How to Preserve Chives | Store, Freeze, Dry
Preserving chives is an easy task that can save you money. Learn how to store fresh chives, freeze them and dry them 3 ways. Check out the end of this article for lots of great chive recipes.
Chives are such a versatile ingredient. You can add them soups, stews, slice them fresh. They are great in salads and the flowers make a perfect garnish.
What are chives?
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are a perennial herb that is incredibly easy to grow. They’re in the same family as onions and have a very mild onion flavor.
Chives have a beautiful lilac colored blossom in the spring. They will bloom again, if you cut the spent flowers off, occasionally.
They are high in fiber and contain significant quantities of Vitamins K, C, A, B9, plus Iron, Copper and Maganese.
How to grow chives
Chives, (Allium schoenoprasum), are an easy perennial (they come back year after year) herb to grow. They will grow in full sun or partial shade. They’ll also grow in most soils.
Chives are not plagued by many pests or diseases either.
Depending on the variety, they grow 12-20 inches tall so they are perfect as a border plant or in your herb garden since they don’t get too big, like some other herbs.
How to store chives
Step One
The best way to store chives is to wash them. Don’t drain them. Immediately wrap them in a couple pieces of paper towel. If the paper towel isn’t damp, Sprinkle it with a little cold water. You don’t want the paper soaked. Just damp.
Step Two
Roll paper towel around chives loosely.
Step Three
Put the rolled up chives into a gallon plastic storage bag.
It’s ok if you bend the chives a little to fit them into the bag. Just don’t snap them in half so that they bruise.
Place the bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Store refrigerated for at least two weeks.
How to freeze chives
There are three ways to freeze fresh chives.
Flash freeze
Step One
Wash chives. Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
Step Two
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chive pieces onto sheet. Separate. Freeze for about an hour until they are frozen. Pour into a jar or freezer bag. Return to freezer.
It’s important to freeze the chives on the baking sheet before adding to the bag so that they will separate and you can use as much as your recipe calls for. If you don’t, they will freeze together in a big clump and will be hard to separate.
Freeze in water or oil
Step One
Wash chives. Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
Step Two
Fill ice cube trays with a couple tablespoons of chopped chives.
Step Three
Slowly add water or oil to the trays. Don’t overfill them because you don’t want them to spill over when they freeze.
You can also freeze chives in this easy chive butter.
How to dry chives
There are 3 ways to dry chives.
Air dry chives by hanging
Step One Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let them air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel.
Step Two
Tie your bundle of chives together with kitchen twine. Tie a loop in the end so that you can hang them.
Step Three Hang in a cool, dry place with good air circulation for about three weeks until thoroughly dry.
Dry in the oven
Step One
Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let them air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel.
Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
Pro Tip:
Easily clean herb scissors with a toothpick if you don’t have the cleaning tool.
Step Two
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread chopped chives in a uniform, single layer, leaving space between. Don’t crowd.
Step Three
Set oven temp to it’s lowest temperature. Usually 155-170°F.
Place baking sheet in oven. Dry for one to two hours until they are fully dried. Check often to make sure they don’t brown. You’ll lose all of the delicious chive flavor if they brown.
Dry in a food dehydrator
This is the best way to dry them. They retain the best color and flavor.
Step One
Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let the air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel.
Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
Step Two
Spread the pieces evenly on parchment lined dehydrator tray. Try to leave room between them.
Set food dehydrator to 90-95°F/ 35°C. Set timer for one hour.
Place racks in dehydrator.
For all of the drying techniques, make sure that the chives are very dry so that they don’t mold. They should crumble in your fingers.
Store dried chives in bags with the air removed or in glass mason jars. Store in a cool dry place for at least two years.
Recipes for using chives
Sauces and Condiments
Salads and Sides
Breads and Rolls
Breakfast and Brunch
Appetizers and Dips
More foods to preserve
- How to Preserve Garlic Scapes
- Dehydrating Garlic Scapes / Garlic Scape Powder
- Freezing Strawberries
- Dehydrating Strawberries
Helpful Tools
Conditioning your fruit
Conditioning your fruit is an important step in the drying process, so don’t skip this step.
Conditioning is the process of testing the fruit to make sure that it is thoroughly dry.
Even a bit of moisture in a couple of pieces has the potential to ruin a whole batch.
Allow the dehydrated fruits to come to room temperature. Immediately place them into a glass mason jar. Place the jar in a dark area.
Shake the jar daily to break up any stuck pieces. Allow them to stay in the jar for 7-10 days, shaking daily.
If you see any moisture droplets collecting on the jar. You know you have moisture in them.
If you see any evidence of moisture or any condensation in the jar, re-dry the food in your oven or dehydrator. After re-drying condition them again. Once they are fully dry, pack in tight fitting glass jars.
If you see any evidence of mold during the conditioning process. Discard the product.
Preserving chives is a great way to stretch your grocery budget and couldn’t be easier. Whether you store them fresh for immediate use, freeze some or dry some, you will be able to use them all year long.
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Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
How to Preserve Chives | Store, Freeze, Dry
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Chives
Instructions
To store fresh chives
- The best way to store chives is to wash them. Don’t drain them. Immediately wrap them in a couple pieces of paper towel. If the paper towel isn’t damp, Sprinkle it with a little cold water. You don’t want the paper soaked. Just damp.1 bunch Chives
- Roll paper towel around chives loosely.
- Put the rolled up chives into a gallon plastic storage bag. It’s ok if you bend the chives a little to fit them into the bag. Just don’t snap them in half so that they bruise.
- Place the bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Store refrigerated for at least two weeks.
How to freeze chives
- Wash chives. Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chive pieces onto sheet. Separate. Freeze for about an hour until they are frozen. Pour into a jar or freezer bag. Return to freezer.
- It’s important to freeze the chives on the baking sheet before adding to the bag so that they will separate and you can use as much as your recipe calls for. If you don’t, they will freeze together in a big clump and will be hard to separate.
Freeze in water or oil
- Wash chives. Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
- Fill ice cube trays almost full with chopped chives. Slowly add water or oil to the trays. Don’t overfill them because you don’t want them to spill over when they freeze.
Air drying chives
- Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let them air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel.
- Tie your bundle of chives together with kitchen twine. Tie a loop in the end so that you can hang them. ang in a cool, dry place with good air circulation for about three weeks until thoroughly dry.
Drying in the oven
- Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let the air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel. Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chopped chives in a uniform layer, leaving space between. Don’t crowd.Set oven temp to it’s lowest temperature. Usually 155-170°F.Place baking sheet in oven. Dry for one to two hours until they are fully dried. Check often to make sure they don’t brown. You’ll lose all of the delicious chive flavor.
Drying in food dehydrator
- Wash chives. Thoroughly dry them. It helps to let the air dry for an hour after drying with towel or paper towel.Chop them into uniform pieces with herb scissors or with a sharp chef’s knife.
- Spread the pieces evenly on parchment lined dehydrator tray. Try to leave room between them.Set food dehydrator to 90-95°F/ 35°C. Set timer for one hour.Place racks in dehydrator.
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I love saving the chives to add to recipes in the winter. They add such a great flavor! Thanks Diana