Infused vegetable oil - the quick/modern method

Infused vegetable oil is oil obtained by extracting fat-soluble plant compounds into a vegetable oil base. Read more about what an infused oil is in the blog post \"Infused vegetable oil\".

Infused oils can be a valuable ally in both skincare and food products. When preparing a massage oil, instead of using pure Jojoba oil, use one infused with Dandelion (anti-inflammatory, relieves muscle pain) or Nettle (anti-inflammatory, skin tonic) for added benefits. And when preparing a salad, instead of using pure Olive oil, use one infused with Nettle (rich in vitamins and minerals) or Garlic (antioxidant, digestive and flavorful).

There are so many opportunities around us to get extra benefits, naturally, relatively easily and at low cost. Anything to make our lives simpler, more beautiful, tastier or more flavorful.

And since we've been talking about the ease of making an infused oil, let's see what we need!

Materials needed

• The plant material to be extracted, i.e. the plants, spices or vegetables to be infused
• The right vegetable oil
• Transparent jar with hermetic seal
• Straining muslin (or other similar material)
• Funnel to stabilize the muslin.
• Pot for bain marie
• Heat-resistant thermometer
• Airtight glass container in which to store the product after filtration
• Gloves to avoid contamination of the preparation

The thermometer may be optional, but I recommend that you always use it to avoid damaging the plants and oil at very high temperatures. In its absence, it is very important that the water does not boil when you add the container of oil.

Suitable plants for infusing

There is a very wide range of plants, vegetables and spices that have been used for centuries for infusion in oil and they are chosen according to the season and the fat-soluble substances they contain. The most popular herbs for oil infusion are: Nettle, St. John's wort (spring), Peppermint, St. John's wort, St. John's wort, Marigold, Mousetail (summer), Garlic, Carrot (fall).

Choose your herbs carefully! I recommend that you first of all research their therapeutic properties and safety rules carefully every time you choose herbs. Beware, there are poisonous plants that look very similar to medicinal plants! Harvest only the plants you have identified 100%

Choose the right part of the plant Medicinal plants have therapeutic properties stored in different structural parts. For example, from dandelion we would use the flower for infusion in oil, but from net nettle we would use the leaf (when it flowers, the plant secretes a toxic substance and is no longer suitable for consumption or infusion).

Harvest at the right time! Harvest the roots after the plant has passed (summer or fall) or before the leaves appear (early spring). Leaves are generally harvested before the plant has flowered. Flowers are harvested as buds or immediately after opening. Harvest seeds after they have ripened and/or dried.

Use personally harvested plants when possible and when you can identify them with certainty. This way you can be sure that you have chosen the optimal plant and that it is free of pesticides and herbicides. If this is not possible, buy organic plants from reliable sources.

When harvesting, always choose plants from areas you know, where you know that no herbicides, pesticides or other synthetic chemicals have been used.

Harvest as much as you need and only when there are enough plants of that species in that location. A common rule of thumb among botanists is that you should only harvest 1 in 10 plants and only 30% of a plant for them to survive. We don't really need to do the math when harvesting, just harvest responsibly and in moderation so as not to contribute to species extinction.

The right plant oils

For a successful infusion, with therapeutic benefits, it is necessary that the chosen oil is a stable, heat resistant (especially with modern/rapid extraction methods), hard to oxidize (rancidize) oil. Olive oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil are preferred. Check the shelf life and properties of each oil in their monographs in the Essentials app.

You can, of course, also choose other stable oils as needed. My recommendation is to choose the base (the vegetable oil in which you extract the plant substances) based on its therapeutic properties, depending on how you are going to use it. For example, you can choose Jojoba oil for preparations for combination or oily skin because it regulates sebum production and Olive oil for dry skin because it is emollient.

Making the infusion

Prepare the plant material (herbs, vegetables, spices)

• Clean the plant material Remove dry or contaminated parts (with insects, plant diseases...). Wash only if necessary, as water can remove the aromatic components. Wash with distilled water to remove dust or soil from leaves and roots. Flowers can be lightly brushed with a soft brush.
• Dry the plant material either outdoors out of direct sunlight or in a dehydrator. They can also be dried in an oven, if the oven temperature is adjustable (30-40 degrees Celsius is the right temperature for plants). This step should be avoided for St. John's wort and poppy.
• Grind the plant material so that the plant material comes into contact with the vegetable oil as well as possible. You can even grind them in a grinder (dry plants only). I do not recommend using the same grinder for herbs and for coffee so as not to alter the flavor of either preparation.

Prepare the utensils and containers used

Wash and sterilize all used utensils and containers. You can use the dishwasher, boil or wipe with alcohol. Before starting the infusion, all utensils and containers must be clean and dry.

Prepare the mixture

• Weigh the plant material The ratio of plant material to oil depends on the plant and personal preference and ranges from 1-5 to 1-10. This means that 5g to 10g of vegetable oil can be added to 1g of plant material.If you do not want to weigh the components of the mixture, you can fill ¾ of the jar with plant material and then top up with vegetable oil.
• Grind the plant material by hand or in a grinder or blender.
• Add the plant material to the jar To avoid loss of plant material, place a piece of baking paper under the jar from which you can retrieve everything.
• Pour the oil over the plant material Keep the baking paper under the jar even when pouring the oil. If accidents happen you will avoid wasting oil.
• Mix the plant material with the oil using a sterilized spoon.

Make the infusion

• Place the bain-marie pot of water on the heat source. There should be enough water in the pot to cover ~ ¾ of the jar.
• Place the thermometer in the top pot. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Ideally keep the temperature at ~40 degrees Celsius.
• Turn off the heat source after an hour. Allow the mixture to cool for several hours, then repeat heating for another hour.
• Repeat the heating-cooling process as many times as you can over 1-2 days. 3-4 repetitions are sufficient.
• Remove the jar from the water, wipe carefully, and let cool completely at room temperature until the next day.

Strain

• Prepare the container in which you will strain the oil. Place a funnel on top of it with muslin or any other dense material suitable for straining.
• Pour the oil and plant mixture carefully over the muslin.
• Wait until all the oil has drained out. If necessary repeat the process and double the material to avoid the plants getting into the strained oil.
• You can squeeze the mixture, but only in the case of infusion with dried herbs.
• Store the infused oil in an airtight glass container in a place away from heat, light and moisture.

If you have questions, please send us a message

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