Skip to Content

Tarragon

Tarragon is a perennial herb with narrow, pointed grayish-green leaves and a distinctive licorice-like flavor.

Quality French tarragon is never grown from seed because the plant’s flowers are sterile. Instead, the plant is propagated by root division.

Russian tarragon looks similar, but is coarser and significantly less flavorful than the French variety. We recommend that you use French tarragon in your cooking whenever possible.

Store fresh tarragon just as you would parsley. Trim the ends of the stems and place in a glass with a little water on your kitchen counter, away from direct sunlight. Trim the ends and change the water every other day for up to a week.

Dried tarragon is easy to find, but largely lacks the punch of the fresh herb.

Instead, to store tarragon for the long-haul, blanch the bunch in salted water for 10 seconds, remove, dunk in cold water and strain. Squeeze out excess water, form into small balls and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Alternatively, you can freeze whole sprigs in an airtight plastic bag for 3-5 months. There’s no need to defrost before using, simply toss the frozen sprig into your soup or chicken and just remember to fish out the stem before serving.

Making flavored vinegar is also a good way to preserve the flavor of fresh herbs like tarragon.

Tarragon is a tender perennial that can be harvested year-round if tended properly.

The most flavorful sprigs, however, are harvested during the summer.