Adding herbs to a dish is an easy way to build flavor, but most people don't always have fresh bunches of them on hand. Dried herbs are a convenient alternative, as they have a long shelf life, so you can use them whenever you need them. They tend to cost less, yet they can effectively infuse their flavors into a dish.
But while there are many benefits to cooking with dried herbs, Ina Garten isn't the biggest fan of doing so. As the celebrity chef explained in a clip from "Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics" uploaded to , she prefers fresh herbs because their leaves contain oils that contribute to a more potent aroma and flavor. Garten also finds that dried herbs aren't as consistent.
"It depends on how long it's been sitting in your drawer. Sometimes it's been there a while. In the grocery store, it could have been there for a year.
You have no idea. So fresh herbs are good for me," she said in the episode. Garten also mentioned that she likes the look and texture better, giving her even more of a reason to .
Ina Garten's exceptions for using dried herbs Ina Garten may have a clear preference for fresh herbs, but she isn't completely against dried ones. In fact, there are two herbs that she only uses dry: dried oregano and dried bay leaves. Explaining her decision while making bolognese in another episode of Garten shares, "I always use dry oregano because I think fresh is too strong.
" She finds that she can get the perfect amount of flavor by rubbing the dried herb between h.
