How To: DIY Herb Infused Olive Oil
There are a million things you can do with good olive oil. Cook with it, drizzle it on your salad or veggies, or dip some fresh bread in it. So yummy. It’s even better when you have it to your liking, whether that’s with the zing of lemon, the fragrance of herbs or even simply with a little salt and pepper. The good news is that it’s super easy and inexpensive to make.
It does, however, require a little bit of time investment. In order to keep the oil germ-free, the herbs you use need to be very clean and very dry, so they’ll need to sit out overnight. However, once that’s done, the process is a breeze.
Make your own and enjoy!
You Will Need
- Good quality olive oil
- Herbs of your choice (I used rosemary, oregano and bay leaves)
- Paper towels
- White vinegar
- Funnel
- Plastic bowl
- Kitchen towel
- Large pot
- Cork-top or swing-top bottles
How to Do It
Wash your herbs thoroughly. Then, let them soak overnight in a bowl of a cleansing solution made from 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water. I got this great tip from the awesome blog Gorgeously Green.The next morning, take them out and lay them on sheets of paper towels to completely dry out. Cover with another paper towel.
Now, we wait. It may take up to 2 to 3 days for the moisture in the herbs to completely dry up. You want the herbs bone, bone dry to avoid bacteria growth in the oil.
The day that they’ve completely dried out, you are ready to bottle! Get your large pot, fill it with water and bring the water to a boil. Place your clean glass bottles in there for a few minutes to sterilize them. Make sure the water goes inside the bottle – this is important! When they are nice and sterilized set them out on a kitchen towel to dry (I like lint-free towels to keep the glass looking clean.)
When they are dry and cool, you can add your herbs. Then put it on a paper towel (it will get a little messy) and pour your oil in using a little funnel. When it’s nice and full, yet not yet reached the top, close it up.
And you are done! You can enjoy your fresh, tasty oil for about a month (some sources say you can enjoy it for a year if you store it well, but I always veer on the side of food safety and don’t like to keep edible items for long.)
Safety note: Store them in a cool, dry place. I prefer the fridge to ensure freshness. The oil will turn cloudy in the fridge, but return to its natural, clear state when it gets back to room temperature. However, if it reached room temperature and is still cloudy, throw it out – bacteria might have grown in the bottle, and that’s dangerous. Even though it looks pretty, don’t store them by a window because too much sun and heat will make the oil bad.
Image of Watch by Anika via Creative Commons.
