Can You Freeze Dill?

Dill is a versatile herb which has been used in cooking for a very long time. It’s normally added to dishes that include poultry, fish, or meat. 

It can make a world of difference when it comes to improving and balancing the flavor of many different dishes, including stews, soups, sauces, and casseroles. 

If you should have any sort of herb in your cupboard, dill is one of the best. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last a huge amount of time in its freshest form, though that’s when it is at its best. 

Unless you grow it yourself, it can be hard to get hold of when it’s out of season. The versions you can get are much more expensive. 

While most herbs can be dried successfully, they don’t have the texture or flavor that fresh herbs do. While both versions are incredibly useful, they can be best in wildly different dishes.

This makes freezing a viable option, and you can always use a combination of thawed and dried herbs (see also Can You Freeze Mint Leaves), or thawed and fresh, depending on your preferences. 

Freezing dill for later use is a great idea, but you need to prepare it correctly. 

How Do You Freeze Dill?

Dill is one of the more delicate herbs, and it wilts quickly. While you can keep it in the fridge, it will last a maximum of 10 days, and you may not get round to using it.

Not to mention, the lack of sunlight will mean that the dill will be less than perfect. You can keep cuttings of dill in a jar of fresh water on your windowsill, of course, which will help, but it won’t last forever.

When it comes to freezing dill, the shelf life is pretty damn good. As long as the temperature in the freezer is steady, you can pretty much leave it in there for as long as you want.

Having said that, it is advisable to use up the frozen dill within a month or two of freezing, as the flavor will still be at its best at that point. 

Consider Blanching Dill Before Freezing it

You can blanch dill in order to help preserve its vibrancy and flavor for longer. This is a great method, especially if you’re looking to freeze dill for a long period of time. 

You won’t need to boil the herb for long – maybe 30 seconds at most, before you submerge it into an ice bath. 

Once you’ve blanched dill, make sure to thoroughly dry it, and then you can freeze it.

How To Prepare Dill For Freezing

Rinse the dill first, making sure that it’s fully dry before you do anything else. Too much moisture will mean that dill will wilt and spoil faster. 

If you’ve already blanched it, you don’t need to do this step.

The best way of drying it is to put the dill on some paper towels. Gently pat the herb dry with a towel. 

If you want to portion the dill, now’s the best time. To save some time later, chop it up, and put it into an ice cube tray to make sure that the portions are even. Cover the dill with water, and freeze. 

Once completely frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and transfer them to a resealable plastic freezer bag. Because they’re already frozen solid, they won’t stick together. 

If you’d prefer to keep the dill whole, put it into a freezer bag, making sure to squeeze out any excess air. Lay it flat into the freezer.

How Do You Thaw Dill?

Defrosting dill is easy. If you freeze the dill into ice cubes, you can use them without defrosting if the dish is being cooked. 

Throw the herb straight in, and maybe add a minute or two onto the cooking time to bring the temperature back up.

If you freeze the dill whole, take it out of the bag and transfer onto a small plate. Put it in the fridge, where it will have thawed after a couple of hours. 

It’s worth noting that once thawed, the dill won’t keep for very long at all, so you’ll want to use it straight away.

Don’t be tempted to refreeze dill, as this will vastly impact the quality.

Conclusion

Freezing dill ahead of time, especially if you portion it, is a great way to save you time and money when it comes to using this versatile herb.

It also means that you can use it out of season, without paying more or having to grow your own.

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