Actually, it’s always a good time to make an herb oil! Garden herbs such as rosemary, basil, mint, parsley and fennel, for example, are now available fresh all year round and waiting to be harvested. Making herb oils and spice oils is easy. Nature does the main work anyway – you just have to be patient.
Which oils go with which herbs?
Edible oils and herbs are an ideal pair: herbs contain essential oils and fat-soluble aroma compounds, and edible oils can absorb these volatile substances and preserve them, so to speak. In addition, the vitamin E contained in the oils increases shelf life as a natural antioxidant. Suitable base oils are sunflower, corn germ, safflower/ safflower oil, rapeseed or soybean oil. They taste relatively neutral and can be flavored with any herbs. Ingredients such as lemon peel, lime peel and dried mushrooms go well with a grapeseed oil. Strongly aromatic herbs such as mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, chili peppers, bay leaves and garlic harmonize best with a cold-pressed olive oil.
High quality ingredients in seasoning oil
The be-all and end-all in the preparation of seasoning and herb oils are high-quality ingredients. Garden herbs must be freshly harvested. Spices such as peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon should also not have been in the kitchen for six months. Frozen herbs are not an alternative: they have already lost too much of their aromatic substances and produce neither an appetizing color nor a good taste. By the way, dried herbs are also usually not very suitable.
Preparation of herbal oils
Herbs are washed and very carefully patted dry, because remaining moisture clouds the oil. For woody herbs such as thyme, rosemary and sage, squeezing helps to increase the flavor yield. Place the herbs and spices in a clean, dry bottle that seals tightly and pour the oil of choice over them completely. After two to three weeks, the oil is flavored. Now it must be filtered, this is well done with a coffee filter. The new bottle is labeled (name of the oil and date of manufacture) and the seasoning oil is ready for use.
Health risk from homemade oils?
Never put more herb oil than you can consume within a short period of time. This is because storing homemade herb oil – as well as vegetables you pickle yourself in oil – carries the risk of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum multiplying. This can result in the formation of botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin that can cause botulism in humans. This is a severe disease, initially manifested by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, and in the worst cases can lead to respiratory paralysis and suffocation. In the U.S. and Canada, such outbreaks of illness have been reported primarily after consumption of garlic in oil.
Prevent botulism
To reduce the risk of Clostridium botulinum proliferation, always wash and dry ingredients thoroughly before adding them to oil. However, this cannot guarantee complete removal of the germs. Therefore, consider the following additional tips:
- The water content in the seasoning oil should be kept as low as possible, the acid content as high as possible.
- The oil should absolutely always be stored in the refrigerator, because the bacteria can multiply worse at low temperatures.
- With longer storage time, the risk for the development of botulinum toxin increases. Therefore, consume the oil as soon as possible.
- If the oil is heated strongly before consumption, for example, when used for frying and cooking, any toxins present may be inactivated.
Note that the production conditions of homemade herbal oil can not be controlled as well as industrial products. Therefore, the risk of formation of botulinum toxin can never be completely excluded. For more information on the topic, visit the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
Recipe suggestions for seasoning oils
- Parsley oil: add a bunch (50 to 75 grams) of flat-leaf parsley and a teaspoon of salt to 100 milliliters of grapeseed oil or safflower oil. Parsley oil is suitable for all green and mixed salads and tomato salad; also for fried fish fillets.
- Chili oil: Here, three red chili peppers that you have de-stemmed and seeded, cut into small pieces.Add 100 milliliters of soybean oil. For chili con carne, Asian vegetable dishes and barbecue marinades, this oil is particularly suitable.
- Grill oil: A sprig each of rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage, a clove of garlic (peeled), a chili pepper, some mustard seeds and a few coriander seeds become a delicious marinade with 100 milliliters of olive oil.
The meat is soaked in the oil an hour before grilling. Also delicious is pickled feta cheese, which is grilled in aluminum foil. The oil also goes well with lamb dishes. Attention: Always drain meat well before putting it on the grill!
Herb oil for short roast pieces
The following herb oil is suitable for anything short roasted. Here, the following ingredients add flavor to 100 milliliters of olive oil:
- One sprig each of thyme, sage and rosemary with or without flowers.
- One leaf each borage and laurel
- One clove of garlic (peeled)
- A teaspoon of colored peppercorns
Try other combinations as well: New mixtures will give you new taste experiences. There are no limits to your imagination!
