Growing mint at home is one of the best ways to flavor your dishes with the fresh taste of this aromatic plant. With your pot in your kitchen, you won't even need to move around, you just need to harvest the leaves you want to use. However, sometimes the harvests are important and the mint leaves will turn yellow if you do not store them well.
Discover all the URBAN CUISINE tips for properly storing mint.
First step in preserving mint: harvesting
How to harvest mint?
Once your mint is over 10cm , cut a stem above a node with scissors or pick the leaves by hand .
Sort the stalks and keep the best ones. Rinse them to remove the soil, then drain them in a colander. Finally, wrap a tea towel around your mint leaves so they can dry.
How much to harvest?
Harvest mint according to your needs.
Store Mint
2 tips for storing mint in the fridge
Method for storing mint in the refrigerator for a week
- Dampen a paper towel with a little water
- Wrap it around your mint leaves
- Place everything in a freezer bag or in an airtight box that you will put in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator
- Renew the absorbent paper every two days
Method to refrigerate for 5 days
- Tie your mint in a bouquet
- Put this bouquet in a glass of water
- Cover the mint with a freezer bag or plastic wrap
- Last step: put everything in the fridge
2 Tips for Freezing Mint
Freezing is particularly suitable for preserving certain aromatic herbs such as mint, parsley , or chives because it keeps them fresh while retaining all their flavors.
In a freezer bag to freeze for two months
- Chop the mint
- Place the chopped mint in a freezer bag
- Write down the date and the name of the variety
- Put the bag in the freezer
In an ice cube tray
- Chop the mint
- Spread the chopped mint in an ice cube tray
- Fill the holes with water
- Put everything in the freezer as you would with classic ice cubes
How to dry Mint?
The drying method has the advantage of long-term preservation . However, while freezing retains all the mint flavor, it can be reduced by drying. It remains an easy and practical method. You can then store your mint leaves in a glass jar.
How to dry mint leaves in the open air?
1) Gather your mint stalks into a bouquet
2) Tie the bouquet with a string
3) Hang your Mint bouquets in a cool, dry and dark place
4) After two weeks, detach your mint bunches
6) Separate the leaves from the stem by hand to keep only the foliage
How to dry mint leaves in the microwave?
1) Harvest and wash the mint leaves
2) Arrange them on a plate , spacing them out
3) Place the plate for 10 seconds in the microwave
4) Check that the leaves are not broken, then add another 10 seconds if the leaves are not dry enough. You can repeat this operation a maximum of 3 times .
Dry the mint leaves in the oven
1) Spread the mint leaves on a plate
2) Bake at low temperature for 5 to 15 minutes
Care must be taken that the leaves do not burn.
How to dry mint flowers?
- During the flowering season, harvest the mint stalks that have flowers
- Hang the stems in a ventilated place and away from the sun
Macerate the mint
Marinate the mint in oil
- Arrange the mint leaves in a glass bottle
- You can add an aromatic herb of your choice to combine the flavors
- Pour oil into the bottle
- Leave to macerate for at least 2 weeks
Infuse the mint leaves into a drink
Infuse the mint to make a Mint Syrup
Ingredients
-30g of leaves
- 30cl of water
- 300g of sugar
Preparation
1) Pour the ingredients into a saucepan
2) Bring to a boil then let infuse for 20 minutes
3) Filter the preparation
4) Store the syrup in the container of your choice
What if you now start growing your own Spearmint plant? Discover our Cultivation Mound, perfectly designed for cultivation in small spaces, apartments or houses without outdoor space.
Our 3-in-1 Cultivation Mound is made up of compacted professional soil, nutrients adapted to the needs of the plant from germination to harvest and seeds of French origin and labeled "Organic Agriculture".
Gardening has never been easier, don't hesitate!
Consult all the URBAN CUISINE mint-based recipes: Green Mint Liqueur , Strawberry and Green Mint Tart , Zucchini Velouté with Green Mint and many more.
You can also benefit from all the URBAN CUISINE advice on mint and all our varieties: " When and how to plant mint in pots? ", " How to grow basil in pots indoors? ", " Which aromatic plants to grow in fall? "...