How to store mint correctly so that it does not lose its beneficial properties. Freeze mint leaves in ice cubes Storing mint at home

Do you like refreshing mint drinks or savory meats and salads? Faced with the fact that the plant quickly withers and loses its aroma. Learn how to store mint so you can enjoy its refreshing scent and taste at all times.

How to store mint in the refrigerator?

If you have purchased or cut fragrant greens and have not used them, store them in the refrigerator. To prevent the mint from wilting, rinse the twigs with leaves thoroughly and shake slightly to remove excess water. Wrap in damp gauze or towel and refrigerate.

The washed greens can be placed in a plastic container and covered with a lid. If you don't have a suitable container, place the fragrant twigs in a disposable bag and tie tightly to keep out air. You can also put the herbs in a glass of water. Mint can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

How to store mint for a long time?

The harvesting season for these fragrant greens is late July - early August. At this time, it contains the largest amount of essential oils. If you know how to store fresh mint properly, you can enjoy its pleasant aroma throughout the year.

If you want to prepare mint for the winter, then know that there are two ways to do this:

Freezing;

Before freezing greens, rinse them thoroughly and let dry. Fold the prepared twigs and leaves into bags or containers and send them to the freezer. For mojitos and other cold drinks, mint can be frozen in ice cube trays. Fill the molds with water, placing a couple of clean mint leaves in each compartment. Freeze.

Peppermint contains a large amount nutrients and essential oils. Thanks to its valuable qualities this plant is widely used in medicine, cosmetology and cooking. Mint contains menthol, which gives it a specific aroma.

This plant contains a number of vitamins (A, C, PP, B vitamins) and trace elements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus). To preserve all the beneficial elements, it is very important to store the mint correctly.

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Storing mint

In order for the mint to keep maximum amount useful components, you need to store it in the following ways:

In the refrigerator in a regular plastic bag. This is the most short-lived storage method (up to five days);
Fresh herbs can be wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator. This method is suitable for short-term storage;
Fresh chopped leaves and stems can be frozen. This method is suitable for long-term storage (up to several years);
The leaves and stems of the plant can be dried: put the grass in bulk or in bunches in a dry, dark place. After the mint is dry, it should be transferred to a glass jar with an airtight lid. Thus, mint can be stored for up to a year.

The use of mint

The broadest field of application of mint is medicine. In this area, mint is used as:

Anti-inflammatory agent (the broth is used orally for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract);
An antispasmodic agent (for pain in the stomach and intestines, an infusion of herbs is used inside);
Pain reliever for pain of a neurological nature (decoction is used);
Antiemetic and remedy for nausea (juice or oil is taken internally);
Choleretic agent (infusion or decoction is used).

In cooking, mint is used:

For preparing light salads. These dishes use the fresh leaves of the plant.
As a seasoning for meat and fish dishes. Dried and fresh mint leaves are used;
In baked goods. Chopped leaves are added to the dough;
For the preparation of drinks: fresh leaves are added to cocktails or kvass, and a decoction is made from dried ones;
In preservation: mint components impart a spicy aroma and promote better storage canned food.

The use of cosmetics containing mint promotes:

Reducing skin inflammation;
Stabilization of sebum production;
Cooling and softening the skin;
Providing bactericidal action.

Mint is a unique plant. It is widely used in cooking, medicine, and cosmetology. Fragrant green bushes can be purchased at the market or in the store, or you can grow them in your garden. Although this culture is not as simple as it seems at first glance. It is much more difficult to preserve the product for a long time.

If you often cook with this seasoning, like to add leaves to tea, or use plants for medicinal purposes, learn how to store mint at home. You can do it different ways, choose a convenient option for yourself.

Fresh storage

Mint, like any greens, has a limited shelf life. After cutting, it stays fresh for several hours, and then withers quickly. The bunches of greens are usually large and are not completely consumed right away. Here's how to store fresh mint properly to use it longer:

Place the twigs in a jar with clean water, after removing the lower leaves and cutting off the edge of the stems. Keep the container in cool place and change the fluid once a day. This will save the product for 3-4 days in its original form.
Fold clean, dry leaves in a bag and tie it tightly to keep out air. Place the workpiece in a dark and cold place. You can store mint in this way for up to 3 days.
If you need to preserve the freshness of the product a short time, no more than a day, wrap the twigs with a dense damp cloth. Make sure that the material does not dry out, for this it can be wrapped in plastic.

If you need to keep fresh herbs for longer, keep the mint in the refrigerator:

Plants will stay fresh for up to 5 days if kept in a jar of water on the bottom shelf of the main compartment. Cover the tops with a clear bag to help reduce moisture loss.
Fresh mint can be stored in plastic food containers for up to 7-10 days. For this, clean, dry shoots are suitable, you do not need to pick off the leaves. The best place for containers with mint will be the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

For how else you can store fresh herbs in the kitchen, see a short video:

However, these are all recipes for the summer. How to properly collect and save mint for the winter, read below.

Winter harvesting rules

The most valuable plants are those that only emit buds and are in the initial phase of flowering. It is then that the concentration of essential oils and other useful substances in them reaches the maximum level. V flowering plants there is less benefit, so it is important not to miss a moment.

The harvest time is in July-August, depending on the region and climatic conditions.
Harvesting mint for the winter should take place in dry weather.
Cutting greens is best done early in the morning, before dew appears on the leaves, or late in the evening, when there is no scorching sun.

Do you know that…

If you grow mint yourself, choose bushes 2-3 years old for winter harvesting. Cut off the top third of the stem where the young green leaves are. The rest of the plant is not suitable for processing - too rough.

Cutting can be done several times per season. On a 3-year-old plant - up to 3 times a month

Carefully inspect the collected branches and remove any yellowed, damaged and diseased ones. Rinse the herbs under running water, dry well.

Choose in advance how to prepare the mint for the whole winter. It can be frozen in the freezer or dried. In any case, do not delay the processing process if you want the mint to survive properly.

Freezing for culinary purposes

Freezing allows you to preserve the nutrients that mint is rich in as much as possible. Many housewives prepare such a product for the winter. It is convenient and does not take much time. At low temperatures 6-9 months without loss of quality and appearance.

If you choose this method, here are some options for freezing mint for the winter:

Prepared branches in the amount of 5-10 pcs. fold whole in regular packing bags. Place them in the freezer. In a day, when the stems and leaves are frozen, put them more densely, in one common package, so that they do not take up space.
Chop the herbs finely with a knife, place the slices in containers with a lid. Then send them straight away for storage in the camera. You can do the same with whole leaves if you need such a blank format.
Freeze plant tops and leaves for preparing drinks in ice cubes. Place the herbs in molds and cover with chilled boiled water... After a day, remove the container from the chamber, pour the cubes into the bag and immediately put it back in the freezer.

The latter method is ideal for preparing mojitos, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Along with whole mint leaves, you can add a piece of orange or lemon zest, cut into long strips and twisted in a spiral, to the blank.

Tip of the day

Do not remove the blanks from the freezer until they are used. Do not re-freeze food. Spoil yourself both the dish and the mood.

Waste-free freezing technology is shown in this video:

Frozen mint is perfect for cooking, but not good for medicine. If you need plants for this very purpose, then use traditional method preparation of raw materials - drying. How to properly dry mint and how to store it, read below.

Drying of medicinal raw materials

Drying mint is very simple. This is best done when room temperature without using an oven or electric dryer. This will maximize the preservation of vitamins and nutrients in the greenery.

There are two ways to dry mint at home:

Tie the plants into small bunches. Hang the workpieces in a dry, protected from sunlight, ventilated place. This can be a shed, attic, shed or veranda in the house. The apartment has a balcony with closed windows. Cooking time is 7-10 days, but everything is individual. The plants must dry completely. Check readiness before storing bundles. Leaves and stems that are well dried can be easily kneaded with your fingers.
To dry for the winter separate leaves, separate them from the stems and spread them on the fabric in a small layer. Check and turn raw materials periodically. And in this case, choose a well-ventilated, semi-dark room. The leaves dried in the light lose their color and aroma.

How to dry the mint collected from the garden or purchased depends on its subsequent use:

The stems are the basis for the medicine.
Leaves are allowed to be used in different ways.

After the end of the drying process, do not grind them into crumbs, do this before use. Drink with them, cook mint infusions, or add to cooking.

Medicinal properties of mint are used very widely: from brewing teas during colds to medicinal baths for skin rashes

We answer the question: How long can an infusion of mint be stored?

Mint infusion can be used for no more than a day and only it stands in the refrigerator. With longer storage, it changes chemical composition, it becomes at least useless.

Tincture of alcohol is suitable for treatment for about a year. After that, its composition will also begin to change and deteriorate due to the interaction of alcohol and substances contained in mint.

Drying mint greens is convenient for those who want to make preparations for a long time. Storage period medicinal plant the maximum is until the next harvest.

Storage rules for workpieces

The shelf life of any product depends on its storage conditions. Mint is no exception. Freezing just can't be taken out of the freezer. How to store dried mint properly?

Place dry bundles in cloth bags or cardboard boxes.
For crumbs and leaves, choose glass containers that have tight lids.
Suitable for storage and tin containers from tea or, but they should not remain odor.
Keep your workpieces in a cool, dark place. The ideal temperature is + 6 ° C or a little more.
Avoid contact of dry raw materials with moisture, light, strong odors and food.
For long-term storage, select cold corridor, the veranda of the house. The apartment uses a pantry or balcony for this.
Do not leave the product for more than a year, harvest new greens in the summer.

Do you know that…

There are a great variety of mint varieties. They need to be stored in different containers, because they have a completely different, unique smell, taste and aftertaste trail.

As you can see, keeping fresh, freezing, drying and storing mint is very easy. Try several ways to choose the best one for you.

Store properly and be healthy!

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The aromatic plant is grown for food, medical purposes, for perfumery fragrances and as an ornamental crop. While in its bloom phase, mint exudes a soothing scent that promotes relaxation. Planting a single root will provide you for the next season with a harvest sufficient for fresh consumption and harvesting for future use. Once you figure out how to store mint, you will provide your family with unique seasoning and tea leaves for the whole winter.

The storage conditions of mint determine the presence of healing characteristics and aroma in it. In order to harvest the grass for a long time, it can be dried or frozen. Until recently, drying was considered the only way to preserve culture. However, when frozen, the plant retains the maximum amount of nutrients, the original taste and bright odor.

Preparation of raw materials

Cutting mint for the purpose of harvesting begins at the end of June and continues until autumn:

harvest time is determined by the beginning of flowering;
The best is the raw material of plants of the second or third year;
it is recommended to collect plants in the morning and evening hours, in the absence of dew, in warm, dry weather;
it is supposed to cut off a third of the branches, because essential oils other active substances concentrated in leaves, flowers, stem tops.

On the remaining stem, fresh growth will have time to appear before the end of the season..

How to store fresh mint

Fresh mint will keep in the refrigerator for a week. To do this, the twigs are wrapped in a damp towel or placed in a container. If you want to put mint in a plastic bag, you need to make sure that no air enters the container.

Drying mint

Drying mint does not require much effort and time:

cut stems are easier to keep tied in bunches that are hung in a shaded, ventilated area;
it is proposed to experiment and add sprigs of other spicy herbs to the collection, giving various shades to mint drinks;
if cut plants are stacked on pallets for drying, the layers should not be thick. The raw materials are mixed regularly.

Readiness is determined by the leaves - if they easily separate from the stem and crumble, it's time to grind the mint and put it in storage in paper bags and glass jars.

Freezing a plant

In order to have all year round fragrant greens on the table, you need to pay attention to the winter frost. There are several options for freezing today. At the same time, the color of the leaves, fresh taste and useful characteristics are preserved. Whole leaves are used for brewing tea, decorating dishes, making desserts, cocktails. The shredded blank is suitable for sauces and baked goods.

Whole leaves

The cut greens are placed in cold water for five minutes, regardless of the place of growth, washed under the tap and laid out in a thin layer on towels. It will take half an hour to get rid of excess moisture. Acceleration of the process is possible when mixing raw materials.

Dried mint is sorted into small jars or plastic containers large, healthy leaves and the upper part of the shoots are laid. Use plastic bags incorrectly: the workpiece becomes too fragile. The filled container is sent to the freezer.

Whole twigs

Freezing of stems with leaves is not prohibited. A dense bag is stuffed with portioned bunches of mint, carefully rolled into a tube and placed in the freezer. During the procedure, you need to monitor the safety of the leaves.

Finely chopped

Mint leaves come in handy in the winter, crushed or mashed. Such freezing is convenient to carry out in special mini-molds or inserts from assorted candies. Leaves are cut off from the washed branches and left for 10 minutes to dry. Prepared raw materials are finely chopped with a knife or chopped in a blender. The resulting puree is placed in tins and placed in the freezer. The frozen blank is poured into dense polyethylene bags and closed tightly.

In ice cubes

To freeze mint leaves in ice cubes, you need to get silicone molds or a special container. In the cells are laid out tender leaves and tops of the stems in the amount of 4-6 pieces and filled with chilled boiled water. The blanks are placed in the freezer for several hours, removed from the molds and transferred to plastic bags. This method of freezing allows you to keep the leaves intact, which looks good and elegant in various drinks.

Use of blanks:

The leaves as a whole and the tops of the shoots are suitable as tea infusions, the basis of fragrant, cooling drinks, compotes, cocktails. Such a preparation is useful as an additive to vegetable stews, stews and poultry, salads, first courses, casseroles from cereals and cottage cheese, cheese cakes.
Twigs are used as an ingredient in meat and vegetable rolls, steamed dishes or baked in foil.
Ice cubes are excellent in refreshing drinks, such blanks are especially relevant for Mojito.
Crushed mint serves as a flavoring agent for all kinds of sauces, pastries, salads from fruits or vegetables.

It doesn't matter in what form you have prepared the mint for storage, this plant will be beneficial and leave a pleasant taste experience.

Mint is a healthy ingredient with a pinch of cool, refreshing flavor in a variety of dishes. You may be wondering what to do with leftover mint that you cut off to add to your lamb curry or mojito? While storing mint is easy, it's important to get it right to keep it fresh and flavorful. To prolong the life of the mint, place the herbs in water (like flowers), wrap them in a paper towel and store in the refrigerator, or freeze the leaves in ice cubes.

Steps

Store mint shoots in water

Rinse the mint gently. Remove the rubber band holding the fresh mint bunch. Rinse the mint under running cold water, being careful not to damage the delicate leaves if possible. Shake the remaining water off the leaves and stems, then spread the mint on paper towels.

Grasses must be washed before using or storing, as traces of dirt and bacteria or residues of pesticides and fertilizers may accumulate on them.
Turn on the tap to a minimum so that the water flow is relatively weak.

Cut off the bottom of the stems. Use scissors to cut the edges of the mint stems. This will allow the herbs to absorb water more easily. Do not prune the mint sprigs too hard or they will not be able to stand in the water properly.

Submerge the ends of the mint a few centimeters in the water. Fill a small vase, jug, or other small container about a third full with water. Insert the bunch of mint into the container, stems down, so the trimmed edges are completely submerged in the water. Now that mint has constant access to water, it will last longer.

Cover the mint with plastic. Wrap an empty plastic bag or a piece of cling film around a bunch of mint to block out air. Wrap plastic wrap around the base of the container and secure it there with an elastic band. Store mint upright in the refrigerator if you have enough space, or in the corner of a countertop.

Wrap the mint in a paper towel

Dampen a layer of paper towels. Tear off 2-3 layers of towels and fold them in three to form a thick layer. Dampen paper towels in cold water and then squeeze out the excess water. The towels should be damp, but not soaking wet.

Place the mint sprigs on paper towels. Smooth paper towels and place them on the countertop. Arrange the mint in a row on one half of the paper towels. If the branches don't fit the width of the paper towel layer, trim them back.

If you need to save more mint, wrap several separate bunches.

Roll up paper towels with mint inside. Fold the loose half of the paper towels over the mint. Then fold the edge of the paper towels, leaving the mint inside. The mint will be pressed against wet towels from all sides, which will allow it to receive vital moisture and protect it from air penetration.
- Roll the towels across the stems, not lengthwise, from stem to leaf.
- Do not wrap the mint too tightly to avoid crushing or tearing the leaves.
Place the mint in the refrigerator. Place the wrapped bunch of mint in a string-lock plastic bag or airtight container. Store the container in the refrigerator, removing it only when you need to add a few fresh mint leaves to a snack, smoothie, or dessert.

Freeze mint leaves in ice cubes

Pull the mint leaves off the stems. Rinse the mint under cool water. Pull the leaves off with your hands or trim them with sharp kitchen knife right under the stems. Spread the leaves over dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- This is a great chance to process leftover mint or save a whole bunch when you get home from the store.
- Chop the mint leaves. After that, you just have to melt them when you need to cook, bake or mix drinks.