An exemplary cultivated mint provides aromatic leaves in abundance. You can easily freeze the surplus harvest and preserve it for many months. We have compiled the best practices for you here.

It is this preparation that counts

If mint is skilfully prepared, the course is set for successful freezing. How to handle it correctly:

  • Harvest entire branches in the morning just before flowering
  • leave a quarter of the shoot on the plant for renewed growth
  • only cut the mint close to the ground when harvesting in autumn
  • Rinse fresh mint thoroughly under clear water

The aroma is better retained in the leaves if they are not picked before freezing. Either blot off the water with a cloth or dry the mint in the salad spinner.

Clever and practical - freeze mint leaves separately

It's annoying if the mint leaves stick together when you take them out of the freezer. This shortcoming can be avoided by a simple intermediate step. How to freeze the herb leaves individually:

  • On a baking sheet or platter, spread the branches or leaves out so they don't touch
  • Place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes
  • fill the pre-frozen mint into resealable bags or freezer containers

Avoid letting the herbs thaw when decanting. Don't forget to label it with the name and date. To conjure up an invigorating tea from the frozen mint, remove the leaves one by one and pour boiling water over them while they are frozen.

Freeze portions - this is how it works

Defrosting is not necessary for the preparation of tea or as a seasoning in warm dishes. Mint leaves can therefore be frozen very well in portions using the following method:

  • Cut or chop the prepared mint
  • Fill the compartments of an ice cube tray two-thirds full with the leaves
  • Pour cold water over it and put it in the freezer

If you freeze several ice cube trays with mint, they can later be stacked to save space. For use in the kitchen, the individual mint cubes can be easily removed and added to the dish without being thawed. However, none of the mint types should be cooked for a long time, because this process results in a significant loss of aroma. The popular kitchen herb can be frozen for up to 12 months.

tips and tricks

Frozen peppermint does not work very well as a garnish on cakes or desserts after it has been thawed. In this case, gourmets candy the freshly harvested leaves. Simply dip into a syrup made from 100 grams of sugar and 80 milliliters of water. Let dry on a plate until slightly sticky and sprinkle with sugar. Leave to dry in the oven at 50 degrees and store in an airtight container.

GTH

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden