Fennel or mint leaves have a pleasant aroma and taste, and in dried form, fennel leaves can be used as a food garnish, flavoring, or part of herbal tea blends. Drying fennel leaves is fairly easy, but there are several methods you can use to achieve the same result.
Step
Part 1 of 7: Preparing Fennel Leaves
Step 1. Harvest the dill
For any type of fennel, this herb is ready to be harvested before it reaches the flowering period. Cut the dill in the morning, after the dew has dried, using a pruner or a sharp knife.
- Cut the fennel about a third of the length from the bottom of the main stalk. This will ensure that the plant will have sufficient strength to grow back.
- Cutting fennel before flowering will provide maximum aroma and taste because this is the stage in the growth cycle where the leaves contain a lot of oil.
- Gently shake each fennel branch after cutting it to get rid of any insects that might be hiding.
Step 2. Wash and dry the dill
Wash each fennel branch under cold running water. Dry with clean paper towels and/or a salad spinner (a tool for washing and removing excess water from vegetables). Fennel must be completely dry before processing.
- Dry the fennel with a paper towel to remove any visible water. Then, lay the dill in a single layer on paper towels and allow the stalks and leaves to dry for an hour or two.
- If using a salad spinner, place the fennel bunch in the salad spinner and dry any visible water using the tool. You should place the dill on a clean paper towel afterwards to let it dry for another hour or two.
Step 3. Consider separating the leaves from the stems
The only drying methods that require you to leave the fennel stalks intact are natural drying or air drying. For another method of drying, you should separate the fennel leaves from the stems before drying the fennel leaves, as this process will be easier before the fennel leaves dry out.
- Pick the leaves with your fingers. You can also cut it with a sharp knife.
- Check for damaged or diseased leaves when you pick them. Discard the leaves that are not good and keep the leaves in good condition.
Part 2 of 7: Natural Drying (Air)
Step 1. Gather the dill into several batches
Separate the dill into small batches. Tie the fennel bunch using kitchen twine (special thread for tying cooking ingredients) or thick thread.
Make sure you tie the fennel bunches tightly to the stems, and leave as much of the leaves exposed as possible
Step 2. Hang the dill to dry in a warm, dark, well-ventilated area
Tie the end of the rope on a clothes hanger or clothesline and place it in a room that is well ventilated and warm, but with little light. Make sure the dill is hung upside down.
- A dark bedroom, outhouse, or kitchen is often a great place, but if you can't find a room that's dark enough, you can place a paper bag on top of the dill, sticking the paper down without pressing it.
- The room temperature is at least 20 degrees Celsius.
- Hanging the fennel upside down will encourage the oil that contains the flavor and aroma to seep into the leaves instead of collecting on the stems.
Step 3. Remove the leaves from the stems
After a week or two have passed, the fennel will dry out. Lower it from the hanger and remove the leaf from the stalk and place it on a clean paper towel.
- Hold the end of the rod with one hand.
- Move your hand under the stem. The leaves will fall off easily, but you will need to pull the top leaf apart from the stem.
Part 3 of 7: Microwave Drying
Step 1. Spread the fennel leaves on a microwave-safe plate
Spread it in a single layer and don't let the leaves overlap each other.
By arranging the fennel leaves in a single layer, you can dry the leaves faster and more evenly than if you put the leaves in a microwave-safe bowl
Step 2. Microwave the fennel leaves at 10 second intervals
Place the fennel leaves in the microwave and heat for 10 seconds, checking frequently to see if they are starting to curl and become crisp. The fennel leaves will dry fairly well within 15-45 seconds.
- Ideally, the leaves will remain green. You can use the leaves after they have browned, but green leaves have a better taste and aroma.
- If you are putting a bunch of fennel leaves in a dish instead of laying them in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate, then you will need to stir the leaves every 30 seconds and microwave them for 1-3 minutes. However, this method is not ideal, and the leaves dry out unevenly.
Part 4 of 7: Drying in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 60 degrees Celsius
Basically, you just need to preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature.
The temperature must be very low. The high temperature will make the fennel leaves dry quickly, besides that they also have no taste and aroma. Do not use temperatures above 93 degrees Celsius
Step 2. Turn off the oven
After the oven has been heated and at that temperature for five minutes, turn off the oven.
Again, this is done so that the fennel leaves can dry quickly in slightly warm conditions without drying out with excessive heat and losing their flavor and aroma oils
Step 3. Spread the fennel leaves on the baking sheet
Arrange the fennel leaves so that they form a single layer on the baking sheet and do not allow the leaves to overlap or touch each other.
- If the leaves are gathered together or touching each other, then some of the leaves may not dry evenly. As a result, during the drying process, you will find some leaves that are scorched while others are still wet.
- At the same stage, you should also try drying leaves of the same size on a baking sheet. If you dry fennel leaves of different sizes, some will dry out faster than others.
- You don't need to put anything on the baking sheet before arranging the fennel leaves, but if you prefer, you can use a piece of parchment paper. Do not use cooking spray (cooking spray oil).
Step 4. Dry the leaves in a warm oven
Arrange the fennel leaves in a warm oven and let them dry for 5-20 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to see if the leaves have dried enough.
Leaves dry out when they begin to curl and become crisp. However, it should still be green. Checking the fennel leaves frequently can prevent them from browning
Part 5 of 7: Drying with a Food Dehydrator
Step 1. Spread the fennel leaves on the dehydrator tray
Make one layer of fennel leaves with little overlap possible.
Fennel leaves will dry evenly if laid out in a single layer because each leaf will receive the same amount of heat. Stacked leaves need to be stirred during the drying process and some may dry out earlier than others
Step 2. Turn on the dehydrator on the lowest setting
Place the tray on the dehydrator and turn it on to the lowest temperature.
- Low heat is all that is needed to dry fennel leaves and similar herbs.
- If the dehydrator doesn't have a thermostat, you'll need to check the engine more frequently during the dehydration process to prevent the leaves from burning.
- Get rid of unnecessary trays before starting. This will create more room for the larger leaves and increase the amount of air circulation the fennel leaves receive.
Step 3. Perform the dehydration process until it dries
Check the fennel leaves every five minutes. Remove the fennel leaves from the dehydrator as soon as they look dry.
The edges of the leaves should start to curl and the leaves should look crisp but still green
Section 6 of 7: Drying with Moisturizers (“Dehumidifers”)
Step 1. Turn on the steam controller
If you have a dehumidifier, the air conditions around the machine are ideal for quickly drying fennel with air. Turn on the gas controller and run as usual.
The vanguard removes moisture from the air, so the air around the engine is usually quite dry. This is a good thing because drying fennel leaves in damp conditions can create mold
Step 2. Arrange the fennel leaves on a rack to cool the cake
Spread the fennel leaves on the rack used for cakes or biscuits. Arrange the leaves in a single layer and avoid overlapping as much as possible.
Cooling racks are ideal because air can circulate from the bottom of the rack as well as the top. This is another way to prevent mold from appearing
Step 3. Dry the fennel with a steamer
Dry the fennel with a steamer. Place a rack of fennel leaves in front of the heat sink, directly in front of the engine area where the air is warmest and driest. Leave the leaves in this position for a day or two, until they dry.
- The leaves should curl and feel crisp, but still green.
- You can usually tell which part of the heat sink is the warmest by feeling around the engine with your hand.
Part 7 of 7: Storing Dried Fennel Leaves
Step 1. Transfer the fennel leaves to a clean airtight container
Place the dried fennel leaves in an airtight container. Make sure the container is closed as tightly as possible.
- Place in a tightly closed jar, i.e. a metal, porous, non-absorbent container. Paper, cardboard, plastic, and wooden containers absorb volatile oils from all plants of the fennel family.
- Label each container with the current date, the contents of the container, and the number of contents in the container.
- If possible, store the fennel leaves whole and crush them before use instead of crushing the fennel leaves before storing. The taste and aroma will last longer if the leaves are kept whole.
Step 2. Watch the humidity
Watch for fennel leaves for the first few days. If moisture builds up, you will need to dry the fennel leaves longer.
- Remove the fennel leaves from the container and dry them again using one of the drying processes described above.
- Fennel leaves and other herbs will quickly form mold if not stored in dry conditions.
Step 3. Store the fennel leaves in a cool, dry and dark place
For maximum flavor, use fennel leaves within a year.
