Peppermint help

[Bendy Demon]

Ok..I had posted in 'Status Updates' about a problem I am having when drying peppermint in that after drying and packaging the mint that after a day or so it smells more like dried grass clipping and not aromatic like it should.

So I am asking anyone out there who is truly knowledgeable on drying herbs what am I doing wrong? I tried using the instruction from the book I have; it tells me to dry the mint at 110 degrees for 18 - 20 and they are quite crispy and they develop that dried grass clipping smell.

I attempted to dry my latest batch at a lower temp and check on them periodically until they are quite dry and afterwards I put it into a baggie to see what transpires.

Already the mint smell has dissipated and does not smell like the dried mint I used to have years ago. I only know it is peppermint but don't know the exact type so..is that a factor? Would air drying them be better? I really don't know what I am doing wrong and would appreciate some legitimate insight.

[Piney]

10 minutes ago, Bendy Demon said:

Ok..I had posted in 'Status Updates' about a problem I am having when drying peppermint in that after drying and packaging the mint that after a day or so it smells more like dried grass clipping and not aromatic like it should.

So I am asking anyone out there who is truly knowledgeable on drying herbs what am I doing wrong? I tried using the instruction from the book I have; it tells me to dry the mint at 110 degrees for 18 - 20 and they are quite crispy and they develop that dried grass clipping smell.

I attempted to dry my latest batch at a lower temp and check on them periodically until they are quite dry and afterwards I put it into a baggie to see what transpires.

Already the mint smell has dissipated and does not smell like the dried mint I used to have years ago. I only know it is peppermint but don't know the exact type so..is that a factor? Would air drying them be better? I really don't know what I am doing wrong and would appreciate some legitimate insight.

Your evaporating out the oil. Just hang it in a cool dry spot. 

[Bendy Demon]

2 hours ago, Piney said:

Your evaporating out the oil. Just hang it in a cool dry spot. 

Not sure if I have a cool spot, would drying it at a lower temp help or is air drying better for mint than a dehydrator.

Actually..maybe I can try hanging it up in a closet

Thank you for the reply and help

[Piney]

1 minute ago, Bendy Demon said:

Not sure if I have a cool spot, would drying it at a lower temp help or is air drying better for mint than a dehydrator.

Actually..maybe I can try hanging it up in a closet

Thank you for the reply and help

Air drying is best for any herb. You don't lose the oils.

I used the basement or the carriage house for drying herbs. But my basement was big and dry.

[Bendy Demon]

9 minutes ago, Piney said:

Air drying is best for any herb. You don't lose the oils.

I used the basement or the carriage house for drying herbs. But my basement was big and dry.

Ah..I see. I will have to see if I have a good place to dry the herbs and will try the closet as I have lots of clothes hangers to hang them from but if that is not possible my last resort will be to see how low in temp my dehydrator goes. I don't think my dehydrator has a no-heat setting but I will check.

Thanks again for teh help, I figured air drying would be best as this is what my parents did with the mint we had and the same went for chamomile as well.

I don't have much space to do much of anything so the closet is the best choice, I can still open the doors a crack to let air in.

[Piney]

10 minutes ago, Bendy Demon said:

Ah..I see. I will have to see if I have a good place to dry the herbs and will try the closet as I have lots of clothes hangers to hang them from but if that is not possible my last resort will be to see how low in temp my dehydrator goes. I don't think my dehydrator has a no-heat setting but I will check.

Thanks again for teh help, I figured air drying would be best as this is what my parents did with the mint we had and the same went for chamomile as well.

I don't have much space to do much of anything so the closet is the best choice, I can still open the doors a crack to let air in.

My son messed with a dehydrator, but only to make his long term camping food. I never did. 

[Bendy Demon]

27 minutes ago, Piney said:

My son messed with a dehydrator, but only to make his long term camping food. I never did. 

Well the dehydrator is great for things like veggies and fruits as well as making jerky; I already dried a bunch of potatoes, carrots and onions with it however as good as the machine is there is no fan only option and the lowest the temp goes is 95 degrees so I am going to harvest more mint and just hang it upside down in teh closet, crack the door open to get an airflow and let nature do the work for the next two weeks thereabouts.

So far I have dried, carrots, potatoes, onions, pineapple, apples and bananas...that all works great but I was ignorant when it came tot eh herbs.

The dehydrator book tells me to dry mint at 110 degrees for 18 to 20 hours and I should have listened to my intuition as it indicated that this was too high a heat.

From what I read, air drying is always best so this is what I shall do for all my herbs.

Thanks for the advice Piney, I do appreciate it.

[Piney]

1 minute ago, Bendy Demon said:

Well the dehydrator is great for things like veggies and fruits as well as making jerky; I already dried a bunch of potatoes, carrots and onions with it however as good as the machine is there is no fan only option and the lowest the temp goes is 95 degrees so I am going to harvest more mint and just hang it upside down in teh closet, crack the door open to get an airflow and let nature do the work for the next two weeks thereabouts.

So far I have dried, carrots, potatoes, onions, pineapple, apples and bananas...that all works great but I was ignorant when it came tot eh herbs.

The dehydrator book tells me to dry mint at 110 degrees for 18 to 20 hours and I should have listened to my intuition as it indicated that this was too high a heat.

From what I read, air drying is always best so this is what I shall do for all my herbs.

Thanks for the advice Piney, I do appreciate it.

Your welcome! 

Jono was all fruit for his treks. But I also bought him a jerky oven for Christmas and he really went over the top. 

[Bendy Demon]

19 minutes ago, Piney said:

Your welcome! 

Jono was all fruit for his treks. But I also bought him a jerky oven for Christmas and he really went over the top. 

There is nothing better than making your own jerky, this way you can control the ingredients and you don't have to worry about ingesting questionable ingredients either.

Years ago my dad and I made beef and turkey jerky and it was really great too!

[Bendy Demon]

Ok..here is an update..

I think that what I may have been dealing with is Spearmint rather than peppermint. It did not really occur to me to look at the leaves and taste them so when it dries up out there I will check but if it IS spearmint then it would explain the decided lack of scent even when air dried and the smell of dried grass clippings after just a couple of hours.

I mean I can still use it but now that I know what I may have been dealing with I may have to employ a different method to preserve the spearmint though I am unsure how.