Preserving Herbs During the Winter

Credit: iStock

Don’t lose out on valuable herbs over the winter

Preserve and store herbs that last for up to a year

Through many a fall season, Jacynthe Bouchard’s family has preserved herbs for the winter in a delectable combination called Fines herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve (fine herbs from the Lower River).

Lasting for up to a year if refrigerated, fines herbes are used to enhance soups, stews and other recipes – and they also preserve special childhood memories for Jacynthe.


To prepare fines herbes, pick some fresh herbs from your garden – parsley, chervil, chives, oregano, sweet marjoram, thyme and savory all work well. Add chopped vegetables such as leeks, celery leaves, green onions, bulb onions and carrots. Use a food processor to finely chop the herbs and vegetables together.

(If using carrots, grate them first.) For each 250 mL 
(1 cup) of mixture, add 60 mL (¼ cup) coarse salt and mix well. Put into a sealed glass jar and store in the fridge. Wait three days before using.