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Although herbal decoctions can be enjoyed by just about anyone, they are a special treat for gardeners since we can grow uncommon and hard-to-find herbs right in our own space. They can be a great, nutritious way to use your fresh garden herbs as well as the herbs you dried for later.
This article focuses on an herbal preparation. See the Using Herbs article for more information about using herbs. And see the Herbal Preparations Overview and the other articles in the Read More section at the bottom of the article for other ideas for ways to preserve your herb harvest.
In this article, we'll cover the following:
Let's get right into it!
What Is a Decoction?
A decoction is one way of preparing an herbal tea. So why use the term "decoction" instead of just "tea"?
Sometimes we do exactly that, as the finished product of this process can be called a tea or a decoction. But "tea" can refer to both infusions and decoctions. Infusions are prepared differently. So "decoction" is used to be more precise about the method of creating this type of herbal tea.
NOTE: Another term that you may occasionally encounter is "tisane." This term was used at one time to differentiate caffeinated teas from Camellia sinensis (commonly called the tea plant or tea leaf plant), including green, white, black, and oolong teas, from those made from other herbs. But this word has largely fallen out of use among both herbalists and casual tea drinkers. Tea, herbal tea, and infusion/decoction are the accepted terms today.
Though it varies by plant, decoctions are generally made with the seeds, roots, or bark of a plant. This contrasts with infusions, which are typically made with leaves, flowers, and other aerial parts.
Decoctions can be made with one herb (called a simple) or more than one herb (called a blend).
Ready to make a decoction? Let's get started!
How to Make a Decoction
Put simply, making a decoction involves simmering and straining your herb or herbs. You can prepare one using the following steps:
Step 1: Prepare the Herbs
Place the herbs in a saucepan of an appropriate size for the amount of decoction you are making.
You can mash or crumble the herbs as you add them to the pan to break down the herbs' cell walls and to increase surface area exposed to the water, both of which result in herbal properties infusing into the water more quickly, efficiently, and abundantly.
If you are using the herbs for a specific purpose such as for their nervine or anti-inflammatory properties, use these proportions:
- 1 tablespoon of dried herbs per 8 ounces of water
- 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs per 8 ounces of water
On the other hand, if you are just interested in a flavorful tea to sip without concern for the herbal properties, use these proportions:
- 1 teaspoon of dried herbs per 8 ounces of water
- 2-3 teaspoons of fresh herbs per 8 ounces of water
Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh herbs since their water content has been removed. This is why there is a difference in the suggested ratios.
Step 2: Cover and Boil the Water
Measure the amount of water based on the above ratios and add it to the saucepan.
Cover the pan with a well-fitting lid before turning the heat on.
Then bring the water to a boil.
Step 3: Simmer
Immediately after the water begins boiling, turn the heat down to the simmer setting.
Simmer the decoction for 30-45 minutes. Keep the lid on the pan while simmering.
Step 4: Strain
The final step is to strain the herbs. Place the vessel you will be drinking out of or serving from in the sink. I usually use a mason jar.
Place a fine-mesh strainer on top of the drinking vessel. I use this one. If possible, the strainer should cover the entire opening of the drinking vessel so that no herbs sneak into the strained infusion.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the herbs and liquid through the strainer into the drinking vessel.
After straining, press down on the herbs in the strainer to extract the last, most concentrated bit of liquid from the herbs.
Use care when moving the drinking vessel from the sink to the counter since the decoction will likely be very hot. Allow the tea to cool to a safe temperature before consuming.
And enjoy! You just made an herbal decoction.
Decoction Storage Tips
Decoctions should be consumed within 48 hours of straining for optimal quality. If you will not be drinking your decoction within the first couple hours after straining, refrigerate it until you are ready to consume it.
Decoctions and infusions can also be poured into ice cube trays and frozen for longer-term storage. You can then take 1-2 ice cubes out at a time and defrost them in a mug or add them to a smoothie or other beverage for an herbal boost. This is a great time-saver that works especially well for large batches.
Read More
Some herbs used for infusions have other uses in herbal and culinary preparations. Read more in the simple uses articles for some common tea herbs:
And check out these related articles: