Tie a bunch of dried mint leaves together at the stems with twine. Hang the bunch of herbs upside down in a paper bag, keeping it in a dry place away from direct sunlight. The total drying time can range anywhere from two days to two weeks depending on your climate.
How do you preserve spearmint leaves?
Chop the mint leaves (remove stems) and place 1-2 teaspoons into each compartment of an ice cube tray, filling about halfway. Top off with water and freeze. Once the cubes have frozen, remove and store in an airtight freezer bag or container in your freezer, up to 3 months. Don’t forget to label and date.
How do you harvest and dry spearmint?
First, lay the freshly picked mint on a cloth outside in the shade for thirty minutes. This gives insects a chance to fly off. Next, fill the sink with cool water and submerge the leaves — it’s easiest to do this if they’re still on the stem. Swish the mint around gently then take it out and let dry.
How long does dried spearmint last?
Store the dried mint in a cool, dark area for up to 12 months for optional freshness. After that, it will begin to deteriorate in quality. Top Tip: in the immediate days after drying the mint, check on the leaves for any sign of moisture in the container.
Can you dry spearmint for tea?
(But if you happen to have fresh spearmint, you can easily dry it yourself: Place the mint in a single layer between two paper towels and microwave for 1 to 3 minutes, until the leaves are brittle and fall easily from the stems.)
What can I do with fresh spearmint?
7 Tasty Ways to Use Fresh Mint
- Mint Tea. Add a sprig or two to a mug and cover in hot water.
- Mint Ice Cubes. Brew your mint tea extra strong then freeze it into ice cubes!
- Chocolate Dipped Mint Leaves.
- Watermelon Salad.
- Mint Pesto.
- Hugo Cocktails.
- Chickpea, Barley, and Zucchini Ribbon Salad.
What can you do with spearmint leaves?
Uses for Mint Leaves
- Make your own mint syrup. Mint syrup can be used to flavor your summer drinks, snow cones, desserts and more.
- Perk up your pesto.
- Utilize as an insect repellent.
- Chew for fresh breath.
- Give your potatoes some pop.
- Fancy up your beverages.
- Spice up your salads.
- Give your butter a boost.
Can you dry spearmint leaves?
Oven drying method: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the mint leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet or cookie sheet. The total drying process will take between two and four hours. Monitor your drying progress by periodically checking the mint leaves.
How do you dry mint naturally?
In the oven: spread your mint sprigs away from each other, in a thin layer on a cookie sheet or parchment paper and to use a very low temperature. Set your oven to 40-50 C / 105-120 F and let your herbs dry for a few hours. Flip the sprigs throughout the process to speed things up and to allow even drying.
Can you air dry mint leaves?
Air-drying is the gentlest way of preserving mint’s intense aroma. Hang the bunches of mint upside down in a warm place out of direct sunlight – a temperature of 20°C is ideal. Depending on the thickness of the bunches, it can take anywhere from two to three weeks before the mint leaves dry completely.
What can I do with too many mint leaves?
- Mint Tea. The easiest thing to do with large handfuls of fresh mint is to make mint tea.
- Mint Syrup/Candied Mint. This twofer is a great way to preserve mint.
- Mint Sugar. Mint sugar is a great thing to sweeten your tea, rim your cocktail glass, and use in sugar cookies or other baking.
- Mint Salt.
- Mint Extract.
Can you dry mint leaves in the microwave?
To dry your mint in the microwave, spread the leaves out onto a microwave-safe plate and cook them in 10-second intervals. Take the leaves out once they get crispy and start to curl, which should take between 15 to 45 seconds.
What are the benefits of spearmint tea?
11 Surprising Benefits of Spearmint Tea and Essential Oil
- Good for Digestive Upsets.
- High in Antioxidants.
- May Aid Women With Hormone Imbalances.
- May Reduce Facial Hair in Women.
- May Improve Memory.
- Fights Bacterial Infections.
- May Lower Blood Sugar.
- May Help Reduce Stress.
Is dried spearmint the same as dried mint?
Dried Spearmint Leaves are also known as dried mint. If your recipe calls for mint (without specifically calling for Spearmint or Peppermint) this is most likely what it means.
How do you dry mint leaves quickly?
Place the leaves on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Warm them in the oven at 180 F or 80 C for two hours, then check them to see if they’ve dried out completely. If so, they’re done. Otherwise, continue checking them at 15-minute intervals so they don’t burn.
Is mint better fresh or dried?
In the process of drying herbs, many nutrients are inevitably lost, but this certainly does not mean dried herbs are nutritionally worthless. For instance, mint should be ideally eaten fresh because dried mint leaves may have lost their taste and flavour.
How do you store fresh mint leaves?
How to store mint leaves
- Moisten a paper towel. Don’t get it too wet, just moist!
- Place the leaves in the towels.
- Place the towels in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Don’t seal the bag, or it will get too moist. this should last about 3 days as well.
What do you do with mint at the end of the season?
When you perform mint plant pruning at the end of the year or end of season, cut them to within an inch (2.5 cm.) of the ground. If you have a large bed, you can use a lawn mower.
Does mint keep bugs away?
The pungent nature of mint deters bugs from making your home their home. Pests like ants, mosquitos, and mice will avoid mint plants whenever possible, and it can also help with other menaces like roaches, spiders, and flies.
What are the side effects of spearmint tea?
Spearmint might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Some medications, called sedatives, can also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking spearmint with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.
Is it OK to boil mint leaves?
Steep mint leaves in boiling water for a few minutes and add lemon and honey for extra flavor and health benefits. See my instagram post HERE for a fun recipe! Make a mint syrup that’s easy to grab and use anytime to add flavor to drinks, desserts, and more.