When you're cooking with herbs, here are 6 things you should know

Herbs are such a joy to cook with for so many that it can be frustrating when they turn black, slimy, or just seem to fade into the background when they're used in some dishes. Some are turned off from using them altogether because they've just simply never seemed to work for them before. But that ends now.

Read on to learn when fresh herbs should be added, what parts of the herb can be used, and even where they should be grown. Follow these tips and you'll never second-guess using herbs again. You'll just be super excited to do it!

1. Choose wisely
When walking down the grocery store produce aisles, it's easy to only see bright green fresh herbs that are so abundant they spill all over each other. But don't just give them a quick glance before choosing your bunch. Pick up the herb you want and instead of just looking at the outer leaves, move them aside so you can see what's inside. Just like most things in the grocery store, it's all about the packaging with herbs, even if that packaging is just a twist-tie or a rubber band.

Not only might grocery stores put the less-appealing stems inside the bunch, those leaves also may not be as nice and fresh as those on the outside of the bunch. They're not directly in contact with the misting spray grocery stores use, and they also don't receive as much air circulation, which can all cause them to wilt and even become slimy. While you're looking, keep an eye out for leaves and stems that have brown spots on them. That tells you those herbs have been there for a while and you may want to reach further in the back for the fresher bunches.

2. Grow your own
The best way to ensure you're getting the freshest herbs possible? Grow your own! An herb garden doesn't take up a lot of space in the backyard but, even if you don't have a backyard it's easy to do. Fill a few small pots with potting soil (herbs don't need a ton of room), place a handful of seeds in and make sure they're nicely tucked into the soil and then just put them by your window. Herbs thrive even when they're grown indoors and sometimes, even more so because the hot sun won't burn their delicate leaves. The best part though, is that your dishes will come to life when only the freshest herbs are added to them.

Don't want to do all that work trying to grow your herbs from scratch? Many grocery stores offer them already potted so before you chop all the leaves off the stem just give it some time to grow. It won't take long and before long, you'll have an endless supply of fresh herbs.

3. Use a sharp knife
Everyone should have a super sharp knife in their kitchen. After all, you use a knife for a reason so it may as well be sharp, the way it's intended to be. Dull knives will just squish the herbs before they actually cut through them, which can bruise delicate leaves like basil and parsley and cause them to turn black before they've even made it into the dish.

4. Chiffonade basil
Chiffonade is a fancy French term that those in culinary school quickly learn; but it's an easy technique that will have you chopping like a pro. Start by laying the largest of your basil leaves on a cutting board and then lay others on top, with the shortest leaves on top. Starting on the long side of the basil leaves, roll them all up together like a cigar and then just cut across. You'll get beautiful ribbons of basil, which look great in any dish but can then also be chopped in the other direction if minced basil is on the menu.

5. Know when to use the stems
Sure, recipes may typically call for the leaves of herbs but don't limit yourself to just these. There's a lot of flavor in the stems, too, which can double the amount you have and save you money, particularly if you're buying herbs all the time from the store. But, you do have to know when to use them. Sturdy herbs like rosemary and thyme are very woody and won't add much flavor to a dish. But delicate herbs like parsley, cilantro and dill also have delicate stems which means they can be chopped up and added to a dish just like their leaves can.

6. Add them last
Fresh herbs have a lot of flavor but if they're added to a dish too soon, they can lose it quickly. And if they're added at the beginning of a dish, they can turn black and bitter, which no cook wants. Instead, save herbs for the last ten minutes of cooking or so. You'll get the most flavor out of them and they'll still add color by being vibrant and bright green.