Quick Answer: How to Dry Sage at Home Easily
Some of the best ways to dehydrate / dry sage are – simply hanging them in the air and sun drying. Sun-drying and hanging are the easiest but time-consuming methods. To speed up you can use an oven, microwave, air fryer or a food dehydrator to dry sage at home with ease.
Sage, a unique member of the mint family, is used in small quantities due to its earthy flavor.
Commonly referred to as Garden sage, this versatile herb is packed with Vitamin K and is known for its antioxidant properties.
Are you looking for simple methods to preserve sage leaves during winters?
Don’t worry, as we’ve got you covered. We have incorporated our experience when outlining six easy ways for drying Sage leaves.
Do this Before you Begin to Dry Sage
There are a few crucial steps to take before drying sage. To begin, carefully remove the stalk from the sage you’ve purchased or harvested.
You don’t need scissors for this—gently pull the leaves apart, and you’re done. Examine all of the leaves you’ve gathered now.
Remove something that shows even the tiniest sign of blight. Apart from lowering efficiency, wilting or dying parts can have an effect on both safety and shelf life.
Furthermore, leaves that show signs of damage will not taste as well. After you’ve checked for blight, it’s time to examine the leaves more closely.
If you see insects crawling on a leaf, throw it away.
How to Dry Sage Leaves by Hanging
Time needed: 7 days.
Drying sage leaves by hanging them is one of the most common ways used. It doesn’t require you to keep an eye on your sage, and you can dry in bulk quantities as well.
- What will you need?
1. Fresh Sage
2. Colander
3. String or rubber bands
4. Paper Bags - Wash your Leaves
Rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any insects and dirt. Make sure you wash it gently to avoid harming the herb.
- Make a small Bundle
Individually pick up the leaves and keep them by their ends. Don’t put more than eight leaves in a package, or else they will face issues regarding proper air circulation.
- Tie your Bundle
Using a rubber band, tie the bundles together. To secure the package, wrap the tie around the base of the stems.
If you want to hang the sage, leave extra string or tie a new piece of string around the end of the package.
When you use a rubber band to hold the sage in place, it will tighten as the sage dries. You won’t lose any leaves if you do this. - Place in Paper Bags
Use a paper bag with holes punched in it to cover your sage bundles.
The bag will keep your herbs dust-free while the holes allow air to circulate around the leaves.
Cover the bundles with the envelope, leaving the bottom exposed. Plastic, on the other hand, can trigger mold. - Hang your Herbs
Hang the sage away from direct sunlight in a well-ventilated location.
The bundles should be hung from a string upside down. Make sure the location you choose has good air circulation.
For best flavoring and color, dry the sage indoors. Watch how Teca does this here.
Drying Sage Leaves by Leaving Them
Time taken: 2-3 weeks
Optimum temperature: Room temperature.
What will you need:
- Fresh sage leaves
- Dry cloth
- Colander
- A clean cloth
- Paper towels
Clean your Sage
Use a colander to rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any dirt. Remember to look for webs and eggs as well.
Keep in mind that insect eggs sometimes appear on the underside of leaves as tiny white spots.
Place your Sage
Arrange your sage leaves on a clean, dry cloth and paper towels. Place your herb a bit distant from one another without them overlapping.
This is important so that it dries quickly. Watch how to do this here:
Dried Sage
Separate the leaves from the stem when sage is completely dehydrated.
Drying Sage Leaves Using Oven
Time taken: 1 to 2 hours
Optimum temperature: 180 degrees Fahrenheit
What will you need:
- Fresh Sage
- Muslin cloth
- Trays
- Baking sheet
Using an oven to dry your Sage leaves is the most common method.
It hardly requires much time and enables people to dry sage leaves in bulk.
Wash your Leaves
Rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any insects and dirt.
Make sure you wash it gently to avoid harming the herb.
Arrange your Sage
Lay the sage in a single layer on a baking sheet. Before you place the sage on the cookie sheet, cover it in muslin or parchment paper.
Make sure the leaves don’t cross or overlap each other, as this will cause them to dry unevenly. The sage could be destroyed if only part of the leaf dries.
Set the Temperature
Preheat your oven to the lowest setting. Since oven drying will easily ruin the flavor, color, and oils in the sage, set your oven to the lowest setting.
To avoid harm, you should dry the leaves as slowly as possible.
Prop your Oven Door Open
This helps air to circulate, which is essential for the herbs to dry. It also prevents the oven’s temperature from getting too high.
If you are making use of a gas oven, do not prop it open because letting the gas fill the kitchen is risky. Instead, keep opening the oven door after every five minutes.
Air will circulate accordingly.
Turn the Leaves
After 30 minutes, place the cookie sheet on a heat-proof surface after removing it from the oven.
To flip the sage, use oven mitts and tongs or a fork. Place the tray back inside once done.
Drying Sage Leaves by Air Fryer
Time taken: 3 – 4 hours
Optimum temperature: 130 degrees Fahrenheit
What will you need:
- Fresh Sage
- Tray
- Colander
- A clean cloth
Using an air fryer to dry fresh sage leaves is a great alternative if you wish to dry your sage safely, without having to worry about it burning.
Clean your Sage
Use a colander to rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any dirt.
For a few seconds, run them under cold running water. Shake the leaves once done to get rid of the water.
Lay the leaves out on a clean cloth, preferably one made of absorbent material.
Arrange the Sage
Gather the sage leaves and arrange them on a plate.
Discard something that has turned a different hue. Watch how to do this with ease here:
Set the Fryer
Set to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 hours.
Check your Sage
When sage is fully dried, it shrinks in size and crumbles.
Drying Sage Leaves Using a Microwave
Time taken: 2-3 minutes
What will you need:
- Fresh Sage
- Glass plate
- Microwave-safe paper towels
- A clean cloth
Clean your Sage
Use a colander to rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any dirt. For a few seconds, run them under cold running water.
Shake the leaves once done to get rid of the water. Lay the leaves out on a clean cloth, preferably one made of absorbent material.
Arrange the Sage
On your plate, place one paper towel flat. Arrange the sage bundles in a single layer on the paper towel, then cover with another.
Set the Microwave
Set 1 minute and 30 seconds in the microwave, then 15 seconds at a time.
After the Sage is Dried
Remove and discard stems after leaves are dry and crunchy. Then, with your thumb and forefinger, crumble the dried leaves into a powdery crushed consistency.
This is necessary for rubbed sage. You can refer to how to do this here:
Drying Sage Leaves Using a Food Dehydrator
Time taken: 1-4 hours
What will you need:
- Fresh Sage
- Trays
Optimum Temperature: Anywhere between 95 – 110 degree Fahrenheit
Wash your Leaves
Rinse your sage leaves under running water to get rid of any insects and dirt. Make sure you wash it gently to avoid harming the herb.
Preheat your Dehydrator
Temperatures between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit are suitable for drying sage.
Drying your sage leaves at a lower temperature will consume more time. However, it’ll reduce the chances of overcooking the sage and spoiling it.
Arrange the Leaves
Make sure the leaves don’t cross or overlap each other when placing them in a single layer.
This will prevent them from drying properly. If you have a lot of sage, you will need to dry it in batches.
Check your Leaves
Every 30 minutes, check the leaves to see if they are okay. Check the directions that came with your dehydrator to see whether there is a period recommended.
Check your Dried Sage
On the leaves, look for crispy, dry edges. Take a leaf and if you can crumble it easily between your fingers, then your sage is dried.
When it does, the sage is ready to be used.
Purchased Dried Sage Vs Home-Dried Sage: Which Is Better?
It is preferable to dry sage at home rather than buying it because the quality will be better, and you will save money.
Sage has a number of benefits and is always good to use. You can use sage for medical purposes, in food, for aromatherapy, and a lot more.
The Right Way to Store Sage
Roll the sage between your fingertips to crumble it. It’s best to crumble sage if you’re using it for seasoning. Rub each leaf individually until all of the sage is ready to be stored.
Fill an airtight jar halfway with dried sage. A pan, Tupperware tub, or ziplock bag could be used. Ensure there are no means for any leakage as moisture from the air will ruin the batch.
Place the container somewhere cool and dry. The sage may be kept in the pantry, cabinet, or refrigerator.
Our Take On Which Method Is Best
For those who live in tropical climates, hanging your sage to dry in the sun is the best option. If you only need a small amount of dried sage right away, you can dehydrate it in a food dehydrator.
In places where there isn’t enough sunshine, drying racks, ovens, and microwaves are used to dry sage. If you don’t want to risk your sage burning, you can also use drying racks to dry them in bulk.
FAQs
Sage is available as dried leaves, rubbed, or ground. Like any powdered herb, ground sage is made by grinding the whole leaf into a fine powder.
Rubbed sage is made by rubbing dried whole sage leaves together to form a light, fluffy mixture.
Since rubbed sage is lighter and less concentrated than ground sage, a teaspoon of rubbed sage would be less potent.
You can keep dried sage in the freezer. But there’s no need to do so. Properly drying sage will suffice to preserve it, which is why you can keep it on a shelf as well.
Yes, you certainly can. You can still freeze your new sage leaves if you don’t want to keep them refrigerated.
For doing this, wash the leaves and pat them until they dry.
Then strip the leaves from the roots and loosely pack them in freezer bags with a date on them. It’s possible to keep them frozen for up to a year.
You might try, but it is unlikely to succeed. Low temperatures in a warm environment are used in the drying process.
Microwaves cook the moisture in the leaves. It will make them gross rather than dry and crispy.
Bottom Line
We’ve gone through six simple ways to dry sage for various purposes. We’re hoping that this article has proved to be of some benefit to you on how to dry them at home with ease.
Share it with your colleagues and family, and drop a few comments below regarding any questions you have. All your doubts and feedback will be acknowledged.