# Infusing oils



## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

How do you infuse oils? I have fresh lemon balm and also some vanilla beans. do I dry the balm first? Directions would be great!

Thanks!


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

you can use either fresh or dried but will have to get my book out to give directions.


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## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

googled it and it said to use dry. Makes sense because of the water in the leaves. Do you prefer to do a hot or cold infusion?


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Only infusion I have ever done was vannilla beans in rum and just threw them in the bottle and those little hot ornamental peppers in olive oil. both were cold.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Hot if you want it sooner. But not so hot as to cook your herbs.


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## MysticHollowGoats (Nov 5, 2007)

I have a crockpot that has a keep warm feature, do you think that would work?

I just bought a orange scented thyme plant (already have lemon thyme), I think it would make a really great infused oil.
I guess I really like thyme, this make s 4 varieties in my herb garden now, always trying to find a way to have more THYME LOL


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I do the stuff I use all the time in the sun, plus it's just beautiful with 1/2 gallon and gallon glass jars filled with herbs or vanilla in the windowsill of my soap house. With the vanillia I do not waste the beautiful inside of the pod on oils though, I scrape it good, use it in cooking or put it into some sugar for vanilla sugar for my coffee or tea. I just strain it into my measuring cup on my scale and add more sunflower oil to the jars. When the plants start looking punky I add fresh. I will even go get some to cook with or to put over salads. I keep them in the house with whole garlic and herbs for cooking also. Vicki


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## MysticHollowGoats (Nov 5, 2007)

Even though we are supposed to be in the 70's our temps here in Oregon are barely hitting 60! Do you think that would be warm enough to try your method?

Great tip on the vanilla beans, would be good to add the insides to ice cream!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I think even at 60 degrees if you have a good sunny window it will do.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Start them in a crockpot then use fresh herbs in the window sill? Even in the AC of the house they are really pretty in the window and they decidedly get the 'flavor' dispersed from whatever you put in them. Vicki


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## Heavenly Angels (Nov 1, 2007)

I have some dried herbs I bought on ebay a couple years ago. Do they ever get too old??


Mary Lou


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## MysticHollowGoats (Nov 5, 2007)

How long would you let a fresh jar set untill you would use it?


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Alot of this kind of stuff is label appeal remember, because little if any of the benefits of herbs comes through the sap process. My customers love that I do this, purhase ones for themselves in quart mason jars. Mine are at least a week old when I am soaping daily and can be a couple weeks old like right now when I am soaping twice a week. In sunflower oil it doesn't take very long until you can see the green cast of the herbs in the oil. If you let them set really long they do go cloudy. I also run my herbs going into the oil under really hot water to dislodge bugs, for food I run boiling water over the herbs, garlic, peppers. Don't ever refridgerate them, they sort of congeal. I also don't infuse the ground herbs I use in soaps, it's ugly. Vicki


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Mary Lou they should be fine in soap I have used old lavender buds and they were just fine. Like Vicki just stated it is more label appeal than effect anyway.


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## MysticHollowGoats (Nov 5, 2007)

Great, thanks for all the infusing info


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## Heavenly Angels (Nov 1, 2007)

Thanks, I was hoping yall would say it was OK!! 

Mary Lou


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