anyone freeze cilantro?

[Skim]

I am a first-year cilantro grower and learned (after I planted the seeds, of course) that I should have staggered the planting for all-summer eating. Anyhow, I am considering freezing my excess cilantro for cooking this summer, and for salsa verde when the tomatoes are ripe.

If you have frozen cilantro, what did you think about it? Did it still have any flavor when you used it? Did it totally turn to mush? What was your method?

[cristeen]

Like all tender herbs, it turns to mush. It still has good flavor, but I don't use it in recipes that the mushiness will bother me.

I like to chop it up, pack it into an ice cube tray and add enough water to cover before freezing it. It's just much easier to handle that way. I do the same with all tender herbs - like parsley or dill.

If you try to just pack it into baggies to freeze, it'll shatter in the freezer, and then when you try to dig some out, all the little pieces will stick to your hand and just generally make a big mess/headache.

[rhiOrion]

I actually buy them pre-frozen during the winter months from my grocery store. They sell them in little tiny ice cube-like trays. Like the PP said, I wouldn't use them to top fresh tacos or anything. But it's good in stuff.

[425lisamarie]

I freeze it, and I don't find it awful. I dry it REALLY well, and chop it up, then put in a mason jar and sprinkle out as needed.

[Aubergine68]

I do the ice-cube tray trick, but I use a little lemon juice instead of water. Preserves the green and the lemon juice goes well with the recipes I use cilantro for.

Let some go to seed, of course, and you may get a second crop this year, depending on your zone. Or save the seed for next year.

[Skim]

I like the mason jar idea! Thanks for everyone's replies.

I was also thinking of making a kind of paste, not pesto exactly, but something with maybe pine nuts and olives or something. Anyone put up cilantro that way?

[serenbat]

I was also thinking of making a kind of paste, not pesto exactly, but something with maybe pine nuts and olives or something. Anyone put up cilantro that way?

are you planning to freeze this? olives and olive oil doesn't freeze real well

I found no problem using cilantro in the dishes I want and freezing them, buy it self I would use the icecubes that others have said