The #1 Mistake When Preserving Herbs (And How to Avoid It)

The #1 Mistake When Preserving Herbs (And How to Avoid It)

Author: Homesteading Family August 9, 2025 Duration: 21:04

Want to preserve the fresh flavors of summer herbs to use all year long? In this video, I’m showing you how to make herbal oils and herbal vinegars, a simple, beginner-friendly way to infuse all that goodness into your pantry staples.

We’ll talk about how to safely make flavored oils (yes, there are safety concerns!), and how herbal vinegars are a perfect, safe project for kids and beginners. These make amazing salad dressings, cooking ingredients, and even homemade gifts!

🌿 In this video:

- When to use vinegar vs. oil
- Why you should never use fresh herbs in oil (unless you follow this method!)
- How to infuse vinegar with herbs, fruits, and spices
- Shelf-stable vs. refrigerator-only oils
- Creative herbal flavor combinations

📌 Learn more and get the step-by-step blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/herbal-oil-recipe

Thanks to ForJars for sponsoring this video! Use the code “HomesteadingFamily10” for 10% off your first order at ForJars: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcast-forjars

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction
2:42 - Chit Chat
6:29 - Storing Winter Squash
8:01 - ForJars
9:38 - Main Topic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

Meals on Your Shelf – Can along with me!  Learn to can and put jars of a delicious meal on your pantry shelf with this FREE video series: https://homesteadingfamily.com/MOYS-free-workshop

You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.


There’s a quiet revolution happening in backyards and on small plots of land, where people are choosing to grow and preserve their own food despite busy modern lives. Everyday Homesteading, from the Homesteading Family, speaks directly to that reality. It’s for anyone who feels the pull toward self-sufficiency but is short on time, sorting through the noise to find what’s genuinely practical. This podcast focuses on methods that are tried and true, saving you from wasting effort and resources on well-meaning but unproven advice. You’ll hear honest conversations about fitting homesteading tasks into a realistic schedule-think five to ten hours a week-transforming that dream of a full pantry into a manageable weekly rhythm. Episodes delve into the nitty-gritty of growing food, cooking from scratch, and preserving your harvest, all with an eye on efficiency. The tone is less about achieving perfection and more about building confidence through simple, actionable steps. Tune in for a sense of community and grounded wisdom that makes the homesteading journey feel possible, starting right where you are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 278

Everyday Homesteading
Podcast Episodes
What is a Freesteader? | Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
If you're looking to go off-grid with solar power, this blog post is for you. Join me with Tag from Life Done Free and Grid Down as he shares his story and the best way to go off-grid for you and your homestead.For more…
Use THESE Antiviral Herbs for Treating Viruses | Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:15
With more viruses popping up over the past decade, it's important to understand and know how to use medicinal herbs, more specifically, antiviral herbs. Join me with Dr. Patrick Jones from HomeGrown Herbalist as we discu…
Your Top Garden Questions Answered! (Pantry Chat) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
We've been compiling all your gardening questions and saving them up so we could do another gardening Q&A Pantry Chat podcast! Watch to see if we answered your question... then be sure to check out the blog post for our…