Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 7: Preparing the coin
• Part 4 of 7: Drying mint in the oven
• Part 5 of 7: Drying mint in a food dryer
• Part 6 of 7: Drying mint using a dehumidifier
• Part 7 of 7: Storing the dried mint
• Necessities
• All methods
• Let mint air dry naturally
• Dry mint in the microwave
• Dry mint in the oven
• Dry mint in a food dryer
• Dry mint using a dehumidifier

Mint has a wonderful aroma and taste, and dried mint can be used as a garnish, seasoning or in an herbal tea blend. Drying mint is quite easy. Below are some different methods you can use to get the same result.

To step

Part 1 of 7: Preparing the coin

1. Place the mint leaves on a microwave-safe plate. Put them in a single layer and make sure the leaves do not overlap.
   • Laying the mint in a single layer will dry the leaves faster and more evenly than if you placed the leaves on top of each other in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Heat the leaves in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time. Place the leaves in the microwave and heat them for 10 seconds at a time, checking them regularly to see if they are already curling and getting crispy. The coin should be dry enough after 15 to 45 seconds.
   • Ideally, the leaves will remain green. You can use leaves that have turned brown, but green leaves have more flavor and a better aroma.
   • If you put a lot of mint leaves in a bowl instead of placing them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate, you will need to stir the leaves every 30 seconds and heat them in the microwave for a total of 1-3 minutes. However, this technique is not ideal and the mint may dry unevenly.

Part 4 of 7: Drying mint in the oven

1. Preheat the oven to 60 degrees Celsius. Preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature.
   • The temperature must be very low. The mint will dry quickly at a high temperature, but will then lose all its flavor and aroma. Do not set the oven at a temperature higher than 90 degrees Celsius.
2. Switch off the oven. After you have preheated the oven and it has been at the right temperature for about five minutes, switch it off.
   • You do this so that the coin can dry in a reasonably warm environment. In this way, the mint will not dry out in a too warm environment and lose its tasteful, aromatic oils.
3. Place the mint leaves on a baking tray. Place the mint leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure the leaves do not overlap or touch each other.
   • If the leaves are clustered or touching, some leaves may not dry as nicely as the rest. As a result, some leaves may burn during the drying process while other leaves are still moist.
   • For this reason, it is also important that you let leaves of the same size dry together on the same baking tray. If you let different sized mint leaves dry, some leaves may dry faster.
   • There is no need to put anything on the baking tray before placing the mint on it, but you can use a parchment paper if you prefer. Do not use cooking spray.
4. Let the leaves dry in the warm oven. Place the baking tray with mint in the warm oven and let the leaves dry for 5 to 20 minutes. Check the leaves every 5 minutes to see if they are already dry enough.
   • The leaves are dry when they start to curl and get crispy. They should still be green in color. By checking the leaves often you can prevent them from turning brown.

Part 5 of 7: Drying mint in a food dryer

1. Place the mint leaves on a drying rack of a food dehydrator. Lay the leaves in a single layer, overlapping them as little as possible.
   • Mint leaves dry more evenly if you put them in a single layer because each leaf is heated just as strongly. You will need to stir piles or piles of leaves during the process, and some leaves may dry a lot earlier.
2. Set the food dehydrator to the lowest setting. Slide the drying rack back into the food dryer and set the appliance to the lowest possible temperature.
   • A little heat is all it takes to dry mint and similar herbs.
   • If you cannot read the temperature on the food dehydrator, check the appliance more often during the drying process to prevent the leaves from burning.
   • Remove all empty drying racks from the food dryer before you start. You then have more space for larger leaves and the air circulation throughout the device is improved.
3. Leave the leaves in the appliance until they are dry. Check the coin about every five minutes. Remove the coin when it appears to be dry.
   • The edges should curl and the leaves should look crispy and still have a green color.

Part 6 of 7: Drying mint using a dehumidifier

1. Switch on the dehumidifier. If you have a dehumidifier, the low humidity near the unit is ideal for quickly air-drying coins. Switch on the dehumidifier and let it do its job as usual.
   • A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, so the air around the device is usually quite dry. This is good because mint that dries in a humid environment can mold.
2. Place the mint on a wire rack to cool the cake on. Place the mint leaves on a rack intended for cooling cakes and biscuits. Lay the leaves in a single layer, making sure they overlap each other as little as possible.
   • A grid for cooling pastries is ideal because the air can flow around the grid from above and below. This also prevents the coin from getting moldy.
3. Dry the coin near the dehumidifier. Place the grille in front of the dehumidifier, right in front of the part of the appliance where the air feels warmest and driest. Leave the mint there for a day or two until it dries.
   • The leaves should curl and feel crispy, but they should still be quite green.
   • By feeling the device with your hand you can usually find out which part of the device is the warmest.

Part 7 of 7: Storing the dried mint

1. Place the mint in clean, airtight containers. Stack the completely dry mint leaves in airtight containers. Make sure you close the bins as well as possible.
   • Weck jars with swing lids and trays made of metal, non-porous and non-absorbent materials are best. Trays and packaging made of paper, cardboard, plastic and wood absorb the volatile oils of all plants of the mint family.
   • Place a label on each container with the date, the contents of the container and the amount of mint in the container.
   • If possible, keep the mint leaves whole and crush them before use instead of crushing them before storage. The taste and aroma will last longer if you leave the leaves intact.
2. Pay attention to moisture. Keep an eye on the mint leaves for the first few days. If moisture gets into the container, you will have to let the coin dry longer.
   • Simply take the coin out of the tray and dry it again using one of the methods described above.
   • Mint and other herbs quickly become moldy if they are not stored in a dry environment.
3. Keep the mint in a cool, dry and dark place. For the best taste, use the mint within a year.
   • Do not use packaging made of paper and cardboard. These packages will absorb the aromatic oils, causing the mint to lose its flavor more quickly.

Necessities

All methods

• Garden shears or sharp knife
• Paper towels
• Salad spinner (optional)
• Airtight bins
• Waterproof marker

Let mint air dry naturally

• Kitchen twine

Dry mint in the microwave

• Microwave safe board

Dry mint in the oven

• Baking tray
• Baking paper (optional)

Dry mint in a food dryer

• Food dehydrator with drying racks

Dry mint using a dehumidifier

• Dehumidifier
• Wire rack to cool cakes on