Herb Flavored Oils - HELP!!

[LJM]

I made a few herb flavored oils with fresh herbs (Tarragon, Thyme, Sage...). I noticed that after I used one, the herb that was no longer in oil came white and fuzzy (rotting). I have done some research on this problem on the web and get mixed advice.

Some web pages say that there is a real risk to making your own oils due to botulism. Other pages say just remove the white, fuzzy parts of the herb and keep going. Still others say you are ok if you fill up the bottle with more oil as you use it.

Also - storing them - some say refrigerate, others say room temperature. I know there are special instructions for garlic oils but these are all fresh herb oils.

Any advice?

[lorilei]

Did you blanch the herbs before putting them in the oil? I've read a variety of books on herbed oils/vinegars and have seen that recommended once or twice to reduce the risk of contamination...

[LJM]

No, I didn't blanch the herbs first. Just washed and dried and used sterilized bottles. The two recipe cources I used did not indicate any special preservation.

Do you think blanching would fix this problem - when I make them again?

Thanks.

[schuh]

I took a cooking class on this and it was specifically garlic that can cause botulism. We were advised that if we wanted garlic oil to buy commercial oil. Also, we were told they don't keep more than a few weeks.

[lorilei]

Yes - I do think that blanching helps to reduce contamination.

Here is a good recipe for making infused oils which blanches the herbs (causing less chance of contamination):

COLD-INFUSION METHOD

2 c Tightly packed soft-leafed green herb (such as basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, mint)
1 c Olive oil

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add herbs and make sure to push the leaves under the boiling water. Blanch herbs for 5 seconds.

Drain into a strainer and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain well and squeeze out all the liquid. Puree in a blender with olive oil.

Strain puree immediately through a fine-mesh strainer such as a china cap. Strain again through 4 layers of cheesecloth and put in a sterilized glass bottle. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Use within 1 week for optimum flavor.

Note 1: For best results, choose very fresh herbs with strong flavors and an olive oil with a clean, neutral taste. A blender makes a finer, smoother pure than a food processor and extracts more flavor. Some oil will be lost during filtering depending on how tightly it binds to the flavoring ingredients.

Note 2: Tarragon does not work very well except early in the spring when it is very sweet, otherwise it tends to taste bitter when infused.

Note 3: Make sure to squeeze all the water out of the cheesecloth or filter papers before use.

Taken from: Flavored Oils by Michael Chiarello

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 04-12-2001).]

[kwormann]

WOuld dried herba also cause botulism???

Kim