Putting Up Basil

lilbopeep

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Putting Up Basil

Fresh basil leaves - washed and dried

Olive oil
Salt
Jars with tight fitting lids

Place a layer of salt in bottom of bottle, then a nice amount of olive oil (about 1/4 inch). Start pressing basil leaves one at a time into olive oil. After you have added enough leaves that they are almost sticking out of oil start the layers over. Add a layer of salt then oil then leaves. Repeat layers to just below top of bottle and end with salt and oil. Cover tightly and refrigerate. As you use the basil leaves add more salt and oil so you keep basil covered. I use the oil also to add flavor to dishes. Basil is preserved in the salt and oil and lasts a long time. I have had it last 2 years in the fridge keeping it covered with salt and oil.
 

joec

New member
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Wow that is a lot of work to me. I have several bushes at the end of the season that I simply wash then dehydrate followed a pass through my herb grinder then bottled up. It will last me the rest of the year with concentrated flavor. I do the same for oregano as well as other herbs and peppers.
 

lilbopeep

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Wow that is a lot of work to me. I have several bushes at the end of the season that I simply wash then dehydrate followed a pass through my herb grinder then bottled up. It will last me the rest of the year with concentrated flavor. I do the same for oregano as well as other herbs and peppers.
yes BUT these stay almost fresh not dry. i like them in sauce rather than dry, crumbled up and disappear in the sauce. i like to SEE the leaves. dry basil looses flavor to quick. this stays strong in basil flavor and the infused oil is wonderful to fry in.
 

joec

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I do freeze a batch for sauces though they don't keep the texture they taste close to fresh.
 

lilbopeep

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I do freeze a batch for sauces though they don't keep the texture they taste close to fresh.
if you know anyone with a baby get some small glass baby food jars and put up a couple. let me know what you think.
 

joec

New member
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I have some Ball 1/2 pint mason jars so I will give it a try when the season is near the end about the end of September.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
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This is great timing, Peep. I just happen to be growing basil right now. I will definitely try this - thank you!
 

lilbopeep

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This is great timing, Peep. I just happen to be growing basil right now. I will definitely try this - thank you!

the basil will stay green for a long time if you JUST REMEMBER as you use it ALWAYS replace the salt and olive oil never let the basil be uncovered. if it is left uncovered it will turn black and yucky. just throw those away if it happens and cover the green basil with salt and oil. use the basil infused oil (pour off what you need then replace with fresh salt and oil) for frying, salad dressing, brush the bread for brushetta, saute the garlic and onions for tomato sauce the possibilities are endless!!
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
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This is a great tip, peep!

I'll try it this year - thanks!

Lee
 

buckytom

Grill Master
this looks interesting peep, but i've heard bad things about storing herbs in olive oil. botulism, i think.

i wonder if the salt makes it safe(r) to do?
 

lilbopeep

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this looks interesting peep, but i've heard bad things about storing herbs in olive oil. botulism, i think.

i wonder if the salt makes it safe(r) to do?
the salt preserves it so it is safe. i have used 2 year old basil kept this way (it got pushed to back of fridge and i discovered it 2 years later in one of those tiny 2 oz baby food jars that are easy to get lost in the fridge and it was still green and good to use).
 

phreak

New member
It seems you would need some acidification for safe storage...I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm far from a canning expert.
 

lilbopeep

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It seems you would need some acidification for safe storage...I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm far from a canning expert.
this isn't "canned" it is just salted and covered with oil to preserve and put in the fridge. my family, friends and i are still alive!! LOL the salt is the preservitive. just like people salted foods to keep it good for longer periods BEFORE refrigeration was invented.

look MY aunts, mom, friends have never had a problem and this is at least 100 years of experience. sorry not to be nasty but i am NOT going to debate it with you. don't do it if you don't want to.
 
Last edited:

phreak

New member
this isn't "canned" it is just salted and covered with oil to preserve and put in the fridge. my family, friends and i are still alive!! LOL the salt is the preservitive. just like people salted foods to keep it good for longer periods BEFORE refrigeration was invented.


I wish you the best of luck...however I think you and your family have been lucky so far...I don't think it's safe over 10 days...It does help that it's refrigerated for sure though.

Yes back in the day they used salt to preserve food, but was it kept in an airtight environment???(like under oil)

Read this.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/FOODNUT/09340.html

and this

http://botulismtoolkit.com/?p=418
 

lilbopeep

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I wish you the best of luck...however I think you and your family have been lucky so far...I don't think it's safe over 10 days...It does help that it's refrigerated for sure though.

Yes back in the day they used salt to preserve food, but was it kept in an airtight environment???(like under oil)

Read this.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/FOODNUT/09340.html
look MY aunts, mom, friends have never had a problem and this is at least 100 years of experience. sorry not to be nasty but i am NOT going to debate it with you. if you don't think it's safe don't do it. i am not going to have a peeing contest with you here!! i passed along a TNT method. take it or leave it no one is forcing anyone to do anything.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
OK, let's try to stay cool. A recipe was posted and potential safety concerns noted. It's all good! :chef:
 

phreak

New member
look MY aunts, mom, friends have never had a problem and this is at least 100 years of experience. sorry not to be nasty but i am NOT going to debate it with you. if you don't think it's safe don't do it. i am not going to have a peeing contest with you here!! i passed along a TNT method. take it or leave it no one is forcing anyone to do anything.

I'm not trying to have a pissing match with you either...I was intrigued by the method and googled it(because I like to do a little research before using any method I just read on the internet). Everything I found was warnings against this method, so I think it's only fair that anyone reading this gets both sides...chill out.
 

lilbopeep

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people serve pork and poulrty pink or rare, stuff birds and store raw and uncooked overnight, eat raw beef tartar, eat ground meat that is not cooked to WELL DONE (cooking long enough to kill ecoli which has also killed people) make mayo with raw eggs, make caeser dressing with raw eggs (raw eggs - salmonella have you policed the mayo thread?). I WOULD NEVER do the raw or undercooked ground meat, pork or poulrty things but i WOULD do the mayo and dressing. to each their own and in my eyes they have been lucky also. i will not have a debate or or ram my point of view down anyones throat. the info is
out there for people to make their own choices.

let us let this lie or ASK FOR MY ALL MY RECIPES, POSTS AND ACCOUNT TO BE DELETED if i am to be censored.

i am in a lot of pain and have not slept much in 2 days so i have no patience for this!! so excuse my pain!!

now shall we shake and be friends?
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
I apologize if I gave the impression that I was intending to censor anyone. There is a "no debate" policy at NCT, which boils down to each person being allowed one post to present their differing point of view. More than one post about the same thing is considered debate.
 

phreak

New member
I apologize for "stirring the gravy". It was not my intent to upset anyone. I can't seem to find a "shaking hands" smiley, so you will just have to imagine my hand reached out in a act of peace.

I think I'm going to go read this forums rules(like I should have when I first registered).
 

lilbopeep

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I apologize for "stirring the gravy". It was not my intent to upset anyone. I can't seem to find a "shaking hands" smiley, so you will just have to imagine my hand reached out in a act of peace.

I think I'm going to go read this forums rules(like I should have when I first registered).
handshaking.gif
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I wish you the best of luck...however I think you and your family have been lucky so far...I don't think it's safe over 10 days...It does help that it's refrigerated for sure though.

Yes back in the day they used salt to preserve food, but was it kept in an airtight environment???(like under oil)

Read this.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/FOODNUT/09340.html

and this

http://botulismtoolkit.com/?p=418

Hmmm, bummer. I forgot about all that herb-in-oil-botulism stuff.

Well, the bottom link said that preserving tomatoes in oil is safe due to the high acidity of tomatoes. I wonder if I could keep the basil in oil longer, safely, if I added slices of tomatoes to the layers. Might be excellent tasting, too!

To add to the danger, a friend recommended that I try unfiltered olive oil, as it has a stronger, fruitier flavor. I did buy two bottles, just Googled it, and found that it has the potential of going bad faster because of the sediment of olive bits in the bottom. :cry: DOUBLE bummer!

Hey, peep, I assume that the oil solidifies in the fridge, correct? You just scrape it off the leaves, back into the jar?

Lee
 

lilbopeep

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Hmmm, bummer. I forgot about all that herb-in-oil-botulism stuff.

Well, the bottom link said that preserving tomatoes in oil is safe due to the high acidity of tomatoes. I wonder if I could keep the basil in oil longer, safely, if I added slices of tomatoes to the layers. Might be excellent tasting, too!

To add to the danger, a friend recommended that I try unfiltered olive oil, as it has a stronger, fruitier flavor. I did buy two bottles, just Googled it, and found that it has the potential of going bad faster because of the sediment of olive bits in the bottom. :cry: DOUBLE bummer!

Hey, peep, I assume that the oil solidifies in the fridge, correct? You just scrape it off the leaves, back into the jar?

Lee
look my family, friends and i have had no problems or sickness. be sure to keep the leaves COVERED with a heavy layer of salt and then oil. yes the oil gets thick. i pull out a layer of leaves and place them on the cutting board, then i add salt and oil to the bottle and place in the fridge. i chop the leaves and use the leaves, oil and salt in whatever i am cooking. if you are concerned about sickness maybe you shouldn't use this method. i only have my own experience to go by so use your own judgement.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Well, I finally got around to trying this, and actually GOT to it before the frost wrecked my lovely crop of basil.

Made two small jelly jars of the basil, salt and oil. In the fridge.

I'm psyched at the thought of having almost-fresh basil this winter!

Lee
 

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Improv Cook

New member
I just wash it dry it and put the basil in a freezer bag and freeze it. It keeps a long time. I don't know how long, I seem to use it right away.
Another thing: Instead of standing there chopping basil, freeze it then just crumble the frozen basil in the freezer bag
 
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