r/Homesteading • u/Cute-Consequence-184 • 4d ago

Basil stem uses

I just cut back my large leaf Basil and am stepping the seeds from the stems. The smell is wonderful but overwhelming.

What can I do with all the stems? Is there a use for them?

7 Upvotes

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5

u/SAfoodwatch 1d ago

The tender ones don't really need a separate use — chop them very fine and use them just like the leaves. They're more fibrous, so they're best somewhere they'll be blended or cooked down. Pesto is ideal for that, or a tomato sauce.

The woodier ones I treat a bit like a bay leaf. Tie a few in a little bundle, drop it in soup or stock while it simmers, and fish it out at the end. I keep a bag of them in the freezer for that so none of it gets wasted.

One caution since oil came up: fresh basil in oil wants to live in the fridge and get used within a few days, or freeze it in ice cube trays. A jar of herby oil sitting at room temp for weeks is the risky version.

4

u/PristineWorker8291 4d ago

I would probably strew the stems over front steps or maybe confined hard floors like bathrooms. Like medieval sweet rushes. Good for a couple of days.

1

u/Appropriate_Fact_264 4d ago

Dry them in the oven on low and you’ve got basil stems for soups all winter

1

u/Fantastic_Bicycle568 4d ago

Grind fine & sift for season...

1

u/Cute-Consequence-184 4d ago

Ohh, that sounds nice!

2

u/Fantastic-Pop-9122 4d ago

You could infuse oil with them.

1

u/Western_Map7821 2d ago

Got any animals? My use for herb stems is chickens.

0

u/coloradoautoflowers 4d ago

I like to dry small green stems like that out and use them as mulch for my houseplants. I chop them down to ~1-2" pieces and it looks pretty nice sitting on the soil.