Homemade Fresh Herb Salt

Name: Homemade Fresh Herb Salt
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3 cups fresh herbs (loosely packed); 1/2 cup coarse sea salt; 1 clove fresh garlic (or more if you wish)

May 7, 2019 *Updated* May 7, 2019 / By: Gloria | Homemade & Yummy 158 Comments

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Fresh Herb Salt is so easy to make. The perfect way to preserve all those wonderful garden and market herbs.

This infused salt recipe is easy to make. Fresh herbs and coarse salt are all you need. This makes a GREAT hostess gift!!

Recently a good friend of mine messaged me and asked if I had ever heard of herb infused salt? Other than processed seasonings you find at the store, I said no. Well, this got me curious as to what she was talking about. She had seen them at the local market, so I had to find out what herb salt is all about.

After some research on the web, I found out that this has been done for years. This is a way to preserve fresh herbs. It seems to be very popular in Quebec and eastern Canada. Also known as Herbes Salées, it is made around the world, and there are slight variations as to how this is done.

I looked at several methods and recipes. Food & Wine has a recipe that completely dries the herb salt blend. The Healthy Foodie uses the traditional Quebec recipe that includes the addition of vegetables. Well Preserved uses a “layering” method in the jar.

When it comes to preserving, I opt for SIMPLE. Like really simple. I am NOT a canner. The quick and easy method works for me. Pickled eggs, zucchini pickles, and pickled onions are all REALLY easy recipes.

HOW TO MAKE HERB SALT

There is no right or wrong method of doing this. It all boils down to personal preference. Since I am a sort of a spice collector, trying this was right up my alley. My recipe was adapted from The Prarie Homestead.

It’s so great getting all the wonderful fresh herbs. This summer I am going to have my own fresh herb garden. I am SO excited. This preserving method is different from the regular freezing in oil method. You know the one where you put fresh herbs and oil in an ice cube tray. If not, The Kitchn has a great post on it. I have a lot of cubes in my freezer right now.

For this flavoured salt recipe you will need:

fresh herbs
garlic
*coarse salt
food processor (or sharp knife)
*clean glass jar

The process is VERY EASY and works well with all my other preserving methods.

Wash the herbs, remove any stalks/stems, and spread on a cloth and let dry. I let them sit on the counter for about an hour before I used them.

Place about 3 cups of herbs in a food processor, add the garlic and the coarse salt. Pulse until it resembles a coarse grind. Be sure not to over process as you do not want a paste/puree texture.

If you do not want to use a food processor, you can do everything by hand. Chop the herbs and garlic. Add the salt and continue to chop until you reach a coarse consistency.

At this point, you can place your mixture directly into a jar. If you want it to be drier, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and let it air dry for a bit. I placed mine right in the jar.

TYPES OF HERBS FOR INFUSED SALT

You can create your own signature blend using any herb combination you wish. That is the neat thing, each time you make it, the flavours can be different.

Herbs that work well include:

parsley
dill
mint
oregano
sage
thyme
cilantro
rosemary
basil
savory
coriander

So many great options for creating unique flavoured salt recipes. This will now keep for months in the fridge. You have some incredible tasting herbs to add to your favourite recipes.

One word of caution, it is SALTY so you may have to make adjustments to the amount of additional salt you add to recipes.

FRESH HERB SALT TIPS

Be sure to remove woody stalks before processing.
Herbs must be washed and left to dry before processing.
Very salty, so use sparingly.
Always keep in the fridge (not on the counter).
Let sit for at least 7 days before using to allow the flavours to develop.
Lasts for months.
Makes a GREAT food gift.
Be sure to use COARSE sea salt.
Can be used on pizza, in soups, stews, and a rub for meat and vegetables.

So what do you think? Does this recipe sound interesting? Next time you want to try some easy preserving, Fresh Herb Salt has got to be the easiest method I know.

What combination of herbs do you want to try first?

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Check out my recipe for Simple Roasted Tomatoes. Use the bounty of market tomatoes to easily create wonderful sauces all winter long.