Preserving Dill Flowers

[Ridgerunner]

Does anybody have a good proven way to preserve Dill Flowers. Mine are flowering real well. I would like to save them to use later for pickles.

Thanks

 

[digitS']

I think you could just hang them to dry, Ridgerunner. I have done that.

Since dill seems to often have flowers in various stages of development, you may have some that will drop their seeds. You could try putting them in paper bags then hanging them. That way, you wouldn't lose any seed.

. . . and, wouldn't the seed by itself be suitable for pickles? I don't know, just asking . . .

Steve

 

[lesa]

You can freeze those flower heads for pickles... And just a reminder, putting a grape leaf in your pickle jar keeps them very crispy...

 

[journey11]

You might even pack a jar full of them and cover with vinegar and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

Lesa, I am definitely going to try the grape leaf trick this year!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Those are the three ways I've come up with. Drying, freezing, and pickling.

I won't dry them. They lose a lot of strength that way. Flowers are stronger than the seeds. If I were going to dry, I'd just let them go to seed first.

My concern with freezing is that I would not blanch them first or they would lose their strength. That is the easy way if the results are acceptable. I'm just not sure how they would store frozen and not blanched.

I'm probably overthinking it, but I'm not sure how the dill flavored vinegar would work and how to get the right proportions. I don't think heating it would harm the strength of the dill? I need to bring it to a boil for the recipe and the dill flower goes in fresh according to the recipe.

Right now I am leaning toward freezing it, but that pickling sure seems tempting.

 

[lesa]

Try both! You will be our experimenter! Good luck!

 

[NwMtGardener]

I let mine go to seed, then hang upside-down from a string with clothespins in the house to dry. But yes, I've heard you should use 3 times as much dried herb to equal fresh, so they definitely loose strength.

 

[hoodat]

I have some wide mouth gallon jars. I just pack them in there and pour boiling vinegar over them. No need to refrigerate. They won't spoil in the vinegar if they are completely covered. After you use up all the dill heads the vinegar makes great vinegar and oil dressing for salads.