How to prepare dill for winter? My favorite way is to freeze them. I don’t know why, but I don’t like the taste of dried dills. It’s completely something different. To freeze the dill you need only a few minutes!
I’m buying bulk from organic farmers and they usually are clean. If choose to wash: leave on the kitchen towel until dry (not the dill but the water!). If you cut freshly washed dill, there will be too much moisture and dill will freeze in one big chunk.
How to:
- Separate dill leaves from the stems.
- Chop.
- Place into the jar (don’t pack to avoid big frozen dill chunk!), screw the lid on, add a label and put in the freezer.
That is it. How I use them up? Adding to the stews, casseroles, salads, and soups.
Every self-respecting Latvian cook has frozen dill in the freezer. So does Latvian mom!
Ilze
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Hello Ilze, I really like the taste of dill with fish or in a salad, it reminds me of Latvia.🙂
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I didn’t notice that dill is “Latvian thing” but more and more it looks like “Latvian thing”. We use dill with almost any salad and also in stews and even with “new” boiled potatoes!
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I never thought to freeze it!
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Freezing is the only way how to save the taste. After drying they are tasting a bit different… way too different to use in my kitchen 🙂
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Hey Ilze, that is a nice tip! 🙂 Would you freeze it in a little bit of olive oil?
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No. Never. I’ve tried once but never used up those small ice cubes. For dill, this is the best way for my kitchen. The more air is between dill, the lightly they after freezing are and it’s easy to take as much as you need. No problem. Are you a big fan of herbal oil cubes? What are you usually pack in? How you use them? Share link here, if you have any.
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Ilze, I like using oil cubs and as well herbs infused butter. It is delicious and easy to use specially if you are going to sautee something. Usually I like rosemary, cilantro, parsley, thyme if I can find it here in Angola.
I quite like your idea of freezing the dill without any oil, I will try it once I find it.
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I guess I have to try it again! I’m use to freshly frozen dill and parsley.
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Dear Ilze, I do the same with all fresh herbs, not only dill, and I learned it from my mom, and I think she had learned it when we lived in Daugavpils for one year when I was little.
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I do it with parsley and dill. What about basil? Have you ever tried to freeze the basil?
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Yes I have, and the flavor is preserved, but it loses the color. I address this question in my post: https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/saving-animals-and-herbs/
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Thank you for sharing!
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My pleasure!
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We do something similar but not the same. I learned about dill in Romania and jokingly say “Romanians put dill in everything”. It’s not far from the truth. We freeze it not to preserve for winter, we can buy in in the market all year round, but to last between trips to the city. I wash it, shake it dry, separate the thick stalks then put in small plastic bags, enough in each for one or two dishes, without cutting, then freeze. It’s really easy to chop when frozen. You can do the same with other leafy herbs, like parsley. I agree with you, dried herbs do not have the same taste. Also, for many dishes you want to add ‘fresh’ herbs just before serving, not to cook them. The frozen herbs are as good as fresh like this.
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I prefer organic dill from my own garden or local grower. We can buy dill at stores in winter as well but they are usually from far away places…
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I dry them.
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