation. They are divided into early (for example, “Gribovsky”, “Giant”, “First Green”), middle (“Dukat”, “Umbrella”, “Khanak”) and late (“Borey”, “Tenderness”, “Kibray”, "Firework"). Mid-season varieties are well suited for drying greens . The main collection time is at the beginning of summer, before young plants have time to produce flower stalks with umbrellas.

The inflorescences, which are needed for canning vegetables, are prepared separately from the greens, leaving small pieces of the stem

The seeds are the main raw material for medicines, but they are collected later when the umbrellas turn brown.

In the garden, beds with herbs that are planned to be harvested must be watered a day before cutting.

If collected immediately after watering or rain, it will inevitably darken or rot.

If dill grew on the sunny side, its smell will be richer. This is easy to check: rub a twig between your fingers and evaluate the aroma.

Cutting should be done in the morning, after the dew has dried. It is easier to uproot plants, getting rid of damaged, yellowed, wilted branches. Then the lower part along with the roots is cut off from the stems and thrown away. If you collect raw materials from your garden, you don’t have to wash them; if you buy them at the market, you need to rinse them with cool water and dry them with a paper or waffle towel.

In what form is it better to dry dill?

Ease of use depends on how to dry dill for the winter at home. The preservation of beneficial properties and aroma also depends on the type of product.

How can you dry it:

whole with stems. The advantage of this method is maximum preservation of aromatic substances. The disadvantage is that the branches take a long time to dry, take up a lot of space, and need to be chopped. More often, bundles are made to dry vertically in ventilated places;

twigs. The stems are removed and the thin branches are dried. The advantage is saving space. Disadvantage - it will require grinding before use or storage;

slicing. It retains taste and aroma worse, but takes up less space. The advantage is that the product is ready for use, convenient to store, and can be dried in a short time.

When choosing, you should start from the purpose of dill. It is convenient to dry young greens for culinary purposes using small branches and cutting. In folk medicine, stems and seeds are sometimes needed. In this case, bundles of adult plants are tied together.

The seeds can be dried separately from the umbrellas. They are carefully separated, poured onto paper, and put away on the windowsill. The sun doesn't harm them.

Methods for drying dill at home: advantages and disadvantages of all types

The old way is to sprinkle the greens on newspaper and leave them in the sun. And as a result, we get a yellow product without taste or smell. Dust will accumulate on it, and insects will have time to crawl. The method has many disadvantages. Let's look at how to dry dill with minimal loss of properties. We will try to maintain the purity and attractive appearance of the product. We will not dry it in the microwave or air fryer. There is still a lot of controversy around these devices.

Drying dill in the fresh air

The classic method of harvesting various herbs and medicinal plants. Used since ancient times. It is important not to dry it in the sun. Otherwise the color will be lost. We recommend choosing dark but well-ventilated places.

Advantages of the method:

cheapness;
simplicity;
no need to follow.

Minuses:

dust;
insects;
need good weather.

The disadvantages are significant, there are many of them. Only some people are not afraid of the cons. Let's figure out how to air dry dill greens correctly. You should arrange a suitable location in advance. Preferably under a canopy, without dust. To protect against insects, use gauze, nets, and thin paper. Horizontal surfaces are needed. Convenient to dry on tables. Sometimes trays are built into old shelves and multi-tiered structures are created.

Drying dill for the winter

Step-by-step instruction:

Prepare trays, baking sheets, plywood sheets or cutting boards. Or set up a table and spread paper.
Spread the dill sprigs in a thin layer. Or cut and scatter on a flat surface.
It will take several days to air dry. Periodically stir and turn over.
The finished dill needs to be transferred to a box or box. Leave in a dry place for a few more days. Then pack and store.

Let's look at vertical drying right away. For this method, dill is collected in small bunches of 5-7 branches. It is important not to tighten with a tight rope or rubber band. It is better to use thin sewing thread. Next, you need to hang the workpieces in the barn, under a canopy. It will take about 7-10 days to dry.

Do not use newspapers for bedding. The paint contains harmful substances and has a specific odor. The workpiece does not need it. It is better to take white paper and baking sheets. Disassembled cardboard boxes will do.

How to properly dry dill in the oven

The oven is great for more than just baking. You can dry all kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs, including dill. The method has its advantages. The main advantage is independence from the weather outside the window and air humidity.

Advantage of the method:

independence from weather;
purity;
speed.

Flaws:

electricity/gas costs;
need to be monitored;
easy to spoil.

The method requires constant attention. You cannot leave for a long time or leave unattended. Gas ovens often raise the temperature above the required level. Dill will not burn even at 90-100 degrees, but the beneficial substances will die and the taste will become worse. An overheated workpiece cannot be used for medicinal purposes. Let's look at how to dry dill in the oven.

Step-by-step instruction:

Dill should not come into contact with metal baking sheets or molds. Therefore, be sure to put paper. It is allowed to place parchment directly on the wire rack.
Lay out the dill sprigs. Or pour out the slices. Make an even thin layer.
Place in the oven at minimum temperature. Preferably 30 degrees. Some ovens only have 40. In any case, open the door slightly. Steam should come out.
Dry for 2 hours. Let the dill wilt.
Next, stir, turn over, increase the temperature to 50-55 degrees.
We continue to dry. Periodically we stir and check. It is advisable to turn the sheets over to the other side. Near the slightly open door the process goes slower. There the temperature is lower, the humidity is higher.
We bring it to readiness. Total time is about 4-5 hours. Exactly how long to dry cannot be determined in advance. Depends on the humidity of the dill, temperature, and thickness of the stems.

Do not place more than three baking sheets or racks at a time. Otherwise, it will take too long to dry and you will need to constantly change the levels.

Drying greens in an electric dryer

About 15 years ago, electric dryers were a curiosity. Today, almost every gardener has them. Different models have appeared in household appliance stores. Dill can be dried in the most primitive devices. It is not necessary to buy expensive equipment with many temperature settings.

Features of drying dill in an electric dryer

Advantages of an electric dryer:

purity;
constant temperature;
workpiece speed.

Flaws:

electricity costs;
need to buy;
limited volume.

The advantages outweigh all the disadvantages. Drying is easy and quick. The output is a clean, green, aromatic product. Let's figure out how to dry dill for the winter at home using this wonderful device.

Step-by-step instruction:

New electric dryer trays need to be washed, wiped, and ventilated. Otherwise, a foreign plastic smell will appear.
Next, distribute the dill in an even layer. Return the trays to the device.
Turn on medium mode 50 degrees. Let's start drying. The simplest models sometimes have the same temperature. In this case, just turn it on.
We turn it every hour. Every 2 hours we change the tiers. Continue drying until you get the desired result.

As it dries, the filling volume is significantly reduced. It is allowed to empty the contents of pallets and remove excess trays.

You cannot add trays of fresh herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms to pallets of almost finished dill. The humidity will increase and it will take longer to dry. In addition, different products exchange aromas.

How to tell if dried dill is ready

What should greens be like? You can dry dill indefinitely. Only with prolonged exposure to high temperatures do beneficial substances die, color deteriorates, and the spicy aroma is lost. Therefore, it is important to determine readiness in time and stop. We offer step-by-step instructions.

How to tell if dried dill is ready:

Let cool. You can't tell when a product is warm. We recommend taking a small amount and placing it on a plate.
After a while, put it on your palm and rub it.
The finished dill will crumble. It turns into a fine powder.
If the branches wrinkle and do not crumble, there is a lot of moisture left inside. Need to dry further.

Stems take longer. It is not necessary to dry until completely cooked. Sometimes small branches are removed and ground over a wide bowl. Then the “naked” sticks are thrown away. In rural areas, the stems are steamed with boiling water and given to animals. They significantly increase winter milk yield and have a positive effect on the quality of milk, meat, and eggs.

Pros and cons of drying dill

Dill is considered the most popular spicy crop, which is used by housewives in the process of preparing a variety of dishes. It contains many useful substances.

During the drying process, it is possible to preserve more useful components in dill greens than when freezing. Dried herbs add aroma and pleasant flavor to any dish.

The disadvantages include the duration of the drying procedure and a thorough preparatory stage. Each method requires compliance with certain conditions.

How to properly store dried dill

It’s not enough to know how to dry properly. Even a high-quality product will quickly deteriorate in unsuitable conditions. It is important to know how to properly store dried dill. A kitchen cabinet is suitable for short-term storage of a small portion. We recommend storing the remaining supplies in another place with a lower temperature.

Main storage details:

temperature around +15 degrees. In a cool place, pests are less likely to appear, and the product retains the maximum amount of valuable substances. It is wiser to take a small amount for 1-2 weeks of use and leave it in the kitchen cabinet. We keep the main mass separately;

sealed container. Linen bags and paper bags are ideal for short-term use in the kitchen. For long-term storage, choose sealed glass jars or ceramic containers with a tight lid. Polyethylene and plastic containers are absolutely not suitable;

humidity no more than 30%. Relevant when stored in linen bags or paper bags. Sealed containers can be kept under any conditions.

Storing dried dill

Shelf life: 24 months. Dill can be stored for years. Sometimes aromatic substances are preserved even after 3-5 years. The seeds are especially good. Only useful minerals and vitamins are not left in such a preparation. We recommend updating your inventory annually.

Foil ziplock coffee bags are great for storage. The packaging must first be wiped with a napkin, left open, and ventilated thoroughly.

Storage

The finished product should crumble easily. If it wrinkles in your fingers, it is not yet dry; if it crumbles into dust, it is too dry.

For proper storage, dark glass jars with a tight-fitting lid are suitable. Paper bags and cotton bags are not airtight; if you use them, the aroma will disappear in a couple of months.

It is permissible to keep well-dried greens in plastic containers or thick zip-lock bags throughout the winter in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

What are the health benefits of dried dill?

Dried greens contain vitamins C, A, E, P. There is calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, magnesium. The preparation is rich in oleic, linoleic, and folic acid. At the same time, the calorie content is only 40 kcal per 100 g. Such a supplement will definitely not harm your figure. The composition and concentration of chemical elements depends on how the dill is dried. High temperatures destroy a unique product.

Useful properties of dried dill:

eliminates flatulence, bloating in the abdomen;
normalizes stool, soothes the intestines;
accelerates kidney function, relieves swelling;
improves digestion;
restores metabolic processes in the body;

helps cope with nausea;
relieves nervous tension, fights insomnia, irritability;
facilitates the outflow of bile;
Boosts immunity and helps fight viral and bacterial diseases.

Dill has antispasmodic, diuretic, and antibacterial effects. The plant rarely causes an allergic reaction or individual intolerance. Dill water is given to babies from birth to tame an obstinate tummy. Greens will also not harm pregnant or nursing mothers. On the contrary, it will help you stop taking chemical medications and contribute to the development of a strong, healthy fetus.