How to Prepare Dry Herbs in Oil
Herb-infused oils can be used as salad dressings, external nourishment for the skin or as a medicinal aid for rashes and other skin problems. Dry herbs work best because their water content has evaporated, making them less susceptible to spoiling the infusion. A sterilized glass jar is recommended to keep bacteria from contaminating the oil. The two methods for making an herbal oil infusion are cold infusion and hot infusion.
Instructions
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1
Sterilize a glass jar by the removing lid and boiling the jar in water for 15 minutes.
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2
Place dry herbs in a pot, making sure they are clean. Fill the pot with oil and simmer at medium heat. For cold infusions, simmer for only 5 minutes. For hot infusions, simmer for 20 minutes.
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3
Fill the sterilized glass jar with warm oil and herbs. For hot infusions, drain the herbs out with a cheese cloth before filling the glass jar. For cold infusions, keep the herbs in the mixture for a minimum of two weeks before draining with cheese cloth.
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4
Refill the jar with infused oil and cover with the lid. Keep the jar refrigerated to prevent the oil from becoming rancid.
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5
Use within two months to assure freshness.
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Tips & Warnings
Cold infusions are stronger because the herbs are left to steep in the oil for a longer period of time.
Hot infusions can be made stronger by repeating the process with new herb for a couple of times.
The lighter the flavor of the oil used, the more it will take on the flavor of the herbs.
