If the peppermint harvest is very large, it is worth preserving the leaves and stems. To do this, the whole stems or just the leaves are dried or frozen. But peppermint can also be easily processed into oil or pesto.
How to preserve peppermint?
Peppermint can be preserved by drying, freezing, soaking in oil, making pesto or making mint jelly. Dried peppermint preserves its aroma best, while mint jelly can also be used as a sweet spread or side dish.
Use these methods to preserve peppermint
- Drying up
- Freezing
- Soak in oil
- Process into pesto
- Cooking mint jelly
Dry peppermint
Peppermint is best stored when dried. The preservation process is gentle so that the aromatic substances are largely retained. However, dried peppermint no longer looks very decorative.
The dried herb can be brewed as a tea or sprinkled over food.
Freezing peppermint
When freezing, many ingredients are lost and the peppermint no longer tastes as aromatic as, for example, when dried.
Frozen peppermint is added to dishes without thawing or sprinkled over salad.
Place peppermint in oil
Homemade peppermint oil tastes fruity and fresh. However, it contains too few active ingredients to be used as a healing oil.
Mice, however, can be deterred quite well with peppermint oil. Drip a few drops into passages or mouse holes and drive away the pests.
Preparing pesto
For pesto, you should use peppermint together with other herbs. The proportion of peppermint should not predominate, as the strong aroma of the herb drowns out other aromas. The pesto tastes fruity and has a light, pleasant spiciness. It keeps for a long time in the fridge.
Cooking mint jelly
Mint jelly is not only suitable as a refreshingly sweet spread. The peppermint jelly can also be served well with fried foods.
To make it, boil water, turn off the heat and place a bunch of mint in it for a long time. The broth is then poured through a sieve, mixed with apple juice and then made into jelly with sugar.
Mint jelly will keep in an airtight container for several months.
Tips & Tricks
Peppermint tastes best fresh. As an herb you can use it very well as a substitute for parsley. This gives the food and drinks a fruitier and fresher aroma. Fresh peppermint leaves also have a very decorative effect on desserts or in cocktails.