Herbal oils are the foundation to making most herbal products. Oils use the raw material of the plants and oils to combine and make a healing liquid. These oils will take anywhere from 3hrs to 6 weeks to soak and become strong healing liquids. I will walk you through several different ways to make the oils. It seems that each herbalist I have learned from over the years has their favorite technique of creating these special oils.
Ingredients to start with:
Heat resistant Glass measuring cup ( preferably an 8 cup container)
Measuring cups
Mason jars to put the herbs and oils in when combined and should be small enough that there is very little air in the container while iit is soaking.
Muslin for straining out the herbs from the oils
Funnel
Fresh herbs
Dried herbs
Olive oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, tallow, ghee
Optional: 100 proof vodka
Let’s Get started:
Method #1
Fresh herbs with oil
1 of your favorite oil to ¾ cups of packed fresh herbs. If you want to weigh the herbs they will weigh somewhere between 35g to 75g
a. Chop your herbs into small pieces
b. Combine herbs and oil together in Mason Jar
c. Place your jar in a dark cool area and shake it several times a week
d. . This will soak for 4-6 weeks
e. Strain the oil and its ready to go.
To strain the oil you will open the muslin to one layer and place it in the funnel which has been placed inside of a new clean mason jar. Pour all the herbs and oil through the funnel and let it drip. Its important at this step not to squeeze the remainder of the herbs to get the rest of the oil. This will have water from the fresh herbs and it can contaminate your herbal oil and limit its shelf life. Toss out the herbs into your compost.
You are now ready to use this oil for your recipes.
Method #2 - Dried herbs with olive or any oil that is liquid at room temp.
(This is adapted from Herbalist Kami McBride.)
2 cups of oil to ¼ cup of dried herbs. You may want to weigh these ( about 50g of herbs) because of their bulkiness. 1 teaspoon 100p vodka.
Grind up your dried herbs into small pieces but not powder in a coffee type grinder or in a blender.
Combine the herb with 1 teas vodka and let is sit for approximately 30 min
Combine herbs and oil in a blender and blend for 5-10 minutes. Do not let the herbs overheat. Stop the blender if they feel warm or there is smoke.
Pour all this into a jar that it just fits into and cover. Let it sit and soak for 2 weeks.
You can now strain as above except you can squeeze the oil out at the end to get all the last drops.
This oil is now ready to use.
If you are using a more solid oil like coconut, tallow, or ghee you will add your dry herbs and stir the contents during the soaking process. You can leave the herbs in this oil at the end of soaking or place the jar in a double boiler with hot water letting the oil melt and then strain it out. ( I like getting most of the herbs out unless you are using powdered herbs and will be using this internally)
Method #3 - Sun Soaking
Use all the ingredients of Methods 1 and 2 but allow the oil to sit in the sun for 2-4 weeks.
Strain using above instructions.
Method #4 - Infusing oil quickly if you need to make something right away
Use approximately ½ oz of herbs that have been semi dried (left to wilt for 12 hrs) to 1 cup of oil
Heat oven to 300F
Combine the herbs and oils in a heat proof glass container and cover with the lid. Add this to oven and turn the oven off. The mixture will sit for 2-3 hours
This is now ready to strain out and use in your recipes
Most of these oils will last 6-12 months in a cool cabinet, kept out of the sun. Make sure when you are using them you are using clean utensils and you are not adding any water to the oil to contaminate it.