How to Muddle Herbs and Leaves

Muddling is a common bartending technique used to extract flavors from herbs like mint or from other leaves or fruit rinds. It is a delicate procedure and when performed incorrectly can lead to nasty looking little bits floating in your drinks. To learn how to muddle with care, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Glass shaker
• Muddler
• Granulated sugar
• Herbs or leaves

1. First and perhaps most importantly, you should choose the right muddler. You’ll probably find the best selection at large kitchenware stores that have dedicated barware sections. If possible, you’ll want to find a muddler with a hard and flat rubber end.

2. To prepare for muddling, sprinkle a little granulated sugar into the bottom of a clean glass shaker. The sugar helps to create more friction during the muddling process, saving you time and effort. Drop your leaves or herbs on top of the sugar.

3. Hold the muddler firmly and press directly down onto the leaves. Press down hard and twist to create friction between the leaves and the sugar. Your goal is not to break or pulverize the leaves, but to gently bruise them. This releases the flavor while keeping the leaves intact.

4. Continue muddling in this manner for a full minute. Once you’re done, feel free to add the rest of your drink ingredients like ice, alcohol, water and mixers.

Tips & Warnings

• Only adults 21 and up should prepare or consume alcoholic beverages.
• Muddling with makeshift tools may scratch, crack or otherwise damage your glass shaker.