Basil: An Herb Society of America Guide
Drying
For longer term storage, basil can be dried, but this is not the preferred method for many basil lovers since dried, crumbled basil doesn't have the same robust flavor. In
Basil: An Herb Lover's Guide, Susan Belsinger and Thomas DeBaggio point out that leaves must remain whole when drying since broken leaves are less flavorful due to the loss of essential oils (24).
One easy method for drying basil is simply hanging it in bundles (8). Basil can also be dried by placing a thin layer of stripped leaves between two folded sheets of newspaper on a wire rack and turning leaves twice a day (44). Drying between sheets of paper prevents oxidation and discoloration (45). Some herb lovers like to dry on screens and finish by baking on baking sheets at a low temperature for several minutes (24), but Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay don't recommend oven drying since high temperatures can cause a loss of essential oils and reduced flavor (22 in 57, 44). Dried basil should be stored in closed jars away from heat and light and will keep for about a year (24, 38).
Next topic: Freezing & Oil Preservation