How To Dry Mint- Two Ways

Let's learn how to dry mint- two ways! These methods will really come in handy for when your herbs start getting out of hand, and you just can't use them fast enough.

How To Dry Mint- Two Ways

Each spring, my the mint in my mini herb garden on my apartment patio pops back up- with a vengeance! I mean, that stuff just completely takes over; it grows so tall and lush, I just can't keep up with it. It's like a weed!

Last year, I had no idea what to do with my huge crop of mint. I put it in my tea, water, and even made fun cocktails with it, but it seriously grew faster than I could even use it.

This year, I decided to see if I could do something to preserve it, as it was getting so tall and overgrown it was starting to die. Instead of letting it go to waste, I decided to dry it.

Drying herbs can preserve the color, essential oils, and flavor!

In this post, I'll walk you through the processes of two different methods of drying mint; air-drying and oven-drying.

Mint health benefits

Besides being delicious and beautifully fragrant, mint also provides a few health benefits! Here are a few:

• Mint can be used to soothe bloating- whenever I feel bloated, I love adding a bunch of mint leaves to green tea to help combat bloating.
• The menthol in mint can help clear up congestion
• Mint is a source of antioxidants
• Mint contains an anti-inflammatory agent called rosmarinic acid

How to dry mint; pros and cons

The two different ways to dry mint I'll be covering in this post are: air-drying and oven-drying. Let's go over the pros and cons of each method so you can decide which one is right for you:

Oven-drying mint

Pros:

• Quick
• Doesn't take up space like air-drying
• No tools necessary

Cons:

• Potential to accidentally burn mint

Air-drying mint

Pros:

• No chance of accidentally burning mint
• Natural/heat-free
• Looks pretty

Cons:

• Takes up space
• Can take up to 2 weeks to dry completely
• Potential for mint to get moldy if not done correctly
• Tools needed (twine, scissors, drying area, etc.)

Wash and dry the mint

No matter the method of drying you use, first thing's first; you have to wash and dry your mint. We don't want any dirt, dust, or critters in our finished product!

To wash the mint, simply rinse each stalk (stems + leaves) under cool water. Shake any excess water off the mint, and place it on dish towels/ paper towels until the leaves are dry. This can take about one hour.

How to oven-dry mint

After your mint has been rinsed and dried, lay the stalks of mint on parchment-lined baking sheets, making sure there is adequate distance between each stem so air can properly circulate.

Tip: Be sure the mint is 100% dry after the rinsing process before putting it in the oven. If the mint is damp it could lose its flavor. If skeptical, pat the mint dry before placing it in the oven.

Place the tray in the oven, making sure the oven is at its lowest possible temperature. Under 200ºF is best; any higher, and you risk cooking/ burning the leaves, and destroying the mint essential oils.

Depending on the temperature of your oven, the drying process may take different amounts of time; anywhere from 1.5-3 hours. After about 1 hour, keep checking on the mint in 15 minute intervals to avoid burning.

Dry the mint to the point where the leaves are crumbly and dry to the touch.

How to air-dry mint

After your mint has been rinsed and dried, gather a few stalks of mint together into a bouquet (about 5-6 stalks) and tie the bottoms of the stems together with string/twine.

Make sure you don't group too many mint stalks together in one bundle; there needs to be enough space between each stalk so that air can circulate and properly dry the mint. If the mint is gathered too tightly/bunched up, you could risk mold occurring.

Okay, so you've bundled up your mint bouquets... now where should you hang them? Here are some ideas:

• tie them to the bottom of a clothes hanger
• use a laundry drying rack (the method I used!)
• use a clothesline or makeshift clothesline (string)
• invest in an herb drying rack

Allow the mint to hang dry in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. An overly-humid climate could also result in mold, and direct sunlight can damage leaves and destroy mint essential oils.

The air-drying process can take anywhere from a few days or up to two weeks. The mint is ready when leaves are crumbly to the touch.

My mint hanging from the clothes drying rack a few days into drying.

How to store dried mint

Once the mint is fully dried, pluck the leaves off the stems.

You can either leave it as whole leaves, crumble it (by hand of by pulsing in a food processor) or turn it into a powder (using a coffee grinder or food processor for longer.)

Store the mint in an airtight glass container, in a cool dark place for up to 12 months.

Using dried mint stems

Yes, you can use the stems, too! Remove the leaves from the stems and break them up into pieces, or process into a powder for tea.

I keep the dried stems, break them into pieces with a food processor, and steep them in hot water for tea, or add them to another tea for extra minty flavor!

How to use dried mint:

Here are a few ideas for what to do with your homemade dried mint:

• Mint tea: steep about 1 teaspoon of mint leaves in hot water to make an aromatic mint tea
• Salad dressings
• Spice blends
• Cocktails (Mojitos!)
• Lemonade
• Tzatziki

How To Dry Mint (2 Ways to Dry Mint)

Got an herb garden overflowing with mint and don't know what to do with it? Here are two methods you can use to dry your mint so you can enjoy it all year long.

• fresh mint

1. Wash and dry the mint. To wash the mint, simply rinse each stalk (stems + leaves) under cool water. Shake any excess water off the mint, and place it on dish towels/ paper towels until the leaves are dry. This can take about one hour.

Oven-drying mint

1. Heat the oven to its lowest possible temperature; below 200º is good. Place the stalks of mint on parchment-lined baking sheets, making sure there is adequate distance between each stalk.

2. Dry for about 1.5 hours; after about 1 hour, keep checking on the mint in 15 minute intervals to avoid burning. Remove mint from the oven when it feels dry and crumbly to the touch.

Ari-drying mint

1. Gather a few stalks of mint together into a bouquet (about 5-6 stalks) and tie the bottoms of the stems together with string/twine.

2. Allow the mint to hang dry in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, from 2 days to up to 2 weeks; the drying process is done when it feels dry and crumbly to the touch.

3. Store dried mint in an airtight glass container in a cool dry place. for up to 12 months.

Herbs and Spices