Have you just bought some fresh rosemary and are unsure how long it will last you?
Or, maybe you’ve got some days-old rosemary lying in the refrigerator, and you’re wondering if it’s fit for human consumption? Well, the answers to both the questions are different, and in this guide, I’ll be talking about how long does fresh rosemary last and the best way to store it.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
How Long Does Fresh Rosemary Last?
How To Store Fresh Rosemary?
Before we dive into the longevity of rosemary, let’s take a look at the best way to store it. I recommend wrapping it in a moist paper towel and then putting it into a freezer bag. If you’re looking to use the rosemary up soon, you can forgo the paper towel and simply put it in the freezer bag.
Once that is done, place the bag in the fridge. Rosemary requires colder environments (32°F to 41°F), with high relative humidity. This is why I suggest storing it in the fridge wrapped in a damp towel.
How To Freeze Fresh Rosemary?
Step 1
Give the rosemary a good wash, and thereafter, lay it out to dry on a towel. Once the towel soaks in some water, pat the rosemary dry.
Step 2
If you’re using just the rosemary leaves, I recommend removing them from the sprigs and freezing just the leaves. This is just a small hack I use to avoid pulling the leaves off a frozen sprig.
However, you can skip this step if you’re planning to use the rosemary whole.
Step 3
Take the leaves or sprigs and put them into the freezer bag. Thereafter, squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. You could optionally attach a label with the date, as well as the name of the herb.
Step 4
Place the bag into the freezer. Since the leaves were dried before freezing, they will not bond together. This makes it easy to reach into the freezer bag and use as much rosemary as is needed without the need to pre-freeze.
This fresh rosemary will last for about two weeks, but it only lasts for one if stored without the paper towel. If this entire process is skipped and fresh rosemary is just left out at room temperature, then it goes bad in a bunch of days.
Two weeks also isn’t a particularly long period, so if you’re looking to keep rosemary for longer, it’ll need to be dried. This can be done using an oven or a dehydrator and is a relatively easy process.
Final Thoughts
Before I sign off, let me tell you how to identify rosemary that’s going bad. If you see your herb becoming soft, and slowly losing its green color, then that’s a sign that it’s been stored too long. And if the leaves appear wilted and are turning an unpleasant shade of brown, then it’s time to throw the rosemary out.
With this, I’ve come to the end of my guide, and I hope to see you again soon!