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Bay leaves grow on a bay laurel tree, which can be found outdoors in the natural ground or planted in large containers (do not confuse with other laurels,whose leaves are poisonous). People cook with bay leaves in order to season their meats, sauces, soups and other hearty dishes. Bay leaves are also used in herbal remedies, to soothe inflammation and it has also been effective in keeping out weevils and other pests. When bay leaves are dried, they can be stored and used for up to a year. Dry bay leaves by picking and separating them, then leaving them in a well ventilated area that is warm and dry until all the moisture has evaporated.
Steps
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Harvest bay leaves from plants that are at least 2 years old. [1] X Research source -
Pick leaves during the middle of summer. The midsummer season allows bay leaves to produce their oils more abundantly, making harvesting easier.Advertisement -
Take the bay leaves off the trees in the morning, after the dew has evaporated. This will ensure your leaves do not wilt.- Detach the bay leaves gently from the trees. You do not want to bruise them. [2] X Research source
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Choose leaves that are healthy and undamaged. You should pick the largest leaves that are available, as these will have the strongest flavor and fragrance.
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Rinse the bay leaves under a cool, gentle stream of water. Shake off the water and pat them with a paper towel to dry. -
Place paper towels on a baking sheet. Make sure you have enough paper towels to cover the sheet, but you do not need more than a single layer. -
Spread the bay leaves onto the paper towels. Do not put leaves on top of one another; they should be separate and have their own space. -
Leave the bay leaves in a warm, dry room that has plenty of ventilation. They should not be in direct light of any kind. -
Allow the leaves to dry for 2 weeks. You can flip them once during the 2 week period to ensure each side dries evenly. -
Notice whether there is any remaining moisture left in the leaves. If they are still dark green in spots or soft, they may need 1 more week to dry.
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Pre-heat your dehydrator to 95 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 46 degrees Celsius). [3] X Research source- Set the heat level higher depending on the area you live in. Places with high humidity, such as Florida, will need a higher dehydrator setting.
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Rinse the bay leaves under a cool, gentle stream of water. Shake off the water and pat them with a paper towel to dry. -
Arrange the herbs on dehydrator trays, in a single layer. Place the trays in the dehydrator and allow them to dry for 1 to 4 hours. [4] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source -
Check the instruction booklet that came with your dehydrator for any other instructions. -
Check the bay leaves periodically. You will know they have completed drying when they begin to curl or crumble and the stems start to split.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I dry them in the oven?Community AnswerYes, you can, but you need to dry them on a low temperature, or use the drying mode on your oven if your model has one.
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QuestionCan I dry bay leaves in a microwave?Community AnswerThat's not a good method for drying them.
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QuestionDo I have to wash the bay leaves first?Community AnswerYes, in a way. You should blanch them in boiling water to remove the slippery film off the leaf before drying.
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Tips
- Store your dried bay leaves in an airtight container such as a plastic bag with a seal or a jar. As long as you keep them out of sunlight in a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius), they will be good for up to 1 year.Thanks
- Remember that dried herbs are much stronger than fresh herbs. When you are using bay leaves in accordance with a recipe, remember to adjust the amount you use if your recipe calls for fresh bay leaves and you decide to use your dried bay leaves.Thanks
- Try drying bay leaves in a microwave oven when you only need a few leaves and you do not want to wait to dry a whole batch.Thanks
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Warnings
- Do not dry your bay leaves outside in the sun. This will cause discoloration of the leaves and the herbs will lose their flavor.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Baking sheet
- Paper towels
- Dehydrator
References
About This Article
Article Summary
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To dry bay leaves, place paper towels in a single layer on a baking sheet and spread the bay leaves onto the paper towels. Leave the bay leaves for 2 weeks in a warm, dry room with plenty of ventilation, flipping them once during that period. If you prefer, you can place them in a dehydrator instead. Rinse the bay leaves in cool water and pat them dry with a paper towel, then place them in a single layer into the dehydrator. Let them dry for 1-4 hours, with the dehydrator heated to between 95° and 115°F. Keep reading to learn how to harvest bay leaves!
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Reader Success Stories
- "The pictures are very helpful! I'm going to try both drying naturally and dehydrating. One of my favorite vegan bloggers took the little bits at the bottom of her spice jar and ground it into powder. Now she never has to worry about fishing the leaves out!" ..." more
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"The pictures are very helpful! I'm going to try both drying naturally and dehydrating. One of my favorite vegan bloggers took the little bits at the bottom of her spice jar and ground it into powder. Now she never has to worry about fishing the leaves out!"
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"Having recently purchased two bay laurel trees and being unsure how to prepare the leaves for use in cooking, I found the article most informative. Now instead of buying bay leaves (which I use in practically all my dishes), I can use my own. Thanks."
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"Great to have pictures with the text. Great to have details like "pick the largest leaves because they have strongest flavor." It is also helpful to know that the leaves are not necessarily dried while pressing them flat, like the bought bay leaves."
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"Extremely helpful. Initially I was intending to place fresh bay leaves in my pot of Italian sauce as I was preparing it. After reading the articles, I realized that was not a good idea at all."
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"It was great to have all of the possible methods of drying. Also appreciated the warning about other laurel leaves. The tips section was helpful as well. Very thorough."
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