Oils Infused with Herbs

[Pat]

How many people here are using their herbs to make cooking oils infursed with their herbs as a gift?

I would like to make my own oils but not to sure how much work it would be.

 

[KimmyMarkks]

I dont give them as gifts but I often do but herbs in my olive oil. Rosemary is my favorite to put into oil. It gives cooking such a great taste. I've tried basil but it doesn't taste that well. I know that a lot of cooking places sell this so I think as long as you put it in a nice container it would make a great gift!

 

[Bootsy]

Almost no work involved. We use nice bottles that have had other things in (vinegars etc.) and use olive oil. We sterilise the bottles in the oven and heat the oil before using it.

The herbs need to be dried stems (doesn't look very good if they're just bits and pieces) and just dropped into the bottles and kept for a week before being used. Rosemary is superb for this as it works so well for flavour and looks.

If you use fresh stems then the moisture in them can help to create mould and dangerous bacteria. The use of fresh would require you to acidify and heat treat everything.

If it's going to be used quickly it doesn't matter so much.

We tend to do three types of oils:- Rosemary, garlic and chilli (plus a combination of each) but others are OK as well.

I've just grabbed this off the net and you should read it.

http://umaine.edu/publications/4385e/

 

[amelia88]

It's super easy and it's one of the things we do to use up herbs in our garden. Plus, a lot of those fancy infused oils at stores are very expensive -- it's a lot friendlier on the household budget to make our own too. So far we have used basil, rosemary, and chili to infuse oils. I imagine you could do it with a whole host of other herbs too. Bootsy's post above is a great explanation of what to do.

 

[claudine]

No, I've never used herbs to make oils infused with herbs, but it sounds like a really great idea and I definitely want to give it a try An oil like this would make a nice Christmas gift.

 

[IcyBC]

I have always want to experiment this as the infused oil in the store is very expensive. I grow rosemary in the summer and tempting to test it out with olive oil but was worrying that I will spoil the oil and waste it. Will try to do this soon, and thanks @Bootsy for the information.

 

[NicoleM]

So easy! Just add dried herbs to the oil and keep for at least a week, less if you don't want the flavor to be really strong. Add to whatever you like and enjoy! I love making olive oil dip for bread with herbs!

 

[CanadianLori]

I am lucky that I have a bunch of the old stly Grolsch beer bottles and I also infuse oil with hot peppers too.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I actually prefer good oils by themselves. And the herbs separate. I don't want to make a dedicated bottle of one type of herb with oil that is to restrictive for me as a cook.

 

[Ashanti Duggins]

My Infuse garlic and red pepper in my Olive oil...(Yummy) I also infuse Rose Mary in my coconut oil (I use this mix for beauty treatments) Both work wonders.

 

[Bootsy]

We use pure coconut oil with a little bit of vitamin E oil, T-tree oil and arnica for rubbing into aching and/or arthritic joints.

 

[amelia88]

We use pure coconut oil with a little bit of vitamin E oil, T-tree oil and arnica for rubbing into aching and/or arthritic joints.

Oh, I love coconut oil for everything! Lately I'm loving it as a moisturizer and a hair treatment, since it's so dry where I am right now!