I make a paste using ground fresh basil, ground fresh mint, ground dried ginger, salt, ground roasted coffee, and raw honey (enough to coat all of the ingredients well). It makes a great rub, and can even be tasted straight as a flavorful herbal concoction.
I know fresh herbs don't last long in general, but I suspect the addition of honey, and possibly some of the other ingredients could lengthen the shelf-life.
How long will this last if kept in an airtight container and refrigerated or not refrigerated?
Specifically: how long, what will spoil first, what ingredients might extend it, and any other ideas. Thanks!
Best Answer
Well of all your listed ingredients the only two that can really 'spoil' are the fresh basil and fresh mint. Honey never goes bad, and nearly any dried spice can last for a long time with just a degradation in flavor.
I'd say that if you washed and dried (sanitarily) your basil and mint before addition to this mix that you could get at least 1-2 weeks out of it unrefrigerated, and at least 1-2 months out of it refrigerated.
Please note that this is just a ballpark estimate and you may have to do some trial and error to determine a more specific window. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if you could get a significantly longer shelf life out of it than my estimates.
Update - I think the presence of salt does enough to "extend" the life of it.
Another Update - Some Googling has informed that honey is in-fact a preservative. Apparently honey is a rather hostile environment for bacteria due to the production/presence of hydrogen peroxide.
I still think my estimates are accurate, albeit a little conservative now. The best thing you can do is trial and error.
Sources:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/132772675.html
http://natural-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/honey_as_a_natural_preservative