Is it possible to freeze mint and lemon balm leaves for the winter: for mojitos, tea, how to store in the freezer

How to store fresh mint sprigs

Fresh mint sprigs can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. For this, young stems with leaves up to 15 cm long are used. It is advisable to cut early in the morning or in the evening. Greens harvested at noon will immediately wither.

Storage instructions:

Place the branches in cold water, rinse gently, and shake off any drops.
Dry. It’s better to put it in an empty jar, like a bouquet. Don't pack it tightly. We send it to a draft. A window sill or a corridor will do.
Take a paper towel, fold it into 2-4 layers, and place it on the bottom of the container.
We send the dried twigs. It is important not to compact it; we create a loose layer.
Let's close. Place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Do you make drinks with mint?
Not really

You can freeze all types of mint and lemon balm. Use leaves and tender twigs. They harvest it whole, cut it, crush it, make mixtures with lemon, ice cubes. Shelf life from 3 to 12 months.

Selection and preparation of raw materials

During the harvesting season, you can dry and freeze any variety of mint. If possible, it is very good to use several types of herbs at the same time. For example, adding lemon balm gives a wonderful combination of menthol with a pronounced lemon aroma.

The greatest health benefits come from grass grown outdoors or in containers under the summer sun.

The herbs are collected in warm sunny weather immediately before flowering or at its beginning (July - August), because the content of essential oils is lower in too young shoots and faded plants. Only twigs with fresh leaves without signs of disease (gray or white coating, small black dots or spots of rust) are suitable for freezing. To prevent cut aromatic herbs from wilting, they should be placed in a jar of water before starting work or placed in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp towel.

You should not make preparations from herbs purchased in the supermarket.

After sorting and removing bad stems, the raw materials are thoroughly washed. To do this, completely immerse it in a container of cold water and leave for about 10-20 minutes. Using warm or hot water leads to a decrease in the amount of aromatic substances and a loss of fresh appearance.

Having shaken off excess moisture well, the branches are laid out in one layer on a kitchen or paper towel, blotted on top and turned over several times so that the raw materials are completely dry.

If you plan to freeze the stemless greens, remove or cut off the leaves and tender tops.

Why do you need to freeze mint?

This is the only way not to lose the natural color and fresh menthol aroma. Drying mint, canning, and other options are not suitable. The plant loses its properties and cannot be used in cooking. At low temperatures, greens will retain up to 90% of their nutrients.

Why do you freeze mint?

preparing drinks. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, lemonades, tea, compote;
sweet sauces, ice cream, other desserts;

decoration of sweet, meat and other dishes;
application in folk medicine, cosmetology.

In the chamber, delicate plants may lose their elasticity, become softer, and darken. Therefore, it is important to freeze according to all the rules. Then there will be an elastic leaf in a glass of refreshing lemonade. It is indistinguishable from its fresh counterpart.

At low temperatures, menthol crystals are released from mint. The aroma becomes much brighter.

Features of drying and storing mint greens

Mint greens, like other herbs, can be dried in modern electric dryers, however, in this case, it is important to remember some of the features of the herb. How to dry mint so that it retains as many essential oils, vitamins and healing substances as possible? First of all, you should not expose raw materials to elevated temperatures. The optimal temperature for drying herbs is 20–35 °C. Therefore, the most gentle mode is used in an electric dryer, and it is not recommended to dry mint in the oven for the winter.

Tender greens lose moisture quickly, so the drying process is very intensive. You should not overexpose mint in an electric dryer, as this will lead to excessive fragility of the leaves and loss of some of the beneficial properties.

If the room where the mint bunches are hung is humid, the herb must be moved to another place as soon as possible, otherwise mold will settle on the stems and leaves and make the raw material unsuitable for consumption.

Mint that has been overdried or exposed to high temperatures can be easily recognized by the brown color of its leaves. This herb has virtually no odor and is useless for health.

How to prepare mint for freezing

It is advisable to process and freeze the greens on the day of collection. Ideally - immediately after cutting. Young, elastic branches are used for preparations. The plant gains the maximum amount of aromatic and beneficial substances during budding. The exact date depends on the landing time. Most often the period lasts from late June to mid-August. Determining a suitable twig is simple - it does not break when bent.

Preparation instructions:

Inspect the bottom of the branch. Often there are damaged, old, crooked leaves. We delete it without regret. It's better to freeze the top part.
Rinse in the coldest water. If the plant is slightly wilted, soak it for half an hour. Then we update the slice.
Let's dry it. It is better to put mint in glasses or dry jars. It can be laid out on a towel and turned over periodically. Drying time should not exceed one hour.
If necessary, pinch off the leaves from the stems.
Some recipes require slicing and grinding with a blender, follow the instructions.

For medicinal and cosmetic purposes, mint branches are often prepared along with buds and flowers. It is allowed to add these parts to drinks. Focus on your goals. This is the case when waste can turn into a valuable workpiece.

Preparing the greens

First of all, the mint should be sorted out - remove crushed or damaged stems, as well as weeds that could accidentally get into the bunch. After this, start washing the greens under cold running water.

Contact with warm, and especially hot water should not be allowed: the mint will lose some of its aroma and will look lethargic.

Next, the washed mint sprigs are dried with a clean waffle towel or gauze folded in several layers. But if freezing occurs in ice trays, this preparation step can be neglected.

For decoration, mint can be frozen whole. If the herb is intended to be added to drinks, it is better to separate the leaves from the stems.

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How to properly freeze fresh mint or lemon balm

There is peppermint, lemon mint, spearmint, ginger mint, Korean mint, and menthol mint. There are many varieties of lemon balm. Plants differ in aroma, shape, color, and leaf size. You can freeze all types, you can make assorted ones.

Benefits of freezing:

color preservation;
fresh aroma;
simplicity of the process;
many methods.

Flaw:

need fresh plants;
requires space in the cell;
It is important to know how to defrost.

Shredded leaves

It is better to freeze a large amount of mint and lemon balm in chopped form. The workpiece will take up less space. It is ready to use and does not require lengthy preparation. It is allowed to plant wet plants.

Method for freezing mint leaves for the winter

Instructions:

We tear off the leaves or cut them together with the young stems with a regular knife, like other greens.
Place into bags in portions. Squeeze out excess air. Roll, close or tie tightly.
Send to the chamber, freeze.

After hardening, we recommend placing small bags in a common bag or container. You don’t have to look for preparations throughout the chamber; additional packaging will help preserve the aroma.

Freezing in ice cubes

We recommend freezing ice cubes to make refreshing drinks. We use special molds. Or we are looking for alternative containers. Inserts from candy boxes are suitable; sometimes small silicone molds are used to mold candies, marmalade, and chocolate.

Instructions:

Place fresh leaves in each mold. 3-5 pieces are enough. We look at the size and our own preferences. You can freeze tightly packed cubes.
Cool boiled water to the lowest possible temperature.
Pour the cubes with prepared mint or lemon balm.
Now you can freeze it! We send the blanks to the chamber for 8-10 hours.
Just don’t leave it for long. As soon as the water has solidified and completely turned into ice, shake out the cubes into a bag.

An option is to freeze the cubes with lemon juice. Sometimes spirals of zest are introduced. It turns out very interesting when using sugar or honey syrup, berry juices.

Freezing mint with lemon

The combination of lemon and mint is almost a classic. Try freezing them together. We offer crushed billets with a wide range of applications. It is useful in cooking, home medicine and cosmetology.

Instructions:

Wash a large lemon, pour boiling water over it, cut into slices. We remove all the bones.
Place the citrus in a blender, add mint leaves - approximately 150 grams. Let's chop everything together. We make the consistency at our discretion. Some people like homogeneous masses. Other people like pieces.
We pack the crushed mass into small bags with a zip fastener. Or put it in molds.
All that's left to do is freeze it.

Those with a sweet tooth can add granulated sugar to the mixture. It will improve the taste, help the aromatic notes to reveal themselves, and is a natural preservative.

For drinks

For lovers of mojitos, aromatic tea, and refreshing compotes, we recommend freezing whole leaves; they can be used together with young branches. We offer several proven methods.

How to properly freeze mint and lemon balm for the winter in the refrigerator:

in vacuum bags . We place the greens, remove excess air, and seal at the same time. Next, the bags must be immediately put into the chamber and frozen;
knots in a plastic bag . Place a handful of mint on the bottom, press down, tie a knot. Place the greens again, press and tie. It is convenient to use long bags from baguettes and loaves. At any time, cut off a portion above the next node and return the remainder to the chamber;

flat layer . Place in a bag in a thin layer. It is convenient to use bags with a zip fastener. Place in the freezer, press down with a weight. In winter we chop off the required amount;
in film, foil . Unwind the piece, lay a layer of leaves, and roll it up. Next, seal the edges and freeze.

Lovers of sweet drinks can freeze mint leaves along with granulated sugar. Add an arbitrary amount to each serving. Sometimes lemon balm is ground with sugar before packaging until juice appears. The advantage of this option is saving space.

Making frozen mint drinks in winter

Ingredients

Our most popular variety of mint is peppermint. In fact, you can choose absolutely any mint and prepare it in the quantity you want. All we need for cooking is the mint itself and the containers in which it will be stored.

We cut the mint stems so that we get identical branches as shown in the photo. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very convenient.

Pour clean cold water into a basin and put all the mint in it, rinse it carefully, then drain the water, and pour new one in return. We repeat the procedure several more times until the water is no longer cloudy.

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We lay out a clean towel on a flat surface, put mint on top of it, and wrap it in a cloth: this way we will completely get rid of the moisture without wasting much time or damaging the leaves.

We divide clean and dry mint sprigs into small bunches of 3 pieces each. We place these bunches at an equidistant distance from each other in a ziplock bag.

Carefully twist the mint package in the bag, having first tightly fastened the clasp. Place the prepared parcels in the freezer until completely frozen.

Mint cannot be subjected to secondary freezing, which is why it is so convenient that we have several small bunches in each bag. You can remove one such bunch of herbs, pour boiling water over it and make tea from it, and return the rest to the freezer.

Mint leaves frozen in the refrigerator are ready.

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Freezer storage rules

Fresh, juicy mint can easily turn into a limp herb that lacks flavor. It is important not only to freeze correctly, but also to store. Only closed containers are used. After hardening, the blanks in the molds are immediately transferred and sealed. Otherwise, the menthol aroma will spread throughout the chamber. The supplies will develop a foreign odor.

Plastic containers

Worst packaging for mint. You will have to open the container each time and collect the required amount. Aromatic herbs are not used in large portions. Even with a minimum container volume of 100-150 ml, there will be a lot of workpiece for one time.

Every time you open it, oxygen enters. The container is removed from the freezer and the temperature rises sharply.

It is better to freeze in individual bags, then put in a container.

Vacuum bags

Perfect packaging. When the air is removed, the mint will last as long as possible. The only point is that we recommend choosing small bags. It is advisable to remove all air. Requires a special device. Some housewives have gotten used to sucking it with a cocktail straw. The method is also suitable for freezing currant leaves and lettuce.

How long can mint or lemon balm be stored frozen?

Shelf life depends on temperature, tightness of the container, and the presence of additives. The recommended temperature is 18 degrees. It is better to freeze mint at -24 or in a special No Frost program.

Expiration dates:

3 months ice cubes;
6-9 months mint with lemon;

12 months of preparation in vacuum bags;
6-7 months freezing in regular bags.

It makes no sense to freeze impressive reserves. Fresh mint, lemon balm, is available from April-May to October. Growing potted plants on window sills and heated loggias is actively practiced. There are special varieties. They are suitable for decoration. And winter supplies from the freezer will give dishes and drinks freshness and fill them with aroma.

Ice cubes for mojito

This method will be appreciated by lovers of delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, who often prepare them at home. Considering that mint and ice are added to one popular cocktail, the question arises: is it possible to freeze mint for the winter for a mojito? Of course, ice cubes with the addition of crushed plants are the most suitable option for this. By the way, this way you can keep the kunza fresh.

You can use small silicone molds, ice containers, or plastic inserts found in candy boxes. Each cell can accommodate several leaves and young shoots. Fill the mint with cold, clean water and place the mold in the freezer for 3-4 hours. The cubes are then removed and placed in a bag.

It is not recommended to store a frozen plant in a mold, since the ice will quickly absorb the aromas of the freezer. Leaves in cubes do not break and look fresh, so they will look very attractive in drinks.

How to defrost mint leaves

To obtain fresh, juicy and firm leaves, it is important to freeze quickly. Use the lowest temperature. No Frost mode simplifies the task. It is recommended to defrost slowly and in a cool place. A refrigerator is ideal.

Basic Rules:

To decorate dishes, twigs are dipped in ice water and placed in the refrigerator. They gradually recede, elasticity returns;
the product is added to cold drinks immediately from the chamber, it gradually leaves;

It is also recommended to add frozen mint and lemon balm to tea, compote, and whipped cocktails. Do not lose juices or aromatic substances;
sauces for main courses and desserts are prepared from completely melted product.

Do not remove the mint in advance. Thin leaves thaw quickly even in the refrigerator. Sometimes it is more convenient to wait a little rather than use limp greens that have lost their juices and aroma.

Features of freezing and defrosting mint

Flavored sugar

You can preserve mint for tea for the winter by preparing sugar with the addition of perennials. In addition, green-based sweets are used for baking, drinks, fruit salads and desserts. Thanks to this preparation, the sugar will be saturated with beneficial microelements, and the mint will remain fresh for a long time.

Greens and sugar are taken in equal quantities, after which they are crushed until smooth. The mixture is then poured into clean jars and stored in the refrigerator.

Harvesting this plant will not only allow you to enjoy fragrant mint for a long time, but also save a lot of money, since in the cold season the prices for perennials increase 2-3 times. Thanks to the simple recommendations presented in the article, you can provide yourself and your loved ones with healthy greens for the whole year.

How to preserve mint for the winter at home

In the summer, we enjoy the fresh taste and aroma of mint leaves, which we can simply pick from the garden. But experienced housewives know how to stock up on this spice and how to store mint. Properly collected plant materials retain most of their beneficial properties and, as scientists say, organoleptic qualities - for example, smell and taste.

This home supply will be useful for making mint tea, which is good for colds and insomnia; it is used to prepare sauces, fish and meat dishes, and sweets. The best recipes for preparing mint for the winter include both jam and syrup, but most often we dry it and freeze it.