An armload of basil -- now what?

[Seven Bends]

We had our first freeze warning of the fall for Tuesday night, so I went over to the garden and harvested a huge armload of basil because I couldn't bear to see it get zapped. I don't have an immediate need for any of it, but I'd love to dry or somehow preserve some of it for use this winter and spring. What has worked for you?

I don't have a dehydrator. My oven is old and has a somewhat unreliable thermostat. (I managed to dry some cayenne pepper with it last year, but the temperature was too high and I ended up scorching it a little.) I have a hatchback car and our days are expected to be mostly sunny this week, with temperatures in the 60s; would that work as a basil dehydrator? What's the secret to drying the leaves without scorching (oven) or molding/blackening (countertop or car)?

Is there a good way to freeze basil?

I'm not looking for pesto-quantities, just wanting some for seasoning tomato sauces, etc. so I can stop spending crazy dollars for McCormick's. Thanks!

[karstopography]

https://www.thekitchn.com/3-tips-for-pr ... chn-207032
https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/preserve-fresh-basil/

Tips in links for air drying, preserving in salt, oil, etc., not that I’ve tried any of it.

[Seven Bends]

https://www.thekitchn.com/3-tips-for-pr ... chn-207032
https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/preserve-fresh-basil/

Tips in links for air drying, preserving in salt, oil, etc., not that I’ve tried any of it.

These look great, thanks!

[pepperhead212]

Many years ago, before I grew basil in hydro (what prompted me to grow hydro!), I did this every season - harvested the basil and Thai basil at the end, then plucked the leaves off the stems (sit with an 8 qt bowl of it, while watching something on TV), washed them, then spun them dry. Then I'd pack them into the food processor, adding just enough neutral oil to make it circulate, when processed into a paste. I never added garlic - it gets an off flavor eventually, and I can always add it when cooking. At first, I packed it into pint containers, but eventually I packed it into popsicle molds - Turns out, 1 generous cup of leaves made one of those molds of paste - about 3½ tb. Here's a photo of those molds I used to use (the big T was for Thai basil; couldn't find the photo with the frozen basil, of course!). I would just swish the frozen block in the soup or sauce (basil is almost always added last), until enough flavor was in it, put it back in the mold, then put them back it the freezer. Closest thing to adding fresh I could find. And basil is one of those herbs I never understood why anyone would use it dry. Almost all my old books called for dry, but it's gotten much better now.
Popsicle molds, maybe for freezing tomato paste. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[Danny]

Your car would probably work and smell great too. Get some racks if possible, like cooling cookies/baked goods, and spread the basil out single layers. If your house is dryer, with lower humidity, I have had good luck drying basil on stems placed upside down in large brown paper sacks from the grocer and letting it dry.

[Danny]

BTW, you can overwinter basil like a pepper plant and get fresh basil more quickly next year too.

[MissS]

I freeze my pesto in ice cube trays so I see no reason why you couldn't freeze your basil.

[zeuspaul]

I don' use a dehydrator to dry basil. I just hang it somewhere and it dries. I don't live in an area with high humidity.

[worth1]

I had basil dry marvelously just sitting in the house.
Went out to pick some peppers and got basil seeds all over my hands.