Cold maceration
General description of the method; for a specific herb always check suitability, plant part and safety on its card.
Long steeping in cold or lukewarm water without boiling; gentler than a decoction.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Preparation time (rough guide):
- Hours to days of steeping; monitor hygiene.
- Equipment:
- Glass jar or vessel with a lid, strainer, fridge (often).
- General preparation safety
Long water macerations can support microbial growth with poor hygiene or temperature. Do not exceed storage time from the recipe; discard if cloudy or foul-smelling.
More detail
Cold maceration lets plant matter sit in liquid for hours to days at fridge or room temperature depending on the recipe. Extraction is slower and different from a hot infusion — useful for some aromatic parts when you want to limit bitterness or tannins.
Always mind jar hygiene, herb-to-water ratio, and maximum storage time for the finished macerate; the exact procedure belongs on the herb card and in trusted references.
Related methods
Methods are often compared — links below go to the detail page with short context.
Recipes in the catalogue
These herbs have a published step-by-step procedure for this method — full instructions are on the herb card under processing.
Herbs in the catalogue
Published herbs that list this method on the card.
Showing 2 of 142 — 2 herbs in the list