Harvest and dry the bay leaves

Real laurel bush is a green eye-catcher in the garden. The approaching autumn cannot rob it of its leaves either. Its owner can and should use them, however, because they enrich every culinary art. A fine aroma is hidden in it, which gives many dishes the finishing touches. They can be put in the pot freshly picked or dried to wait for their use. This is how you remove the moisture from the spicy leaves.

Drying has a number of advantages

Even if the laurel bush offered. Laurus nobilis, thriving all year round within reach, the use of dried bay leaves should not be discarded from the outset. Because fresh seasoning is not always the best choice, and dried herbs are sometimes better than they think.

• fresh leaves must be used soon
• dried leaves, on the other hand, have a long shelf life
• they retain their full aroma for about two years
• fresh leaves have a pronounced bitter note
• dried leaves lose their bitterness
• their flavor is milder

That intense The aroma of fresh leaves is difficult to handle for the inexperienced. Often the prepared dishes are then unintentional over-seasoned. Dosing with dry leaves is easier and can also be done easily by amateur cooks.

tip: The drying of bay leaves is also useful for all those who only get fresh bay leaves occasionally. For example, as a gift from a friend or neighbor's garden.

Harvest right for good quality

The initial quality has a decisive influence on the end result. This is the simple formula for making dry bay leaves. Although the green leaves always remain the same on the outside, the internal composition varies considerably. In particular, the age of the leaves and the time of harvest have an influence on the intensity of the aromatic substances they contain.

• freshly planted Laurus nobilis is unsuitable
• The leaves only have their full aroma from the second year on
• smaller quantities can be harvested all year round
• Harvest larger quantities in spring or autumn
• Harvest large leaves, they contain most of the aroma
• harvest individual leaves by hand
• whole bundles of leaves / branch tips are cut off
• late morning is the ideal picking time.

tip: It is best to use only whole, healthy leaves for drying. Therefore, when picking, be careful not to unnecessarily damage the leaves.

Washing affects the aroma

Everything that is intended for consumption is thoroughly cleaned beforehand. In principle there is nothing wrong with that. However, when it comes to fresh bay leaves, this rule is not recommended. The waiver happens to that taste for the sake of. Not only does the water remove dust, it also washes away much of the aroma.

• do not wash
• Remove dust particles by shaking
• wash only in the case of larger soiling

tip: Leaves of Laurus nobilis are sensitive to heat. If you rinse them with water, it should only be lukewarm. Then dab the damp leaves dry with kitchen paper.

Dry the bay leaves

Hang up the laurel branches

The simplest way of making laurel durable is both simple and time-saving. The small twigs are tied together at the ends of the stems and hung upside down. However, it only works if the necessary framework conditions are in place:

• The hanging space must be warm, dry and sheltered from the wind
• Attics and garden houses are ideal
• Avoid direct sunlight
• Bundle twigs loosely or hang up individually
• Shake the clump regularly
• Detach sticky sheets from each other
• so air is good at it
• and mold is prevented

Note: Even individually picked leaves can be preserved using this method. In order to be able to hang them up better, they must first be threaded into a chain with a needle and thread like pearls.

Air dry on a mat

Instead of getting rid of the moisture upside down, the leaves can also dry out lying down. Due to its size, a baking sheet is ideal as a base.

• Pick a sufficient amount of fresh leaves
• Refrain from washing to prevent loss of flavor
• instead, gently shake the leaves several times
• If absolutely necessary, rinse the leaves with lukewarm water and dab them off thoroughly with kitchen paper
• do not use whole twigs, pluck leaves beforehand
• Spread the individual leaves evenly on the baking sheet without them touching each other
• prefer to use a second baking sheet if there is not enough space
• Place a clean kitchen towel on the leaves and weigh down with a board (prevents the leaves from rolling up)
• Place the tray in an airy and warm location
• Turn the leaves over from time to time
• regularly on possibly Control mold growth
• The drying process should be completed after about two weeks
• Put the leaves in a storage container, then store them in a convenient place

Technical devices save time

Air drying takes a few days or even weeks. There must also be a suitable hanging space. The moisture can be removed from the bay leaves much faster with a suitable technical device. Oven, microwave and a dehumidifier or dehumidifier can be used for this purpose. Dehydrator on. However, this type of drying has advantages and disadvantages.

• the drying time is shortened considerably
• a few hours or even. Minutes are enough
• Unfortunately, this type of drying is not gentle
• the aroma suffers

Dry in the oven

There is an oven in every household. To preserve Laurus nobilis in it does not therefore require a large financial commitment. Because apart from a few cents for electricity consumption, there are no additional costs. The heat generated in the oven causes the moisture in the laurel to evaporate. But the oven has to be opened Backlight work so as not to subject the leaves to excessive heat. When drying according to this method, the following must be observed:

• Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper
• only then spread the leaves on it
• Leaves shouldn't touch or overlap
• Set the temperature to the lowest possible level
• 50 degrees Celsius should not be exceeded
• Leave the door ajar
• Leaves stay in the oven for about 2-3 hours
• check in between

Express drying in the microwave

Even in the oven, the drying process is considerably shorter than air drying. The microwave can beat the time even further here. A few minutes are enough to remove the last touch of moisture from the leaves. However, only a few leaves can be dried per cycle, which is associated with more effort for larger quantities.

• Spread the leaves on a plate with enough space between them
• Covering the leaves with a paper towel will absorb the evaporating moisture
• Set the microwave to the lowest wattage, more than 300 watts will destroy the aroma as much as possible
• Let the device run for about 2-3 minutes
• When the time has elapsed, open the microwave door and let the leaves evaporate for about a minute
• Check how dry the leaves are
• Moist leaves if necessary Dab with paper towel or dry for a few more seconds

tip: If the dried amount is not enough, you can repeat the process with additional leaves until you have the desired amount.

Dehumidifier and dehydrator

Special devices are also available in stores that gently preserve fruit and herbs. Buying just a handful of bay leaves is hardly worthwhile. But perhaps such a device is already available or can also be used for other crops. While the dehydrator works with light heat and time, the dehumidifier sucks in the air and removes moisture from it. The following applies to both devices:

• The process only takes a few hours
• several inserts are available
• many leaves can be dried at the same time
• low temperatures are gentle on the aroma
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly

Store dry bay leaves properly

Before the bay leaves can find their way into the pantry, they must be sufficiently dried. How long the drying process actually takes depends on the type of drying selected. on the prevailing temperatures. For example, bay leaves can take several weeks to air dry completely. Sure signs that residual moisture is still present are:

• leaves are still dark green
• soft spots

In such cases, you should extend the drying time to be on the safe side.

Dry Laurus nobilis is best stored airtight in a dry and dark place.

• Store bay leaves whole or crushed
• in a spice jar
• or in a tin can

Stored in this way, the shelf life of dried Laurus nobilis is at least 24 months. You can still use the dry leaves for cooking afterwards, but you can expect a decrease in the intensity of the aroma.

Note: If the leaves do not have enough time to completely release the water, this can lead to mold formation. They are then no longer suitable for cooking and must be disposed of.