Keeping basil in olive oil

[Rocio]

Hi, everybody! I need some help with this. I usually keep my basil (washed) in olive oil in a jar in the fridge. However, the last time I bought a lot and after a few weeks, the walls of the jar were all moldy, as was the surface of the oil. What can be happening? is there something I can do to prevent the mold? Should I boil the jar before putting the basil in it?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
THANKS!
Rocio

[Fat Al]

Hi Rocio,
Sorry but this doesn't answer your question but... if you take a cutting from from some fresh basil, stalk with 3 or 4 leaves on, and put it in to a glass of water it will readily root after 3 or 4 days and then can be planted in a pot. Just keep doing this and you can have a forest of fresh basil on your window sill. As far as the rotting basil goes if it has worked before then something may have contaminated it, I expect that sterilising the jar would help.

[MarkV]

There are dangers with infused oils, botulism to name one.

Where's Chrose when you need him? He had an awesome post on here months ago with an article about infused oils and food safety.

CHROSE: you got the link??????

I saved the article but I don't have the link.

Mark

[chrose]

Originally Posted by MarkV

Where's Chrose when you need him? He had an awesome post on here months ago with an article about infused oils and food safety.

CHROSE: you got the link??????

I saved the article but I don't have the link.

Mark

Again?!? We went through this not a month ago
Anyway here's the link....again
Once again, this time with feeling.

[redace1960]

heres the general idea:
wash the leaves well in cold water. spin them dry and make sure they are completely dry.
put them in olive oil in a clean pan and then heat to 'low" or almost a shimmer, and hold there at least 20 m. ( your kitchen will smell so good!) doing this 'pasteurizes' them. let them cool to room temp and store them in a clean glass jar tightly lidded.
if you mince the leaves before putting them in the oil to heat you will get the most lovely forest green, basil flavored oil. pour a dab off the top of the jar onto a piece of french bread....yum!
i just did a pile of sundried tomatoes like this; also garlic, roasted peppers and yes, basil. (used black ruffles; you should see the dark purple oil! gorgeous!) ill be dipping out of it until may at least, unless i get too greedy.

[Rocio]

Thank you all for your advices. I do keep refrigerated my oils (garlic, basil, jalapeño) althoug for more time than it seems to be appropriate. That´s very bad for me, because I like the easiness to have it already prepared and with so much flavor. Anyway, I´ll try doing smaller batches and pasteurizing the basil.
THANKS!
Rocio