What is the best way to preserve sage leaves?

6 months ago

Can you recommend the right way to preserve fresh sage? Our neighbor gave us a plant in a giant pot when she moved. I would like to salvage the leaves, although we don't use sage often (maybe we should!)

I googled, and freezing seems highly recommended. Is it truly as simple as putting them in a mason jar and freezing? Is a freezer bag just as good? We only have the freezer the fridge, so space is a consideration.

And as an add-on, do you know about overwintering the plant? Any tips?

Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

annie1992

6 months ago

Oh, that IS a good idea, freeze a big chunk. I have both sage and parsley still green and growing, as well as some thyme.

aok, I don't know where you are but I'm in Northern Michigan. I've picked sage out of the snow, it's extremely cold hardy. Depending on your weather you might just be able to stick that pot outside and it would be fine. In addition, I never mulch mine or protect it, although it is planted on the East side of the house where it's sunny. My plant just keeps getting bigger, it's 6 years old now and just keeps going.

Annie

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Comments (8)

roxanna
6 months ago
I don't know about sage specifically, but my mother froze fresh parsley -- she would gather a large bunch, squeeze it into a dense "ball" ,stuff it into a plastic bag and into the freezer. It lasted a very long time.

Whenever she wanted "fresh" parsley, she would grate the frozen ball until she had enough to use and the remainder of the ball went bac into the freezer. Flavor was so much better than dried!
aok27502 thanked roxanna
aok27502
Original Author
6 months ago
That's a great idea fo when you need 1/4 cup of parsley, but have to buy a bunch the size of your head.
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I've got rosemary, oregano, thyme, and mints in pots too. All of mine do fine through the winter (I'm in s.e. Wake Co). I can harvest from rosemary and thyme throughout the winter and a sometimes a little oregano (but I usually just use it dried because it's easier). My mints are in pots sunk in the ground to attempt to contain them and they die back during the winter. I usually keep my pots in a somewhat sheltered spot up against the house to keep them a little warmer. If it gets really cold (teens - low 20's) I throw a floating row cover over them. I'd just dry the sage. It takes up less space that way. And sage holds it's flavor well dried. I save freezer space for basil, cilantro, parsley, and chives.
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porkchop_z5b_MI
6 months ago
Roxanna -- that's a great idea! I should try this; I have a bounty of fresh parsley in the garden that's going to be wiped out by a hard freeze soon, I should harvest a bunch of it and see how this all works.
aok27502 thanked porkchop_z5b_MI
aok27502
Original Author
6 months ago
I am in North Carolina. We will be getting some frosty nights soon. So I can just leave it alone? I can put it up against the house where it is sheltered a bit. If it's cold hardy in Northern Michigan, it should be downright immortal here!
porkchop_z5b_MI
6 months ago
Oh yea, sage is quite cold tolerant. I'm not as far north as Annie, but where I am it eventually gets "freeze dried" after the deep freeze hits, temps in the 20s don't seem to bother it a bit. Parsley is a little different -- 20s will do it in; sometimes, though, if I go fishing around toward teh inside of the plant I'll find some that's isn't destroyed. I usually have parsley until sometime in late November to early December, depending on the weather.

I bet moving the sage up by your house and you'll have sage for quite some time yet (if not into next spring). I trim mine down to the ground in the spring; it soon sprouts new growth and looks (and tastes) terrific the rest of the season. It's perennial, so if you have a spot for it up by the house that's convenient for clipping, you can go ahead and plant it.
aok27502 thanked porkchop_z5b_MI
aok27502
Original Author
6 months ago
Excellent! I don't want to plant it, but I'll baby it a little over the winter and cut it back in early spring. This is my kind of plant.😁
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 months ago
Home dried sage isn't inferior to fresh imo. I just leave branches out in the kitchen and use as needed. I use a lot.
aok27502 thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

What is the best way to preserve sage leaves?

annie1992

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What is the best way to preserve sage leaves?

annie1992

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roxanna

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