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2 Comments Making your own delicious herb oil, like this diy rosemary oil, is super easy. Ideal for adding a subtle flavor to a dish without overpowering it. And the good news is that this rosemary oil is also great for using on your skin or in your hair. I have to say I have not used it for that but there is a whole rang of uses for rosemary oil and you can use this recipe for that as well.
Making rosemary oil
Making your own rosemary oil (or any herbal infusions – like this parsley oil) for that matter) is very simple. You need sprigs of fresh rosemary, of course. Use fresh rosemary. You can also use dried rosemary but if you do make sure you use the whole leaves and not ground ones. I prefer using fresh but for storing you might want to add whole dried leaves instead.
Table of contents
As well as the rosemary, you will need a good extra virgin olive oil. You heat the oil slightly, but not enough to cause issues. You do not reach the smoking point of olive oil. You gently heat it so the flavors can soak into the oil but never will you get near the boiling point.
Benefits of rosemary-infused oil
​Rosemary has several health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory properties and seems to help if you have allergic reactions. It can help get rid of dandruff and an itchy scalp. It can improve blood circulation and seems to improve sensitive skin. Check here for an article on the benefits of rosemary.
Rosemary oil for hair care and hair growth
While studies are still not entirely sure if rosemary oil is indeed great for hair care, you can use this recipe for both cooking as well as for your hair or skin. If unsure always check with a medical professional before starting with self medication.
Soaking the rosemary oil
To make homemade rosemary oil, take a good number of twigs and remove the needles. You can crush them in a mortar or chop them roughly. You will be filtering the oil later anyway, so either method will work.
Crushing or chopping releases the aromatic flavors of the rosemary. Place this in a small pan with the olive oil and heat gently. When the oil is well heated, remove from the heat and leave to stand for at least 2 hours. This will allow the flavours to infuse into the oil.
Pour into a clean bottle
Once extracted, filter the oil with rosemary through a sieve or cheesecloth. A sieve is more practical if you have not chopped it too finely. Cheesecloth can also be used, but it will leave a lot of oil behind. So I would use a fine mesh strainer.
Pour the oil into a clean bottle or glass jar and store for about 10 days (if you add fresh herbs). If you’re using fresh rosemary in the bottle you cannot keep it for too long. You can add even more flavor by leaving some of the (dried) leaves of the rosemary in the oil.
Questions asked about rosemary oil
How long you can keep the rosemary oil depends a little on the herbs you add to it. In this example I used fresh rosemary herbs and you can keep that inside of the bottle. However, if you want to store it for a longer time it’s best to take the herbs out and store the rosemary oil in a dark place.
You can use the rosemary oil in cooking the same way you would use an extra virgin olive oil. It would be great in salad dressings or to season a piece of meat. You can also use the rosemary oil for skin care as it has apparently been shown to antibacterial properties. Check here for more details. You can also use it for hair care although the research is still not entirely sure on this topic. You can find out more in this article if you want to use rosemary oil for hair care or hair growth.
The easiest way to tell if your herbal oil is still good, is to use your noise. Oil that has gone rancid smells musty, rather than fresh and grassy. If you can’t smell it, tasting is also a good indicator.
Rosemary oil
How to make the rosemary oil
- Take a saucepan and add the rosemary needles to it. The flavors of the rosemary come out best if you first bruise or chop the needles. Pour the oil on top and put the pan on low heat. You want to heat it but not bring it to the boil!
- Once the oil is hot turn off the heat and leave it to stand quietly for 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to soak in. Filter the oil so that all the bits of rosemary are left behind. This is best done in something like a cheesecloth.
- Transfer to a clean bottle and store in the fridge for up to 10 days. Add more rosemary flavor by adding dried rosemary needles in the oil.
Notes
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Can i infuse rosemaey oil that didnt come fro any sprigs just the ready made rosemary oil
It kind of depends on what you want to use it for? Also I am sure there are different kinds of rosemary oil out there. So if you want to consume it as food, make sure you buy rosemary oil that is suitable for that. If you want another use for it then you might need something else. Bit hard to tell what you need exactly 😉