How to Dry Fresh Mint Plants to Make Tea
Drying mint plants to make tea is a satisfying way to provide yourself with soothing and refreshing mint tea. According to the website Farm Fresh Living, mint plants should be harvested or trimmed regularly for ideal drying and storage. Dry mint in the oven, in a dehydrator or by hanging. Store to preserve the herb's aroma and oil. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Stem clippers
- Baking sheet
- String
- Brown paper lunch bag
- Canning or other airtight glass jar
- Scissors
Instructions
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Drying Fresh Mint Plants for Tea
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Explore mint varieties to dry for the tea flavor you enjoy. Farm Fresh Living describes their favorite mint varieties, including spearmint, apple mint, peppermint and citrus mint.These varieties and more make deliciously fragrant teas.
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Harvest mint plants right before flowering for maximum oil content and, therefore, flavor and aroma. Cut dry mint leaves before the day gets too hot or after the evening cools. Cut the leaf stems about four or five inches long.
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Dry mint leaves using the oven method. Strip the leaves from their stems. Handle the leaves carefully to avoid crushing. Arrange the leaves in one layer on a baking sheet. According to Farm Fresh Living, heat your oven to 140-to-200 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven. Put the leaves in the oven and keep them there until they dry. Differences in drying time vary depending on your oven, altitude and humidity. Note: While oven drying is quicker, you sacrifice oil content.
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Hang mint leaves to dry. Do not remove mint leaves from their stems. Tie a bunch of stems tightly together. Pull a brown paper lunch bag over the bundle to preserve herbal color and oil content. Tie the bag closed with the stems at the tied end of the bag. Hang the bag so the stems are upside down in a warm and dark area for one-to-two weeks. Make sure the area is ventilated to prevent moisture from accumulating.
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Store your dried mint leaves. Carefully, remove mint stems from the bag when the leaves are totally dry. Avoid crushing the leaves. Do not not remove the leaves from the stems to preserve the oil and aroma. Store in in airtight canning jars. Keep in a cool, dry and dark place. During the first weeks after drying, check frequently for indications of moisture to avoid rapid molding. If you find moisture, dry the leaves on the stems again.
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Tips & Warnings
Grow your own organic mint for a full sense of satisfaction and control of the product.
