Save rosemary from the frost - make rosemary oil
Time
Total preparation time: 20 min.
This tip is about how to save rosemary from frost and make rosemary oil from it. At the same time it is also a great gift idea.
For a few winters, I persistently tried to get my rosemary in the garden over the winter. Unfortunately always in vain, here in the south of Germany we have cold winters. Each subsequent year, I realized that he was frozen. Now I used it and have in the pre-Christmas time always nice gifts, and also at Christmas, my homemade rosemary oil is the best seller.
Preparation - rosemary oil
First, I cut off all branches of the rosemary just before the first real night frosts just above the ground. Now I wash the rosemary just as thoroughly as I then dab it dry with kitchen towels. If moisture remained behind, the oil would become cloudy.
Then I chop the rosemary with the knife into small pieces so that it can deliver its essential oils well. Put everything quickly into a large glass jar (jar or glass carafe), cover with good olive oil, shake lightly. All pieces should be in contact with the oil at all times or generously covered by the oil.
The olive oil in the glass should amount to more than three times the amount of rosemary, so still creates a very concentrated oil. At large harvest simply take several vessels, but they must be closed.
Leave the mixture in a bright place for 2-4 weeks. I always place the vessel on a window sill in the bright basement. Now and then check and shake the oil well. As I said, everything must always be well covered by oil. In the meantime collect nice empty bottles.
After the 2-4 weeks, filter the rosemary through a very fine sieve, possibly also with a coffee filter. There should be no herb bits left, which otherwise settle on the sides of the bottles and mold.
Fill the now clear rosemary oil, in nice clean and dry bottles, about half way. Fill the other half of the bottle with pure olive oil of the variety that was also used for loading, and dilute it. The oil is really very concentrated otherwise. Do not forget to label the bottle and close well. Decoration as desired.
Anyone who wants to can in the same way, other - absolutely garden fresh herbs - insert and prepare a delicious herbal oil. Other variations are possible. I have already made a garlic chili oil. I quartered some chilies lengthwise and put them together with some quartered garlic cloves. Watch out, hellishly spicy but tasty.
Of course you can also mix the herbs. You'll think of great combinations.
The oil lasts 3-5 months, depending on storage. If you want to give it away for Christmas, you should start soon, but theoretically, you can make herbal oil all year round. Have fun, you will see, a great gift with a personal touch!
