Dill is an aromatic herb that’s been extensively used in cooking for decades. Native to the eastern Mediterranean, dill is typically used to flavor fish, poultry, and meat dishes. This grass-like herb has a tangy flavor that adds depth and character to soups, stews, casseroles, dips, and sauces. The flavor of dill is so popular that dill pickles became widely popular because of this herb!
Suffice it to say, dill is one of the most versatile aromatic herbs out there and it’s not surprising that most people stock up on this herb for future uses. But can you freeze dill? Yes, fresh dill can be preserved through freezing.
Dill isn’t available all year round and if you love to cook, stocking up on fresh dill is a great idea. This way, you have a steady supply of your favorite herbs all year long. That said, it is important to prep the herb first prior to freezing otherwise, dill will lose its flavor.
Unfortunately, dill is quite a delicate herb. Once dill wilts, it goes bad within just a few hours. When kept in the fridge, fresh dill keeps up to 10 days. Freezing helps keep dill’s freshness for longer. Freezing dill at 0°F, the herb will keep safe indefinitely.
However, it’s best to use up your supply within a couple of months just so the herb remains flavorful. Below is a step-by-step guide on how can you freeze dill:
How to Freeze Dill?
Unless you grew the dill yourself, do not rinse the herb prior to freezing. Rinsing the herb with water will only accelerate spoilage because of the excess moisture. Store-bought dill has been cleaned well and is ready for cooking or freezing without extra rinsing. That said, you could rinse the herb if it is full of critters or dirt.
After giving fresh dill a good rinsing, lay the herb on a clean cloth while patting with paper towels to wick away the excess moisture. If you’re freezing whole stalks of dill, there’s no need to cut the whole stalks before freezing unless you’d like to keep them on a per serving size. Just place the herb, stalk and all, in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag and stick it in the freezer.
For dill that’s already been chopped, our advice is to transfer the herb in an ice cube tray. You can also do this if you’d like to keep the dill in serving size cubes. After transferring the dill in the ice tray, pour water then stick in the freezer. Once the ice cubes are frozen, take the ice tray out, remove the ice cubes from the tray and place them in a resealable plastic bag. Then, stick the plastic bag of frozen herb back in the freezer. Whenever you need dill for a single dish, just take a couple of ice cubes.
Committed to preserving the vibrant color of the herb as well as maintaining its plant enzymes? Try blanching dill first prior to freezing. Blanching is a cooking method that requires shocking veggies with boiling water for a few seconds to boost their color. After blanching, pat the herb with paper towels then you can pack the dill for freezing.
How to Defrost Frozen Dill?
Defrosting frozen dill is easy. Just transfer a portion of the frozen herb in a saucer then stick it in the fridge to defrost for a few hours. Once the herb thaws, use right away. Defrosted dill is perfect for soups, stews, and dips. Do not re-freeze defrosted dill because the herb will lose its flavors once it’s left standing at room temperature for too long.
Summary
Freezing dill is a great idea during the winter months when supply is scarce. With this guide, you can now keep a large batch of dill all year long! Do you like dill? We hope that this guide has helped you preserve your favorite herb the right way!