How to Keep Mint From Wilting

Fresh mint has an aroma that almost everyone likes. It invokes memories of holiday peppermint candies and childhood. Mint has also been used through the centuries for holistic remedies such as relief from upset stomachs. Like any other fresh herb, though, mint easily wilts, making those lovely leaves less attractive as garnishes and in drinks. However, don’t worry that your fresh mint will wilt in your recipes. There are some helpful techniques to delay the wilting process.

Fresh mint sprigs

Ice cube trays

Large bowl

Paper towels

Plastic bag

Plastic container with lid

Refrigerator

Tall drinking glass or jar

Water

Pick three or four sprigs of fresh mint by clipping the stems off close to the ground. Purchase three or four fresh-looking mint sprigs if you don’t grow your own. Clip or purchase more or fewer sprigs depending upon how many mint leaves you need.

Submerge the fresh mint sprigs in a bowl of cool water as soon as possible. Place the bowl in the sink under a gentle flow of cool water. Use your hands to gently swirl the mint sprigs around to remove any dirt or insects. Pour the cool water down the sink drain and refill the bowl with more cool water. Repeat until the mint appears clean enough to eat.

Remove the mint sprigs from the cool water and roll them in paper towels until semidry. Allow the sprigs to air dry for no more than 10 minutes to remove any remaining standing water. The mint may start to dry out if you let it air dry any longer. If you need to keep your mint from wilting longer than three or four days, skip to Step 5.

Place the air dry mint sprigs between layers of paper towels in a plastic container with an airtight lid. Ensure that there are paper towels between the bottom of the bowl and the mint and over the top of the mint before closing the lid. Place the airtight bowl in the refrigerator. The mint springs should keep fresh without wilting for three or four days or more. Skip to step 6.

Place the air dried mint sprigs in a drinking glass or glass jar filled with enough cool water inside to cover no more than 2 inches of the sprig stems if you will not be using the mint that day. Place the drinking glass or jar with mint sprigs in the refrigerator away from other produce. Cover the mint leaves with a loose fitting plastic bag. The mint should keep fresh without wilting for at least one week. Change the water each day.

Remove the mint leaves from the sprigs by hand as needed for garnishes, recipes, and drinks. If the mint begins to show signs of wilting, remove the good leaves by hand from the sprigs and freeze them in ice-cube trays. Fill the ice cube tray with water first, then put one mint leaf in each cube and freeze. Mint ice cubes can also be made when the mint is first picked.

Fresh mint may be found at farmers markets throughout the growing season. There are many different varieties to try, like apple mint and chocolate mint. Pick the variety that has the most pleasant aroma to you.

Always use your hands to remove mint leaves from the sprigs. Contact with metal kitchen utensils will make the leaves wilt faster.

Check with your doctor before using mint regularly for medicinal purposes.