Hey GrainLady, a canning question for ya!

**Jamauk** · 09-23-2009, 11:14 AM

All of my canning recipes for seasoned tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, etc....call for the use of dried herbs. I'd much prefer to use fresh herbs, is there a reason not to?

Thanks so much, your posts are always so helpful!!

**McD** · 09-23-2009, 08:11 PM

Jamauk, I have no answer for you...just another thought. Are you preferring to use fresh herbs you have on hand as opposed to store-bought/dried ones? If so, could you first dry the fresh ones you have on hands?

**Jamauk** · 09-23-2009, 09:19 PM

That's a thought. My friend's garden is overflowing with tomatoes, basil, oregano and rosemary. She's offered to let me go and fill up as much of my van as I can. I was going to make fresh homemade sauce, but all of the herbs will be fresh from the garden.

I dont' have a dehydrator, but I could let the herbs dry on the counter.

**Grainlady** · 09-24-2009, 09:42 AM

Rule #1 - Don't alter recipes. If the recipe you are following offers substitutions (choice of fresh herbs or dried), they have been tested. If not, then don't substitute one for the other. Fresh herbs and dried herbs don't substitute measure for measure and I suppose it's possible to alter the pH when substituting fresh for dried.

Some fresh herbs will turn black and unappealing during high-heat processing, so that is often why dried herbs are used. Fresh herbs vary in intensity (due to growing conditions or variety of plant), so you may not get a consistent flavor using fresh herbs.

I have some recipes that include fresh cilantro, but the rest of the herbs in the recipe are dried. You can add fresh herbs when you serve the salsa, or add fresh herbs when you heat the spaghetti sauce for use, rather than adding them during the canning process.