Salad Burnet (or Pimpinelle, as some call it) is one of the first herbs to pop up in the garden each year. Once it starts, you’ll have plenty of fresh shoots to harvest all the way through fall. But what do you do when winter rolls around or you have a massive harvest you can’t use all at once? Freezing is your best bet. Here’s my step-by-step guide on how to do it right.
Fresh is Best for Flavor
Let’s be real for a second: Salad Burnet is one of those herbs that tastes miles better when it’s freshly picked. Any kind of preservation is going to dull that unique, cucumber-like flavor a bit. Drying it is actually a big no-no in my book because the flavor disappears almost entirely. While freezing isn’t *quite* as good as picking it straight from the garden bed, it’s still a solid alternative for when fresh leaves aren’t an option.
When to Harvest Your Salad Burnet
Growing Salad Burnet is a great investment because it’s a perennial. Since it’s very hardy, it usually peeks its head out as early as March. After dormant roots spend the winter underground, those first tender leaves are a welcome sight! You’ll want to focus on those young, delicate leaves for cooking. The older leaves can get a bit tough, so just leave them be or trim them off for the compost pile. This rule applies to freezing, too—stick to the young stuff. Wait until the plant has about a dozen fronds, and then you can harvest regularly until August. Pro tip: pick them in the morning while they’re still dewy and fresh.
Quick Tip:
Keep your shears handy in the summer! If you snip off the flower buds before they bloom, you can keep the plant producing fresh, tasty leaves well into the autumn.
Prepping for the Freezer
Before you toss your herbs into the freezer, you’ll want to chop the leaves fairly fine. Here’s my pre-freeze checklist:
- Strip the leaves off any woody or tough stems.
- Sort through and toss any damaged or yellowing leaves.
- Give them a quick rinse if needed, but make sure to pat them completely dry.
Portioning and Labeling
Don’t just throw one giant clump into a bag! Divide your harvest into smaller, single-use containers or freezer bags. It makes life so much easier when you’re cooking later. Also, don’t forget to label everything with the date and the name of the herb. Once herbs are frozen and chopped, they all start to look the same, and you don’t want to play “guess the herb” during dinner prep.
Using Your Frozen Stash
Technically, frozen Salad Burnet stays “good” for about a year. However, for the best flavor, I recommend using it within 3 to 4 months. After that, the taste really starts to fade. When you’re ready to use it, just grab a portion straight from the freezer—the tiny pieces thaw almost instantly. Just remember: to keep that delicate flavor intact, don’t boil it! Stir it into your dishes right at the end.
