How to Powder Herbs With Your Blender

Powdered herbs are extremely versatile in the kitchen, in wellness routines, and even in homemade skin care. Creating your own herbal powders at home can seem like a complicated process, but with the proper blender, it's rather simple. You can forgo the arduous process of grinding with a mortar and pestle and do it in seconds with a powerful blender such as a Blendtec. 

If you're interested in using powdered herbs for cooking, tinctures, or homemade spice blends, learning to powder herbs is a basic and convenient skill. It’s an excellent way to utilize fresh herbs you’ve grown or purchased, and it also prevents you from wasting them.

Advantages of Powdering Herbs at Home

Powdering herbs at home is a great advantage if you are a cooking enthusiast, herbalist, or DIYer. When you grind the herbs yourself, you have complete control over what is going into your blends with no fillers or preservatives. You also get enhanced flavor and scent from freshly made herb powders for your spice mixes, teas, or other recipes.

Powdered herbs are more convenient to store since they occupy less space and keep longer than fresh herbs. They are also easier to incorporate evenly into sauces, soups, or baking mixes. It's an excellent alternative for individuals with special diets such as keto or gluten-free diets, where control of the ingredient is a priority.

For herbalists and home wellness enthusiasts, keeping herbs in a powdered state is ideal because you can easily make tinctures, capsules, and salves. You can make a small amount or a large quantity of powdered herbs based on your requirements, which is a convenient choice for every home apothecary.

Selecting the Proper Herbs to Powder

Not all herbs are suitable for powdering, so it's necessary to begin with the correct material. The most suitable herbs for the process are completely dried herbs. The most popular are oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, tarragon, and basil. Turmeric and other roots like ginger can also be powdered when the roots are completely dry. Fresh herbs must first be dehydrated, or they will clump and will not be properly ground.

Select herbs that are free from decay, mold, or excess moisture. Dried leaves should be brittle and crumble when you rub them with your fingertips. If they are still soft or bendy, then they require further time for drying. Separate strong stems from fine leaves as well to ensure a smooth, even powder when grinding. Powdering your own dried herbs opens you up to a world of possibilities that come with having your own, homemade apothecary. 

Proper Dehydration of Herbs for Powdering

Herbs must be totally dry before you can grind them into a fine powder. Moisture will make it difficult to get an even grind and can cause clumping or spoilage. If you are working with fresh herbs, then you must first dry them thoroughly. 

Dehydrating herbs can be accomplished in a number of different ways. The oldest is air-drying. Just tie the herbs together with a string and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated, dry area. Dehydrating them can take a period of several days. For something quicker, try a food dehydrator. Lay your herbs out in a single layer and dry them on a low setting until the herbs are dry and crisp. Your oven at the very low setting can also do the trick. Just be sure to monitor them so you don’t end up burning them.

Store the dried herbs in a tightly covered container out of the light and heat. Allow them to cool thoroughly before grinding. Achieving proper dehydration is the most critical factor when it comes to developing long-lasting and flavorful powdered herbs.

Why Use a Blender over a Spice Grinder or Mortar and Pestle

In the past, there have been a couple of different tools used by herbalists to grind up herbs into a powder. Although their techniques are still totally effective, they take a lot of elbow grease and only process small batches. If you are doing larger quantities or need something quicker, a high-speed blender is a game-changer.

Blendtec blenders are engineered to blend dried herbs into a super fine powder in seconds. While other blenders can leave you with uneven particles or overheat the herbs, Blendtec’s strong motor ensures a smooth, even grind without harming fragile flavors. You won’t need to stop and stir repeatedly like a hand grinder.

Blenders are perfect for grinding herbs in large quantities, blending spices, or preparing keto, gluten-free, or do-it-yourself apothecary recipe ingredients. The large jar is convenient for pouring, long-term storage, and reusing your herbal powders whenever you need them. It’s a quicker, neater, and more efficient method for grinding herbs at home.

Step-by-Step Guide to Powdering Herbs in a Blender

Blending your dried herbs into a smooth powder is an easy and fast process when you do the following:

Select Your Dried Herbs

Begin with thoroughly dried herbs. You can purchase store-bought dried leaves or dry fresh herbs yourself by using a dehydrator or an oven on super low heat. Ensure the herbs are crisp and crumble when you touch them, which is an indicator that they are dry enough to grind.

Add Herbs to the Blender

Add your dried herb to the blender container. Don’t fill it to the top. Start with a small quantity so you can test the grind. It will allow you to have more control over the consistency and decrease the possibility of overprocessing.

Blend at High Speed

Use the high-speed setting and process for 10–20 seconds. You might need to halt the blender and scrape the sides with a spatula in order to ensure all the material is chopped up sufficiently. If necessary, process in short bursts until your herbs are the consistency of a powder.

Sift Through a Sieve for Finer Consistency

Strain the powder through a fine mesh sieve after mixing it to sift out the coarse particles. Add the pieces back to the blender and process until everything's the same. This additional step yields a smooth, even grind perfect for spice mixes and homemade supplements.

Stock Your Powdered Herbs

Place your completed powdered herbs in air-tight containers. Keep them stored in a dark, cool place to maintain freshness. Label the containers with the name and date so that you will be able to identify what you've produced and when.

Fun Uses of Homemade Powdered Herbs

Once your herbs are powdered, the possibilities are limitless. You can use them to flavor meals, make personal wellness products, or mix your own spice blends.

Flavor Your Meals

Powdered herbs make great seasonings for soups, sauces, and marinades. Sprinkle turmeric or tarragon over roasted vegetables, add dried basil to pasta sauce, or combine your favorite dried herbs with oil for a quick dip.

Make Homemade Spice Blends

Blend powdered herbs with salt, pepper, and dried spices to create custom mixes for tacos, stews, or grilling. This lets you control flavor and avoid fillers often found in store-bought seasonings.

Home Wellness & Natural Remedies

Powdered herbs are perfect for herbalists who want to make capsules, teas, or tinctures. Make a do-it-yourself apothecary with powders such as turmeric for reducing inflammation or tarragon for digestive support.

Baking and Smoothies

Powdered herbs can be blended with gluten-free or keto dishes to impart flavor as well as nutrition. Sprinkle a pinch in dough made with gluten-free flour, muffin batter, or even smoothies for a health lift.

Beautification and Bath Products
Herbal powders also make effective DIY face masks or bath bombs. Mix with oatmeal, honey, or clay for easy homemade skin care.

Final Tips for Powdering Herbs in Your Blender

Use a dry blender jar: Herbs can clump and not allow for a fine powder because of the presence of moisture. Always dry your Blendtec jar thoroughly before adding herbs.
Grind in small batches: Grinding large quantities together can cause inconsistencies. You can maintain a more even grind with small batches.

Start with short pulses: Begin with a series of brief pulses to crush the herbs. Blend at a faster speed from there until a desired consistency is achieved.

Sift through a sieve: To have the finest powder, pass the ground herbs through a fine mesh sieve. Return the larger bits, if any, to the blender for a further round.

Store in tightly covered containers: Place your powdered herbs in covered glass containers with tight-fitting lids out of the light and the heat.

Label everything: If you are preparing numerous herbal powders or spice blends, be sure to label the containers with their name and date. It helps in monitoring freshness and usage.

Make Prepping Herbs a Breeze with a Blendtec

Powdering herbs does not need to be a slow process or a messy one. With a powerful Blendtec blender, you can reduce dried herbs to fine, uniform powders in a matter of seconds. If you are mixing your own spice blends, preparing ingredients for tinctures, or preparing herbal powders for a ketogenic or gluten-free diet, Blendtec simplifies the process. No more dealing with a mortar and pestle or clunky spice grinder. Update your kitchen equipment now with Blendtec and reap the benefits of speed, power, and convenience.