I have always dried my mint on the stem. I just remove any bad leaves, submerge in water and wash, then shake the bunch off, tie a string around a small bunch and hang them in a warm dry spot.
I am constantly rooting and growing more mint so i can put it in pots all around my house and also give as gifts. I love making mint herb tea with it too. Thank you for all the other food ideas using mint!
Doing this evaporates the essential oils from the plant which are the most beneficial & flavorful part Better to dehydrate them by hanging them upside down & let the air do it- takes longer but much healthier
@@PrepperPotpourri If you dry on the lowest setting the oils should still be OK and it stays greener. I can't hang to dry this time of year around here due to high humidity.
One more thing, be sure to shake the tincture as often as possible (preferably once a day). You do not want the top to mold, so by shaking it will keep everything covered by the vodka! Good luck!
I know this video is almost 6 years old, but recently I’ve had the idea of making something like Chewing Tobacco but with just spearmint and maybe Parsley and Cilantro as well for better breath and a natural alternative to like gum and Altoids.
After dehydrating mint, should the mint still have a strong minty smell? Every time I dry mint in the oven I don't have a minty smell anymore. Was curious if this affects the mint in any way as far as cooking or tea
Please consider adding "uses for mint" to your title. I came across your video by accident....and would have not discovered all the wonderful uses you presented if I had been searching by title. BTW: you may consider NOT washing the leaves as washing tends to reduce the oils in the mint. I tend to use a watering can on my mint plants frequently to keep them clean...and just check the leaves for dirt or insects as I use them. ALSO: I tend to set a handful of mint leaves out on a screen (or even a plate or cookie sheet) in the summer sun for the afternoon.....they are dry a few hours later, and I can crumble them and place them into a jar that I keep for dried mint to use in the winter.
Prepper Potpourri You are most welcome! I'm willing to bet that tweaking that title will give you lots more "views" on your video....and more folks will benefit from all of the great tips you built into the video as well. Best of luck to you!!! ~~RED ☮♥♫
they say, when using fresh herbs (not dried) to use grain alcohol (190 proof) because the moisture from the leaves will dilute the alcohol mix. When using dried leaves it is ok to use 80 proof vodka. What are your findings?
+kckrye Since i don't consider mint to be a high moisture herb I believe it to be fine. I am not an expert. I copied the following from The Mountain Rose Blog: Alcohol Percentages 40% - 50% (80-90 proof vodka) • "Standard" percentage range for tinctures. • Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not juicy. • Good for extraction of water soluble properties. 67.5% - 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol) • Extracts most volatile aromatic properties. • Good for fresh high-moisture herbs like lemon balm, berries, and aromatic roots. • The higher alcohol percentage will draw out more of the plant juices. 85% - 95% (190 proof grain alcohol) • Good for gums and resins. • Extracts aromatics and essential oils that are bound in the plant and do not dissipate easily. • The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not quite pleasant to take. • Often used for drop dosage medicines. • Will totally dehydrate herbs.
Thanks...I was wondering. Thanks for the helpful info as well. :) I am going to try and make a tincture out of my bee propolis using 80-90 proof vodka. We have a bunch of mint on the farm as well so we wanted to look for a way to use that. :)
+Stacey J Yes. You can air dry them by hanging them in loose bundles upside down or oven dry by placing the leaves on a cookie sheet in a 180 degree oven for 3-4 hours.
