DIY Herb Infusions
Infused stocks, spiced oils, and DIY teas. Make your own whole herb blends with reusable infusion filters.
Looking to add to your cooking tricks? Browsing for make-it-yourself holiday gifts? Got herbs?
Skip the expensive store-bought stocks, gourmet infused oils and health teas. Prune your garden herbs or buy whole herbs at the grocery and make your own infusions.
Herb infusions add extra health benefits to tea and water and intense flavor to cooking essentials. Think thyme oil, calendula or bay leaf tea, rosemary infused water or even spiced Vodka. All you need is whole herbs and spices, a liquid base, a jar, and a sieve or reusable infusion filters.
Infusions have health benefits
Plenty of herbs and spices have well known health benefits. According to recent medical studies, cinnamon helps lower blood sugar, cayenne peppers improve heart health, and sage strengthens brain function—and that’s just three of the many antioxidant-filled treasures that also smell and taste wonderful.
Sneak extra flavor and nourishment into water, teas, and cooking oils with a few basic rules.
Infused Tea or Water
(We’ve listed our favorite herb blends below)
Use one or two tablespoons of dried herbs or several sprigs of fresh whole herbs that you’ve rolled a bit with a rolling pin. (This helps release the oils. You can use a mortar and pestle if you’ve got it.)
Use an infusion filter or be ready to strain out the herbs with a fine mesh sieve later.
Place the herbs in a glass jar and add two cups of very hot water.
Let steep for several hours. Overnight is even better.
Remove the infusion filter or strain out the herbs and enjoy.
Herb-infused broth
OK—truth be told, herb-infused broth is basically just herbed water with more herbs, and it’s almost always savory. While broth still has the health benefits of herbs, it’s all about that flavor.
Use this recipe as the base for your next soup.
Use about a cup of fresh, savory herbs and spices. We like rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, sage, and peppercorns.
Place the herbs in two or more infusion bags, or add directly to a stockpot.
Pour six cups of water over the herbs and bring it all to a simmer.
Simmer (don’t boil), for about ten minutes, then remove from heat and let the stock steep until cool.
Remove the infusion bags or strain out the herbs.
Store in a glass jar in the fridge, or freeze if you don’t plan to use in the next couple of days.
Our favorite infusion blends
Detox Drink: Combine two or more cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp of cayenne, a little lemon rind for an infused water or warm tea.
Refresh Water: Steep two rosemary sprigs and one or two thyme sprigs in water, then chill.
Chai Tea (Or Vodka—wink wink): Two cardamom pods, four whole cloves, two cinnamon sticks and ginger to taste. Steep in hot water. Add milk and honey to taste after you remove the spices.
Ginger Turmeric Broth: Add some cold-fighting zing to your broths with your favorite herbs, plus a whole piece of ginger, chopped, and a full tablespoon of turmeric.
