Preparing fresh mint leaves for the winter - recipes with step-by-step photos on how to prepare them at home. Harvesting mint - secrets of drying and storage

Mint is a unique spice. Fresh or dried, it adds flavor and freshness to almost any dish. The cool taste and bright green seasoning are an excellent addition to vegetarian, fish and meat dishes, desserts and drinks. At home, mint is often dried to all year round enjoy the fragrant and healing tea. Experienced chefs also advise cooking mint jam, syrup, or simply candiing the leaves for the winter. Mint prepared in this way for future use will help cope with bad mood in the chilly autumn and with colds in the winter cold. In addition, even housewives inexperienced in the culinary arts can make mint preparations. Choose any of step by step recipes and be surprised at the ease and simplicity of preparing a delicious mint delicacy.

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kerescan - Oct 8th, 2015

Many ladies like to little by little replenish their arsenal of recipes each preparation season. I hasten to share with other housewives such an original, not “hackneyed” and simple recipe homemade quick pickling lightly salted cucumbers with the addition of sour lime juice.

Mint is the most valuable medicinal plant with an unsurpassed aroma. It is used as a stimulant, an assistant in the treatment of stomach diseases, and an aromatic spice in drinks and food. In order for mint to delight you in winter, the herb should be properly prepared. To preserve nutrients and vitamins, it is better to freeze the plant, but this fragrant crop can also be dried.

Rules for collecting mint for winter harvesting

To prepare mint, you should follow the basic collection rules:

Advice. Of course, you should not harvest mint near roads or livestock farms. You should also be sure that the area is not treated with chemicals or fertilizers. Otherwise, instead useful remedy you can get something harmful.

For collected mint, you can organize short-term storage in the refrigerator. Wrap the leaves or shoots in dry paper towels and place in a resealable container or plastic bag. This method will preserve the aroma and taste of mint for about 1 month. Then parts of the plant will darken, become limp and lose medicinal properties. There are other options for longer storage.

How to freeze mint for the winter

To ensure long-term freezing is successful, first of all, after cutting or purchasing mint, place it in water for a few minutes. For these purposes, you can use a large shallow container. After this, rinse the greens under running water, shake off and place in one layer on a dry towel. Do not cover the top with anything. Turn the grass periodically. The plants will need about half an hour to dry.

Advice. You cannot leave washed mint for a longer period - it will wither and become unsuitable for freezing.

Advice. Set aside young parts of plants should be frozen separately. They have a more subtle and delicate aroma and taste, so they have a slightly different purpose in cooking.

Other methods of long-term freezing differ little from those described in the algorithm of actions:

• Whole plants can also be frozen in bags: the stem will withstand the load if you do not crush or break it before sending it to the freezer;
• you can finely chop the plant before freezing;
• another option is a paste of mint ground in a blender, an excellent ingredient for baking;
• For cocktails, you can make frozen tender mint leaves in ice cubes. To do this, use standard freezing of water in silicone containers.

Advice. Be sure to label the frozen contents so that you don’t get confused in the whitish packages in winter.

How to properly dry mint for the winter

Mint is dried efficiently only in a suspended state. Usually a balcony, attic or veranda is used for these purposes. During the process, it is important to observe the following conditions:

• after collecting, soak the herb in water at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, and then wash thoroughly under running water;
• sort and remove damaged copies;
• Choose a dry and well-ventilated area. The drying area should not be exposed to direct sunlight;
• divide the stems into bundles of equal size and tie each of them;
• hang the mint with the leaves facing down.

Advice. Even if you follow the drying technology, sweetness may appear in the bunches. Inspect mint periodically if you find characteristic features remove branches.

To dry the leaves separately from the stem, use another method:

Dried mint

• place the leaves evenly on a clean piece of cloth or paper;
• send to a dark place;
• Stir the mint leaves occasionally to prevent scorching.

You can also dry mint using the express method, in the oven. Parts of the plant should also be distributed evenly over a sheet covered with paper. This method has a significant disadvantage - the characteristic aroma will disappear. Only natural drying will preserve all the useful and tasty features of the mint bouquet.

How to preserve mint: video

Today, peppermint is cultivated in many countries around the world.

It was developed in England in the 17th century by crossing two other types of shrubs. It came to Russia in the 19th century, and by the mid-20th century mint plantations appeared in our country.

Peppermint is a cultivated plant and is not found in wildlife. But from the moment of its appearance, it began to actively develop the medical, pharmacological and culinary markets.

There is nothing surprising about this. The beneficial properties of the plant have been known to people since ancient times.

Mint was added to food and used for treatment various diseases, its smell was used to aromatize the air. But most often ordinary people used it spicy plant for brewing tea.

Where does mint grow?

Mint is grown for personal use and on an industrial scale. IN southern countries Its perennial varieties grow in the cold and temperate climate of Siberia and the Far East - accordingly, preference is given to annual ones.

Most often mint is found in central Russia, but it can be found almost throughout the country. Many of its species are found in Belarus, the Baltic states and Ukraine.

Since mint loves the sun, the best varieties grow, of course, in the southern regions: in the Caucasus, Crimea, and Stavropol.

The plant prefers fertile soil without sand impurities. Wild mint can be seen on the banks of a river or lake, near swamps, as well as in fields and meadows with sufficient level humidity.

ABOUT unusual properties mint will be told by the program “Live Healthy!”:

When should it be collected?

The aroma of mint will be strong if its leaves and stems are saturated with essential oils. This saturation occurs late June-early July when the plant enters flowering time. After rain and under the sun's rays, mint steams and gives the air its strong aroma.

If we're talking about In order to prepare mint stems, it is better to cut them off when the inflorescences begin to bloom.

But the leaves are cut off before flowering, when the flowers on the stems are just beginning to form. Then the accumulation of the greatest amount of useful elements is observed in them.

We would like to note separately When should you not practice mint picking?:

1. Do not pick mint before buds appear on the stem. During this period, essential components have not yet accumulated in the plant in the required concentration. In addition, drying causes the greens to dry out significantly.
2. Faded mint is also of little use. During this period, its stems become coarser, and the leaves, when they lose freshness, are no longer so fragrant.
3. If mint is collected in damp weather: after rain or dew, then when dried it will become brown and unattractive.
4. Leaves and stems should not be cut off in hot weather, when they are steamed and have a wilted appearance.

The most suitable time of day for collection is evening or morning. As the sun rises above the horizon, the mint stems remain fresh and juicy.

If it rains for a long time there was no dust settled on the leaves, before collecting the mint it is better to wash the mint with water from a hose, and when the plants are dry, start collecting.

How to properly dry mint for tea at home

After the mint is collected, the question arises of how to properly dry it. Many lovers mint tea prefer ferment the collected leaves. Fermentation occurs when the leaf structure is broken down before the juice is released.

It can be done, rolling the leaves between your palms, freezing them, or grinding them in a meat grinder. After this, the leaves oxidize, starting the fermentation process.

There are many bacteria on the leaf surface and in the air that promote fermentation. After a certain time has passed, the color and smell of the fermented mass changes.

When the smell becomes especially strong, the mint can be dried.

Drying mint at home will not be difficult; just follow a few simple rules.

If the leaves were collected together with the stems, it is best to dry them in small loose bunches. Then each plant will be provided with Free access air.

The bundles are loosely tied and suspended on specially prepared ropes or wooden poles.

The leaves can be dried by spreading them in a thin layer on paper or fabric and placing them on a closet, balcony, attic, veranda and any other place where they will be provided with ventilation and shade.

Do not dry mint in dusty places or under the sun. Impact sun rays causes the plant to lose its beneficial features.

Therefore, hanging tufts of grass are often wrapped in newspapers to protect them from the heat.

Do not dry in damp places. The raw materials will inevitably begin to rot. To ensure proper drying, the leaves need to be stirred and turned over periodically.

Optimal temperature for drying peppermint– 20-30 degrees Celsius.

If mint will be used to brew tea, it is recommended to dry it along with raspberry, cherry and currant leaves. It turns out herbal tea, from which you can prepare extremely useful and delicious tea. We wrote about how to dry raspberry leaves and the benefits and harms of raspberry leaf tea.

If you want to know and also how to ferment it at home, read our article.

How it can be useful and harmful green tea at breastfeeding? We'll tell you! Look for the answer to the question in the publication.

Procurement of raw materials

As mentioned above, mint leaves are collected in June-July, and often in August (it all depends on the region where the shrub grows). The signal for collection is considered to be the budding of the plant and the beginning of its flowering.

Things to remember when procuring raw materials:

1. To prevent dried mint from becoming a useless herb, don't collect it from industrial enterprises or near roads. Then there is a high risk of adding a number of impurities of substances harmful to the body to the aroma and taste of the finished tea.
2. No need to collect young mint. It dries out greatly when dried and is not able to preserve the medicinal properties of the plant and its aroma.
3. If the leaves are to be dried along with the stems, it is better to wait until the mint is in full bloom, when the mint becomes especially fragrant. A mature plant contains a maximum essential oils.
4. Mint is cut to 1/3 of the stem length. Then it will be able to grow again, and during the season it will be possible to harvest another harvest, or even two.
5. Only high-quality material should be dried. Plants that are sick or damaged are discarded immediately.

How to Preserve Fresh Mint

To save space, you can grind the herb into powder or grind it.

But it is better to exclude cellophane and plastic, as well as paper and cardboard. These materials actively absorb essential oils.

Packaged mint is stored away from heating devices, in a dry and dark place. Before placing it there, be sure to write the date of preparation on the packaging and remember that the properties of the plant are preserved for two years.

If the mint has stale and is no longer suitable for making tea, add it to the water when you take a bath. It is very beneficial for skin health.

Medicinal properties and benefits, harms and contraindications can also be found in this publication.

About beneficial properties and contraindications linden tea read the article.

Greetings, dear readers! For me, summer is strongly associated with the spicy, cool aroma of mint. It refreshes and calms. The herb is added to dishes, drinks and even baked goods. There is only one problem: the greens fade quickly. How to keep mint fresh for the winter at home? Let's look at classic drying and some new methods!

Where to begin

The first step is collecting leaves. It is better to do this in July, before or during early flowering. In some regions, the period may be different due to specific weather conditions. It is during the period of the appearance of the first inflorescences that essential oil is concentrated in the tops, which gives the greenery beneficial properties and smell.

It is advisable to choose mature plants (2-3 years old). Avoid dew and excess moisture: collect leaves only in dry, but not hot weather. Cut off about a third of the stem. You won't need the tough part; it can still sprout new growth before the end of the season. If you prefer to buy greens, keep this in mind.

Storage

Whatever method you choose, the leaves must first be prepared. Sort through what you have collected, remove damaged or dry parts, and excess impurities. Rinse under water several times and be sure to dry thoroughly. It is advisable to place the leaves on paper napkins or towels so that they release moisture. Stir occasionally.

The plant can be wrapped in paper or placed in a container with water and in the refrigerator, tightly covered with film. However, in this form it will last no more than a month. What should I do? There are many ways to preserve greenery in its original form.

Drying

Standard method. Despite its simplicity, you need to know some nuances. There are several drying methods, I’ll tell you about the most convenient ones.

1. Useful

Disassemble the collected raw materials into small bundles. Place the tops in paper bags. They should be spacious enough: do not compact them. Bandage closer to lower parts jute or any other similar material. Hang upside down in a dry, ventilated area. The workpieces should not be exposed to sunlight.

What's good about this method? You protect plants from literally everything: insects, wind, dust, ultraviolet radiation. The result is perfect dry leaves.

2. Simple

If you are willing to sacrifice quality, you can dry the mint on pallets. The principles are the same: remove the natural gift away from the sun and drafts. Sometimes you will have to mix the raw materials so that the process proceeds evenly.

3. Modern

I’ll say right away: you can’t dry tender leaves in the oven! You'll just fry them. It is permissible to use an electric dryer. Set the most delicate mode: no higher than 35 °C.

In the first two options, the process will take several days. In the third, determine readiness yourself. When touched, the plate should crumble easily and come off the stem with a characteristic crunch. Brown color is a sign of dryness. This herb loses its aroma and benefits.

Store dry leaves in tightly sealed jars. Do not grind in advance: the natural gift quickly loses its properties. Do this immediately before preparing the dish. It is advisable to grind by hand or using a rolling pin.

Freezing

Each housewife has her own way. You can chop the plant or harvest it in whole bunches. Store the product in containers, zip bags, foil, cling film... The main rule: do not compact it. If you want to save space, let the leaves freeze and harden, and then carefully arrange them tightly. This must be done quickly, otherwise they will thaw again.

I make herbal ice for drinks. I leave half in its “pure” form, and add ginger and lemon to half. Tea with the mixture copes well with colds in the early stages.

Sugar

Do you like desserts? Prepare aromatic, refreshing sugar! It can be stored for a very long time, but it is advisable to add it already in ready dish to fully convey the smell.

I prepare sugar in 200 g portions. You can increase the quantity. Finely chop the leaves and mix with regular sugar(1:1). Place the sweet mixture in a blender and mix thoroughly. Ready! Spread the mixture over glass jars, compacting well.

Syrup

Another option for those with a sweet tooth. Vitamin syrup is not only tasty, but also healthy.

Mix 500 g of sugar and the same amount of water. Prepare regular sweet syrup. Pour 500 g of mashed greens into a saucepan. When the liquid has cooled slightly, cover with a lid. Stir occasionally. After a day, place the container on medium heat for 10 minutes. Spill finished product for sterilized bottles or jars.

The color of the liquid is amber, but you can make it green by adding natural dye - spinach. Serve the sweetness with ice cream, pancakes, pancakes, etc.

Bon appetit!

Cultivated and wild species of mint are actively used in cooking, folk and traditional medicine. This is a fragrant plant, rich in essential oils and has long been famous for its healing properties, today can be seen in garden beds and gardens.

But if in the summer, having picked a few fragrant branches, it’s so easy to cook healthy tea or decoction, use fresh leaves in a soft drink or baked goods, then in winter all the mint ends up under the snow. How to keep mint fresh for the winter? Are there ways to use it until spring? medicinal properties plants and enjoy its aroma?

If a couple of decades ago Russian housewives, out of habit, only mint sushi, today, thanks to the development of technology and the influence of culinary traditions of other countries, the possibilities have increased significantly. But before you prepare mint for the winter, it needs to be collected and prepared for processing.

Harvesting mint for the winter

The best season to harvest mint for the winter is July and August. In most regions of the country, mint is about to bloom at this time or is already crowned with pinkish or pale lilac inflorescences. Accumulates in foliage, shoot tips and flowers during this period. greatest number essential oil and others active substances, for which culture is so valued.

The best raw materials can be obtained:

• from plants 2-3 years;
• in the morning or evening hours, when there is no dew on the plants;
• in dry, cool weather.

Cutting is carried out at 1/3 of the length of the stem, since its hard part is not suitable for winter storage, but it can still produce new growth before the end of the season.

Collected greens before storing in the refrigerator or before drying mint , freeze, carefully sort through, removing dry, damaged parts of the plant and impurities, wash and be sure to dry. If you want to store mint for the winter fresh, prepared greens in bunches are placed in containers with a small amount of water, covered with film or a plastic transparent bag on top and transferred to the refrigerator.

Mint shoots or leaves separated from the stems can be wrapped in paper towels and placed in resealable bags or containers.

In this form, mint “bunches” and green leaves retain their freshness and original appearance for up to 4 weeks, but then nature takes its toll. Greens lose color and elasticity, moisture and useful material disappear.

How to store mint if it is impossible to preserve plants in the refrigerator for a long time? You can use one of the oldest ways- dry the mint, which in this form will retain both the aroma and valuable oils.

How to dry mint at home?

Drying mint does not require serious labor or complex preparations. Prepared, clean, without traces of moisture mint:

• disassembled into small bundles;
• the tops of the shoots are dropped into spacious paper bags;
• bandaged and hung in a dry, ventilated place without access to sunlight.

With this method of drying, the grass is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation and thermal radiation, wind and dust, and it is also inaccessible to insects.

If desired, other spicy-flavoring herbs are included in the bunches, for example, oregano, St. John's wort, thyme or sage. Such sets will not only help to diversify winter tea drinking, but will also become an excellent healing remedy.

If mint is dried on pallets, the plant material is spread in a thin layer and also provides protection from the sun, draft, insects or pollution. In this case, in order for the process to proceed more evenly and quickly, the grass will have to be carefully stirred from time to time.

Features of drying and storing mint greens

Mint greens like others spices, can be dried in modern electric dryers, however, in this case, it is important to remember some of the features of the herb. How to dry mint so that it retains as many essential oils, vitamins and healing substances? First of all, you should not expose raw materials to elevated temperatures. Optimal temperature regime for drying herbs is 20-35 °C. Therefore, the most gentle mode is used in an electric dryer, and it is not recommended to dry mint in the oven for the winter.

Tender greens lose moisture quickly, so the drying process is very intensive. You should not overexpose mint in an electric dryer, as this will lead to excessive fragility of the leaves and loss of some of the beneficial properties.

If the room where the mint bunches are hung is humid, the herb must be moved to another place as soon as possible, otherwise mold will settle on the stems and leaves and make the raw material unsuitable for consumption.

Overdried or subjected high temperatures Mint is easily recognized by the brown color of its leaves. This herb has virtually no odor and is useless for health.

How to properly store dried mint?

At room temperature, drying takes several days. You can determine the readiness of dried mint by pressing on the leaf plate; if it is easily separated from the stem with a rustling sound and crumbles, drying can be completed, the raw materials can be crushed and packaged for long-term storage.

Don’t forget how to properly store mint after drying. Although crushed herbs take up less space, they quickly lose their taste and aroma, so it is wiser not to turn dry herbs into powder, but when grinding, use gentle manual methods rather than a coffee grinder.

The best containers for storage are clean, dry glass jars with tightly sealed lids that prevent moisture, pests, or foreign odors. At the same time, in a cool, dry place, herbs retain their aromas and taste for up to 6-8 months.

How to freeze mint for the winter?

With the advent of powerful modern freezers in homes, housewives have another opportunity to prepare mint for the winter. Under influence low temperatures the plant seems to be preserved, all processes in it stop. As a result, mint retains its color, aroma and taste properties. You can freeze mint for the winter either in bunches or individual leaves by packing the washed and dried raw materials in cling film, bags, foil or plastic containers.

Lovers of aromatic refreshing drinks can use mint leaves to make portioned ice cubes. Chopped grass or individual whole leaves are placed in molds and poured boiled water, put into the freezer.

For medicinal tea, extremely useful for winter colds, you can freeze a slice of ginger or a little lemon zest along with mint.

Once hardened, the cubes can be conveniently stored in resealable bags to prevent them from melting and re-freezing.

Fragrant sugar from fresh mint

Another way to keep mint fresh for the winter will appeal to all sweet tooth lovers. Aromatic sugar based on selected mint greens is suitable for preparing a wide variety of culinary dishes, it can be added to baked goods, drinks, fruit salads and desserts. At the same time, the sweetness takes on all the beneficial properties of the plant, and the mint is kept fresh for the winter.

For 200 grams of chopped mint, take the same amount of sugar. The ingredients are thoroughly crushed and mixed in a blender until smooth, and then placed in dry, clean jars, simultaneously compacting the sugar.

Sugar with mint can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time, and in order for food to acquire the real aroma of this fragrant plant, it should be added to the finished dish.

Mint Green Syrup

For one and a half glasses of chopped mint from your garden, you will need a glass of sugar and the same amount of water. Sprinkle mint leaves with half the sugar and leave for several hours so that the herb gives juice and the sugar begins to dissolve. Make syrup from the remaining sugar and water, checking its readiness after boiling, drop by drop on a saucer. If the drop does not spread, the sugar syrup is ready and you can pour it over the mint.

To preserve all the properties of the plant, the syrup should not be kept on fire for too long. Immediately after boiling, remove the pan, cool the syrup and, after rubbing it through a sieve, pour it into sterilized dry bottles or jars.

How to properly store mint syrup? The vitamin-rich and very aromatic syrup can be stored well for up to two months if the sealed jars are stored in the refrigerator or cellar.

How to freeze mint - video