How To Make Herbal Oils

Herbal oils are amazing things. They are delicious and flavorful, healthy to cook with, great gifts, inexpensive to make, and a lot of fun to enjoy. No home should be without a few bottles of home made herbal oils. They also make great decor pieces for a kitchen and they can be really fun to set out at a party to let everyone sample. Plus these are interesting to make and they aren’t very difficult or expensive. They do require about a week to steep but other than that they are pretty basic to put together and will last for a couple of months. They wont last quite as long as processed oils because they are home made and don’t contain preservatives so use them up within about two months of making them. It’s also important that you use clean, dry herbs, as well as sterilized jars or bottles to store your oil in. Better safe than sorry when it comes to food.

The first step is to select your herbs and make sure that they are washed off and then completely dried. You’ll want to use herbs that will taste good in your oil and provide a nice flavor that will complement the type of oil that you’re using. You don’t need a ton of herbs to accomplish this, just a good sprig for every twelve or so ounces of oil is plenty. Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit yourself to basil and thyme. You can also use things like garlic, peppers, orange peels, lemon peels, lime peels, certain flavorful flowers, and many other things to enhance your oils. Get creative to see what you like.

Once your herbs are dried you’ll also want to make sure that you’ve sterilized some pretty jars or glass bottles to keep your oil in. Tall ones that are easy to see into are usually the best here simply because it’s fun to be able to see what kinds of herbs and other ingredients are in the oils and this makes them more attractive for decorative purposes. Dry your bottles thoroughly and get the ready to be used. Bruise your herbs slightly and place them into your bottles. Remember that you don’t need to stuff your bottles full. A little goes a long way in the world of herbs.

Once your bottles and herbs are all ready heat your oil in a saucepan on low heat until it’s warm. Don’t let it start cooking or popping. You only need it to be just barely warm for this to work. Once the oil is warm, take a funnel and pour the warm oil over your herbs and into the bottles. Remember to leave some room for the cork at the top of the bottle and be careful not to spill any on yourself.

Let the contents of the bottles cool down and the cork your bottle or place a lid on it. Set the bottle somewhere it won’t be disturbed, out of direct sunlight, for at least a week before using it. This will let the herbs steep in the oil and infuse it with their flavor. Good choices for herbs for this kind of project are basil, chives, dill, mint, oregano, savory, tarragon, thyme, and other similar cooking herbs. It’s also important to remember that the lighter your oil is the more pronounced the flavor of the herb will be in it. Good oil choices are sunflower, olive, peanut oil and similar kinds.

The best way to present these is with just a bit of ribbon tied around the top. It’s also a good idea to include some of your favorite recipes with these oils or a nice home baked loaf of bread to enjoy with the oil. You could even make a gift basket with your home made oils and vinegars, some bread and pasta, and a recipe for using all the ingredients. Whatever you decide to do make sure that anyone you give your gift to knows that the oil should be used at the latest within two months. Have fun making and eating your yummy herbal oils - enjoy!