Air-Drying Cilantro
Wash the cilantro and pat it dry with a paper towel. Before you let the cilantro air-dry, you need to wash it under cool, running water to remove any dirt or debris that may be on the leaves. Use paper towels to gently dry the cilantro by patting the leaves to remove any excess water. If the cilantro is bunched together, take the bunch apart to rinse every part of the cilantro.
Tie the stem ends together with a piece of string. After you pat the cilantro dry, gather the bunch together and use a piece of string or twine to tie the ends together securely so they can be hung to dry. Tie a knot about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the end of the bunch so the stems will stay bound together as the plant dries. The knot needs to be tight enough to hold the bunch even after the stems shrink during the drying process.
Place the bunch of cilantro upside-down in a paper bag. Insert the bunch of cilantro leaf-side first into a paper bag with the string hanging out of the back of the bag. Use some more string or twine to tie the bag closed around the stems of the cilantro to keep it from falling off. The bag needs to be tied tight enough around the stems to stay attached when the cilantro shrinks as it dries. The paper bag is there to catch any leaves that may fall or break off as the cilantro dries. Be sure to use a bag large enough to fit the bunch of cilantro. Don’t jam the bunch into the bag!
Hang the cilantro in a warm, dry area away from direct sunlight. A pantry, closet, or a windowsill that isn’t exposed to direct sunlight are great places to hang the cilantro to let it dry. Tie the end of the string to hold the bag upside down as the cilantro dries out.Tip: Don’t hang the bag near an oven or air-conditioning vent. The fumes and oils from the oven could alter the taste of the dried cilantro. An air-conditioning vent could change the temperature around the paper bag and increase the humidity inside of the bag, which could cause the cilantro to rot.
Allow the cilantro to dry for 1 week. Leave the bag of cilantro to hang undisturbed for 1 week before you check to see if it has fully dried. Take the bag down and untie it to see if the cilantro is crispy and crumbles easily. If the cilantro is not fully dry, re-tie the bag and hang it for another week.
Store the dried cilantro in an airtight container. Once the cilantro is fully dry, you can store it in a sealed, airtight jar or container to store it until you want to use it. You can crumble the dried cilantro into the container or store the dried bunch whole. The dried cilantro can be stored for up to 3 years.
Using an Oven to Dry Cilantro
Wash the cilantro to remove dirt and debris. Before you dry your fresh cilantro, run it under cool water and use your fingers to brush the leaves to remove any dirt particles that may be on them. Use a paper towel to pat the leaves dry. Separate the bunch of cilantro to rinse every part of the plant.
Preheat your oven to 250 °F (121 °C). Get your oven ready by preheating it while you finish preparing the cilantro to be dried. Setting your oven to a low-temperature will make sure that the cilantro doesn’t burn as it dries out.
Coat a baking tray with baking spray. Take the bottle of baking spray and apply a light coat over the surface of the baking tray to help prevent the cilantro from sticking to the tray as it dries. Hold the can with the nozzle about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the baking tray and use a back and forth sweeping motion while you spray.
Strip the leaves from the stems. The leaves will dry quicker and more evenly if they are removed from the stems first. Remove the leaves by holding the stem and using your fingers to pull off the leaves. Strip the leaves off over the baking tray so they fall onto it. The stems don’t have any of the flavor, so you can discard them.
Spread the leaves on the baking tray to form 1 layer. You need to have a single layer of the cilantro leaves to ensure that they dry evenly. Spread all of the leaves around the tray so that they form a layer and are not piled or bunched up.
Place the baking tray in the oven. Once the oven has reached its temperature and you’ve spread the cilantro leaves on the tray, slide the tray into the oven. Place the baking tray on the middle rack of the oven so the heat circulates around it.
Allow the leaves to bake dry for 30 minutes. Set a timer for 30 minutes and leave the cilantro undisturbed as it dries in the oven. Don’t open the oven door or shake the tray to shift the cilantro around. Opening the oven to check can cause the cilantro to take longer to dry.
Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, take the tray of cilantro out of the oven and let it cool down before you handle it. The cilantro is still drying as it cools down. Don’t shake the tray or move the cilantro until it cools down.
Scrape the leaves off of the baking tray with a spatula. After the tray of cilantro has cooled down, take the edge of the spatula and scrape the dried leaves to the center to form a pile. If some leaves are stuck to the tray, use a gentle scraping motion to pry the leaves off of the tray.Tip: Use the edge of the spatula to crumble the leaves into smaller pieces.
Store the dried cilantro leaves in an airtight container. Dried cilantro can be stored for up to 3 years in a sealed, airtight container. Take the pile of dried cilantro and place it in an airtight jar or container until you’re ready to use it.
Microwaving Cilantro
Rinse the cilantro and dry it with a paper towel. Clean the cilantro by running it under cool water to remove any debris that may be attached to it. Pat the cilantro with a paper towel to remove any excess water. If you don’t remove the excess water, the cilantro will cook in the microwave instead of drying. Spread the cilantro between 2 paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Form a single, even layer of cilantro between 2 sheets of paper towels to absorb the moisture that will evaporate as it dries. Place the paper towels on a plate that can be microwaved.Tip: If you have a lot of cilantro, dry it in batches. Don’t bunch or pile up the cilantro or it will not dry evenly and may cook parts of it.
Microwave the plate on high for 2 minutes. After you’ve arranged the cilantro between the paper towels on the plate, set the plate in the microwave and cook it for 2 minutes. Then remove the plate from the microwave to let it cool for 1 minute. If the cilantro is not brittle and dry, microwave them for another 30 seconds.
Store the cilantro in an airtight container for up to 3 years. After the cilantro has cooled down, you can crumble it or store it whole in a sealed, airtight container and it will last for up to 3 years. Store the dried cilantro with the rest of your herbs until you’re ready to use it.
Dehydrating Cilantro
Run the cilantro under cool water to remove any dirt. Before you place your cilantro in the dehydrator, you need to make sure it’s clean. Hold the bunch under cool water and use your fingers to remove any debris that may be on them. Dry the cilantro with a paper towel. Make sure the leaves are dry or they could cook or dry unevenly in the dehydrator.
Arrange the cilantro in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Spread the cilantro evenly to form a single layer on your dehydrator trays, making sure that you don’t bunch or pile any of it. Close the dehydrator up after you’ve placed your cilantro into it. Tip: If your dehydrator has multiple trays, use them to make as thin of a layer of cilantro as possible to speed up the drying time.
Dehydrate at 110 °F (43 °C) for 1 hour. Cilantro leaves dry out quickly, so check them after 1 hour to see if the leaves are crispy and crumble easily. If the cilantro isn’t dry after 1 hour, close the dehydrator and let them dry for another 30 minutes before you check them again.
Store the dried cilantro in an airtight container. Once the cilantro has fully dried, remove it from the dehydrator and place it in a sealed jar or container. Dried cilantro can be stored for up to 3 years. Keep the container with the rest of your dried herbs until you’re ready to use it. Storing the container in a dry, cool place can help the dried cilantro last longer.
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