Mint!!!

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knifefan

Full Member
Nov 11, 2008
1,048
3
62
Lincolnshire
Every year I always have a "glut" of mint, and struggle to use it all before it go's to seed!!! Anyone got ideas about the best way to store/preserve it for a decent period?? :)
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Make up a batch of Pimms!

You could dry it out in a dehydrator/oven, you could liquidise it or chip finely and freeze either as pulp or mixed with water to make minty ice cubes. You could make mint vodka or gin. Like Mrcharly says either mint sauce or jelly (personally don't like but you could give it as presents.) Make mint chutney, ice-cream, tea, Mojitos, mint syrup.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,718
1,964
Mercia
If its the right sort (peppermint), dried and packed it can be used as peppermint tea = much cheaper than buying it.
 

knifefan

Full Member
Nov 11, 2008
1,048
3
62
Lincolnshire
Can i chop it fine to freeze or is whole leaves ok?? I get my mint tea and cardamon coffee from a pal in Jordan :)

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
Mint chutney. Great with indian food.

Grind 2oz of mint leaves with a quarter cupful of vinegar until you get a thick paste (or use a blender). Chop up a quarter pound of tamarind, 2 oz of green chillies, an onion, and a clove of garlic. Add this, and a dessertspoonful of salt, to the mint paste and mix thoroughly. Bottle and store for a few days before using. (recipe from that old standby, Food For Free)

Or make mint julep, for when we eventually get some hot sunny weather.
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
364
73
SE Wales
Pull the plants out by the roots, leaving enough to regenerate of course, and hang them upside down somewhere dry and airy; when dry crush the leaves and store in air-tight jars and use as any other dried herb.
My mother did this with the garden mint all her life and we always had great-tasting and strong mint right through 'till it came again...........apparently, hanging with the roots still on the plant preserves all the essentials
and makes the flavour as good as dried stuff can be. Hope this helps, atb mac
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
44
Britannia!
Dry it dude!

Cut it up fine and dry it on paper in the sun, or dehydrate in a jerky maker. They either jar it, or bag it with a sealed teabag filled with salt to absorb any remaining moisture. Then just go about using it as and when you please!

I do that with coffee beans, as I smoke them and they tend to have alot of oil in them!
 

Eragon21

Full Member
May 30, 2009
253
0
Aberdare
I dry Lemon Balm in a herb drying basket and then store it in jars ready for use, I assume that it would be much of the same process for mint as they are part of the same family.
 

calgarychef

Forager
May 19, 2011
168
1
woking
I'm not sure if this works with mint but it does with lavender. Get a big jar and layer leaves and granulated sugar, pack it in nice and tight, then leave (leaf?) it for a few days. The sugar is hygroscopic (sp?) and will absorb the water from the leaves and make nice mint sugar.
 

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