i'm looking into learning how long can dry herbs be stored before they expire or be unfit for consumption already. i don't usually cook (only when i'm alone at home ), and we only rarely use herbs (and spices) in our meals... but we have a 6-bottle rack of dried herbs/spices in our kitchen, namely basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, red pepper and garlic.

the only ones i've used so far are the red pepper and garlic. the rest, i don't know what recipe i'd use it for since these are not particularly part of the cooking regimen in our house. we received these as presents from a relative late last year, and i'm starting to wonder if they can still stay long in storage for a much longer period of time. i may find some use for the other herbs/spices in the collection, but until then, they will just be there on display.

remember, these are dried herbs/spices, so how long will they last for certain? and another important thing, will they expose anybody to some kind of food poisoning in case these herbs/spices are used beyond their storage life?

 

 

 

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They will last quite a long while as long as they stay 'dry'.
Keeping them in a sealed container will maintain their flavour better and the taste is sharper/fresher because the oilos don't leave the spices.

I dry Oregano, and stuff from the garden each year. Sometimes it lasts until Spring when the new stuff starts and we can make use of the fresh plants. I doubt very much if anyone would get sick from 'expired' dry spices.

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thanks, jim. good thing there are rubber stoppers on the lids to keep them dry and not invite moisture.

any safe estimate of a timeframe when it is best to just simply discard unused stored dry herbs/spices? i doubt we'll be able to make use of them so frequently this year... and i'd bet we'll not be even able to consume even a quarter of the stuff by the end of this year. four to five years later perhaps! it's a shame to waste them though if we'd just throw them.

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Take a pinch of the Herbs and crush/roll them in your hand followed by a 'sniff'.

If there is not any 'fragrance' to the crushed Herbs, then there will be no advantage to using them in recipes, since they are then past the point of imparting the flavour into the foods. That's when I'd say they were officially dead and toss them.

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nice tip, jim! so far, their scents are still strong, even without the pinching. thanks again!

maybe i'll need to get in the kitchen more to learn these stuff by experience. now, i'll have to sift through the recipe clippings we have to see if these dried herbs can be put to good use much sooner.

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It is as simple as adding some to tossed salads, adding some into scrambled eggs, sprinkling some onto any fried meats, actually I also use them to flavour vinegars for salad dressings.
Mostly out of habit, I add them to many dishes that you least expect. Sprinkle some into pasta sauces, over garlic toast, onto sandwiches. Nearly anywhere you might use salt, an amount of herbs will lessen the amount of salt, for instance.

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The reason why herbs and spices are dried is for the flavor to get concentrated and of course for them to last longer in your shelf. Aside from the fragrance, as Jim mentioned, you could also determine if the spice/herb is no longer of use by its "strength". If it doesn't give that much effect on your dishes anymore, then you can start replacing them. I don't know about estimate as to how long it should be kept in your cabinets or cupboards, though, but for me, I usually throw them away if they're not used for about half a year. It would also help if you buy "according to your usage", meaning the more common you use it, the higher the quantity you buy. In that way, you won't end up having that guilty feeling of whether you want to throw the thing or not.

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I've also heard that storing your herbs and spices in dry ( duh), dark places ( like your cupboards) instead of by your windows or hung up on the walls will help them last a lot longer.
I keep my stuff in the cupboards and they seem to last a looooooooooooooooooong time.

Just a thought.

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