Mint has a delicious aroma and taste and dried can be used as a garnish, condiment or as an ingredient for a great tea. Drying mint is pretty simple, but there are a few different methods you can use to achieve the same result.
Steps
Part 1 of 7: Making the Mint
Step 1. Collect the mint
For any variety, mint is ready for harvest right before it reaches flowering. Cut it in the morning, when there is no longer any trace of dew, using garden shears or a sharp knife.
- Cut it about a third of the way from the main stem. Doing so will ensure that the plant still has the strength to grow back.
- By cutting the mint right before it blooms, it will have maximum aroma and taste as this is when the leaves contain the most of their oils.
- Gently shake each sprig once cut to remove any insects that may be nesting there.
Step 2. Wash and dry the mint
Rinse each branch under running water. Dry it thoroughly using kitchen paper or a salad spinner. The mint must be completely dry before continuing.
- Dab it with kitchen paper to remove any water. Then arrange it in a single layer on a paper towel and leave the leaves in the air for a couple of hours.
- If you use the juicer, place the sprig of mint inside and give it a good spin to remove all the water. After that, you will still have to place it on a paper towel, to allow it to air dry for a couple of hours.
Step 3. Consider separating the leaves from the stems
The only drying method that requires keeping the stems is natural or in the air. For everyone else, you should separate the mint from the stems before drying it, thus making the process easier.
- Simply tear off the leaves with your fingers. Or cut them with a sharp knife.
- As you remove them, inspect the leaves for any damage or disease. Discard the bad ones and keep the good ones.
Part 2 of 7: Natural (air) drying
Step 1. Collect the mint in bunches
Separate it into small bunches. Tie them together using cooking twine or bag laces.
Make sure they are tied tightly at the stems, leaving as many leaves exposed as possible
Step 2. Hang the mint to dry in a warm, dark and well-ventilated place
Tie the other end of the string to a hanger or clothesline and put everything in a room that gets good ventilation but is warm and dim. Make sure the mint is upside down.
- A bedroom, pantry, or kitchen with shutters will look great, but if you don't have a dark enough room, you can also put mint inside a paper bag and hang it somewhere so the leaves don't get ruined.
- The room should still have a temperature of at least 20 ° C.
- By hanging the mint upside down, the aromatic and fragrant oils will descend into the leaves instead of collecting in the stems.
Step 3. Separate the leaves from the stems
After about a couple of weeks, the mint should be dry. Pull it down and separate the leaves by placing them on a sheet of kitchen paper.
- Hold the tips of the stems with one hand.
- Run your other hand along the stem. The leaves should fall without resistance, but you may need to peel off the top ones separately.
Part 3 of 7: Microwave Dry
Step 1. Spread the leaves on a microwave-safe dish
Make a single layer and prevent the leaves from overlapping.
Keeping the mint in a single layer will allow you to dry it faster and more evenly than cramming it into a bowl
Step 2. Place them in the oven at 10 second intervals
Arrange the leaves and cook them for 10 seconds at a time checking frequently to see if they begin to curl and become crumbly. The mint should be at the right point of drying between 15 and 45 seconds.
- Ideally the leaves will remain green. You can use them even if they turn brown, but the green ones have more flavor and better aroma.
- If you put the leaves on the plate in a pile instead of spreading them evenly, you will need to mix them every 30 seconds and heat them for 1 to 3 minutes. This is not the best tactic and you risk not having a homogeneous result.
Part 4 of 7: Dry in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 60 ° C
Essentially, it has to warm up to the lowest possible temperature.
The temperature must be very low. Otherwise it would dry quickly, but lose its taste and aroma. Make sure it is no higher than 93 ° C
Step 2. Turn off the oven
Once it has preheated and reached temperature for about five minutes, turn it off.
Again, this is to make sure that the mint can dry quickly in light heat and get the most flavor out of its aromatic oils
Step 3. Arrange the leaves on a baking sheet
Spread them evenly over a single layer and keep them from overlapping or touching.
- If the leaves are clumped or touching, some may not dry out evenly. Eventually, you risk finding yourself with some burnt leaves while others are still damp.
- Similarly, you should try to have leaves of the same size for every batch you arrange on the baking sheet. This is to prevent some from drying out faster than others.
- You don't need to put anything on the pan before adding the mint, but if you want, you can spread out a sheet of parchment paper. Avoid non-stick spray.
Step 4. Dry the leaves in the hot oven
Place the mint leaves in the oven for 5-20 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to see if they are drying properly.
The leaves are dry when they begin to curl and become brittle. They should still be green though. Check often to keep them from turning brown
Part 5 of 7: Drying with a Food Dehydrator
Step 1. Arrange the leaves on the dehydrator tray
Spread them evenly to prevent them from overlapping or touching.
The leaves will dry better if they are on a single layer as each will receive the same amount of heat as the others. If the leaves are bunched together or touching each other, they may not dry out evenly. You risk that one part of mint will burn while the other is still moist
Step 2. Turn the dehydrator on to the minimum
Put the tray in and turn on at the lowest available temperature.
- The minimal heat is ideal not only for mint but also for similar herbs.
- If your dehydrator doesn't have a thermostat, you need to check often to prevent the leaves from burning.
- Remove the other trays before starting. This will give you more space and increase air circulation.
Step 3. Dehydrate until the leaves are dry
Check every five minutes or so. Remove the mint as soon as it feels dry.
The edges should start to curl and the leaves become flaky while remaining green
Part 6 of 7: Dry with the dehumidifier
Step 1. Turn on the dehumidifier
If you have one, the air conditions inside the machine are ideal for drying mint quickly. Turn it on as you normally would.
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air then makes it dry. It's perfect because mint that dries in damp conditions can develop mold
Step 2. Place the mint on a cake rack
Spread it well, avoiding the leaves overlap.
A cake rack is ideal because air circulates both from the bottom and from the top. This also discourages mold growth
Step 3. Dry the mint with the dehumidifier
Place the grille in front of the place on the dehumidifier where the air is hottest and driest. Leave the leaves for a day or two until they are dry.
- The leaves should start to curl and become crumbly, while remaining quite green.
- You will be able to understand which is the best point of the dehumidifier simply by inserting a hand inside.
Part 7 of 7: Storing the Dried Mint
Step 1. Transfer the mint to clean airtight containers
Place all the dried leaves in an airtight container. Make sure it's sealed well.
- Preserving jars with airtight lids, plastic ones, resealable bags and vacuum bags are the best containers.
- Label each container with the date, content and quantity.
- If possible, keep the leaves intact and pound them before using rather than chopping them right away when you put them away. Aroma and taste will last longer if the leaves are intact.
Step 2. Beware of mold
Check out the mint for the first few days. If mold develops, you will need to let it dry out longer.
- Remove the mint from the container and dry it again using one of the above methods.
- Mint and other aromatic herbs quickly develop mold if they are not kept under vacuum.
Step 3. Store them in a dark, dry area
For the best flavor, consume your mint within a year.
