Welcome to Homegrown/Homemade, a video series from FineGardening.com and our sister site FineCooking.com. We’ll be following a gardener (Danielle Sherry) and a cook (Sarah Breckenridge) as they plant, maintain, harvest, store, and prepare food crops. Basil is prized by cooks all over the world, and there are many varieties to choose from. For this year’s garden, Sarah has selected Genovese basil, opal basil, lemon basil, lime basil, and Thai basil. In this episode, we cover preserving and storing. Luckily, a food processor and freezer are all it takes to keep fresh basil well past the growing season.
Episode 3: How to Preserve and Store Basil: Pesto
Fresh basil wilts and loses its color and fragrance and aroma soon after harvesting. If you aren’t going to use it right away, there are several ways you can prolong its life. Basil springs in a jar of cold water will keep for a couple of days. If you cover the springs with a plastic bag, the sprigs will keep from three to five days in the fridge. You can also prepare a pesto with 3-3/4 ounces (5 packed cups) washed and dried basil leaves, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1 large clove garlic, and some salt and pepper. Chop these ingredients into a food processor, then drizzle in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil while the motor is running. Last, stir in 1 ounce (1 cup if rasped, 1/2 cup if grated with a box grater) grated Parmesan cheese by hand. This mixture can be stored for about three days in the fridge in a container with an airtight lid. Before sealing, drizzle more olive oil over the mixture to cover the mixture and form a seal, preventing oxidation. For longer-term storage, freeze your pesto in an ice-cube tray. Transfer the frozen cubes to a plastic freezer bag, and store in the freezer until you need them.
Episode 1: How to Plant Basil
All basil varieties grow well in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Basil loves hot weather, so don’t plant it too early. For best results, wait until the night temperature is at least 65°F. Mix in some compost, and space the plants about 1 ft. apart, then water. Basil doesn’t need a lot of fertilizer as it grows; in fact, too much fertilizer adversely affects the flavor.
Episode 2: How to Prune (and Harvest) Basil
Basil loves hot weather, and if your plants are flourishing, it’s time to prune (and harvest). With basil, pruning and harvesting are essentially the same thing. It’s a win-win situation for you and for the plant. When you pinch back the stems to the next leaf cluster, you keep the plant from getting leggy and stimulate new growth. You can take the trimmings back to the kitchen and use them for pesto. Don’t prune more than one-third of the plant at one time, even if it means postponing your pesto meal for a week or two.
Check your basil plants frequently for flowers, and if you see any, pinch them off right away. If the flower stems are too woody to pinch (often the case with Thai basil), cut them off with shears. A plant allowed to flower will soon go to seed, stop growing, and die, so be vigilant about removing flowers.
In wet, cool weather, basil may be prone to powdery mildew, a fungal problem which can be treated with a backing soda solution or an organic fungicide.
Cooking with Basil: Thai Stir-Fried Chicken with Basil
When you cook with any kind of basil, add it at the very end, because heat destroys the volatile oils that give basil its aroma and flavor. Here’s a quick-to-make dish that shows off the licorice-like flavor of Thai basil. For stir-frying prep all the ingredients before you begin. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, and once it starts to shimmer, you’re ready to begin. Shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes go first, followed by thinly sliced strips from chicken cutlets. Cook until the chicken loses its pink color, then make a sauce with water, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. When the sauce cooks down, it’s time to turn off the heat and add the basil leaves. Serve over rice. Get the full recipe for this dish on FineCooking.com.
FAQs
This mixture can be stored for about three days in the fridge in a container with an airtight lid. Before sealing, drizzle more olive oil over the mixture to cover the mixture and form a seal, preventing oxidation. For longer-term storage, freeze your pesto in an ice-cube tray.
How do you preserve basil for pesto? ›
Throw the basil leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds, then quickly pull them out and put them a bowl of iced water. This will help preserve the bright green color (I always blanch my basil when I make pesto for the same reason!) Wring out all the water.
What is the best way to store pesto? ›
Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week. Pesto freezes well. Freeze in ice cube trays, and then store frozen pesto cubes in plastic freezer bags in freezer for up to 6 months. Pesto may also be frozen in small jars or plastic containers for up to 9-12 months.
How to seal a jar of pesto? ›
Storing Pesto in a Jar
Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and seal closed to keep pesto green. This can keep for a few weeks in the fridge if you continue to cover the top with olive to keep the herbs fresh.
Is it better to dry or freeze basil? ›
You can dry it or freeze it, but freezing retains the fresh taste better. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step.
How do you preserve basil long term? ›
Place the basil in boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds, drain, and cool in an ice bath. Squeeze out the excess water and freeze them individually on a baking sheet (or chop the leaves) before putting them in an airtight container.
How do you increase the shelf life of pesto? ›
A useful extension of pesto shelf-life, up to 120 days, was achieved by adopting a target atmosphere containing, at steady-state, 10% CO2 and 90% N2 at 5 °C. Microbial growth was inhibited by the CO2 levels, but was not accompanied by significant changes in odour and colour.
How long does pesto last in a Mason jar? ›
In a large mason jar, combine the basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, pepper, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil. Shake to combine. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Can you freeze homemade pesto in mason jars? ›
Small glass jars, such as half-pint or four-ounce jars, are suitable airtight containers for preserving pesto in the freezer. After preparing your pesto, simply pour it into the jars. Screw the lids on tight, then transfer to the freezer.
Can you vacuum seal and freeze pesto? ›
Store it in the fridge or freeze it for use in the months to come vacuum packing is the only way to pack and store pesto! 2. Add the walnuts and process for around 15 seconds or so and follow with the basil leaves, salt, and pepper.
The gist of it is that you want to puree your basil with only olive oil, and to pack it in a zip-top bag so that it is completely sealed off from air. Then you can flatten the puree to a thin sheet of basil puree and lay it flat in the freezer. Once it's solid, you can stack the sheets wherever they fit.
Can I freeze basil pesto? ›
You can freeze in small pint-size jars or for single servings for making soups or dressing freeze in ice cube trays. Small ice cube trays work well for small batches of soups or if you tend to need more pesto, freeze in big ice cube trays. Pour the pesto into trays and cover with freezer wrap and place in the freezer.
What to do with an abundance of basil? ›
Don't let it wilt – there are so many deliciously different ways to use it up.
- 1Gnocchi with burnt butter, lemon and basil. ...
- 2Bocconcini and basil turkish pizza. ...
- 3Basil lime cooler. ...
- 4Tomato salad with basil oil dressing. ...
- 5Fennel and basil beans on ricotta toasts. ...
- 6Toasted cheese, basil and tomato sandwich.
Browning happens most readily at neutral pH, so making the pesto's pH more acidic can help slow down this process. We found that lemon juice, which contains both citric and ascorbic acid, preserved the pesto's green color without compromising its flavor, adding just a hint of pleasant acidity.
How long does fresh homemade basil pesto last? ›
FAQ: How Long Does Homemade Pesto Last? You can store this basil pesto in a jar or sealable container, then tightly seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2–3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
How do you wash and dry basil for pesto? ›
Submerge basil leaves in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds, or until wilted. Then, immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain, squeeze to remove excess water then pat dry with a clean dish towel.
Can you freeze fresh basil pesto? ›
You can freeze in small pint-size jars or for single servings for making soups or dressing freeze in ice cube trays. Small ice cube trays work well for small batches of soups or if you tend to need more pesto, freeze in big ice cube trays. Pour the pesto into trays and cover with freezer wrap and place in the freezer.
