Sure, you *can* freeze just about any herb, but the real question is: will it actually taste like anything once it thaws? When it comes to marjoram, I’ve got some bad news. While it’s technically still edible after a stint in the freezer, the flavor usually hits rock bottom. Think of freezing as your “Plan C”—only do it if you’ve run out of other options.
Check out these better preservation methods first
Did you get a little over-enthusiastic when sowing your marjoram and now you’re drowning in a sea of green? Before you reach for the freezer bags, let’s look at your other choices. If you’re debating between freezing or drying, go with drying every single time. When you dry marjoram, it actually holds onto its essential oils remarkably well and stays potent for up to a year. You could also tuck some fresh sprigs into a bottle of olive oil for a delicious herb-infused treat. Freezing, unfortunately, is a bit of a lose-lose: the leaves get mushy and the aroma mostly vanishes. But hey, if it’s a choice between the freezer and the compost bin…
How to harvest and prep your marjoram
To give your frozen herbs a fighting chance, you want to harvest them right before the flowers open. That’s when the flavor is at its peak. Here are my top tips for a successful harvest:
- Harvest just before the plant blooms.
- Pick your herbs on a sunny morning.
- Snip off only the top third of the stems.
- Try to cut only clean, healthy-looking stems.
- Ideally, harvest the day after it rains (nature does the washing for you!).
- Avoid washing the marjoram if possible.
- Pluck off any yellowed or dried-out leaves.
Sometimes, though, life happens and your herbs are just too dirty to skip the sink. In that case, freezing might actually be the safer bet, since damp leaves tend to get moldy if you try to dry them.
The right way to freeze marjoram
Flavor escapes through every cut surface, so try to keep those marjoram leaves whole. Only chop them if you’re planning to freeze them in water using an ice cube tray. For the best results, spread the sprigs out in a single layer on a baking sheet and “flash freeze” them first. Once they’re frozen solid, slide them into a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, label it, and toss it back in the freezer. They’ll keep for about 12 months.
Since marjoram is usually used in cooked dishes, you don’t even need to thaw it—just toss it straight from the freezer into the pot. If you have a favorite herb blend, feel free to freeze them all together so your custom mix is ready to go whenever you are!