Introduction
Do bay leaves go bad? It’s commonly asked question. Bay leaves can come from a variety of different tress and the most common one is from the bay laurel tree.
Although each origin of bay leaf will bring different taste but most of them are all used to add fragrance to your dish or to make some tea.
They are known as a beneficial herb that is rich in vitamin A, C, iron, calcium and many another nutrients.
Although there is not enough research evidence to prove the benefits of bay leaf but according to a study published in the Journal of Biochemical Nutrition, people who consume bay leaf for a while can lower glucose levels and improve cholesterol profiles. Besides, drinking bay leaf tea can support the treatment of migraines and indigestion.
Anyway, bay leaves are popularly used in savory dishes due to their aroma and some proven nutrition values they provide us is enough for us to decide to add this herb to our spice cabinet.
If you are wondering how long bay leaves can last so that your dish can have the rich flavor as initial when using fresh bay leaf and how to store them properly, this article is for you.
How long do bay leaves last?
Generally, herbs have a long shelf-life time and so do bay leaves. You can leave your bay leaves stored in the spice drawer in about 2 to 3 months without being spoiled.
A better choice for the longer term of storage is freezing them in a freezer then the safe time to keep their best quality is up to one year or more.
However if after that, you use the bay leaf and realize that the flavor is not rich as before, just add a bit more than usual to get the same effect.
How to tell if bay leaves go bad?
If you store your bay leaves at room temperature in a dry and cool place, the sign of bad leaves is dry and crumble into tiny bits.
Or when you keep the bay leaves cold in the freezer but the package is not sealed tightly and let moisture contact the leaves, they will easily get mold. With all the mentioned identifications, just discard your bay leaves.
You can check if your leaves can be used or not by rubbing them then smell so you can decide to toss them out or still use but with the larger amount.
How to store bay leaves?
You should keep your bay leaves or any other dried products away from wet, light or hot places.
That means if you want to leave your bay leaves at room temperature, you should place them in an airtight jar or package put in a dark and cool place.
The more optimal method is freezing them in the freezer. This way of storage will slow down the process of losing bay leaves’ flavor.
Can you freeze bay leaves?
Yes, as mentioned before, you can totally freeze bay leaves to make it last up to over a year. It’s even a recommended way to extend the shelf life of this herb.
How to freeze bay leaves?
Now you are going to learn how to freeze bay leaves properly in just some simple steps.
Tips to freeze bay leaves
- Before freezing bay leaves, make sure they are washed clean and dry completely. You can choose to chop or leave them uncut.
- When you freeze your bay leaves in oil, you better choose the qualified oil. Olive oil, coconut oil or melted butter will be a good choice
Things you’ll need to freeze bay leaves
- A freezer-safe container or bag
- A baking sheet
- Ice cube tray
- Water/ Oil/ Broth
How to freeze bay leaves individually
- Spread all the leaves in a single layer-baking sheet then place in the freezer for an hour or so
- Once the bay leaves are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container
- Label the bag/ container and stick in the freezer
How to freeze bay leaves in water/ oil/ broth
- Place the bay leaves in every ice cube slot then fill them with water/ oil/ broth
- Put the ice cube tray into the freezer until each cube is frozen solid
- Transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or container
- Label the bag/ container and stick in the freezer
How to defrost/ thaw bay leaves?
Depending on the purpose you intend to use the bay leaves then we will decide to thaw frozen bay leaves or not.
- If you wan to use bay leaves for dishes like soups, stews, etc…there is no need to defrost the leaves. Just pop them in the pot of a hot soup or stew dish
- If the bay leaves are going to be a part of your salad dish or you want to marinade and seasoning your food with bay leaves, you might need to thaw them first. The simple step will be only transferring them from the freezer to the fridge for a couple of hours then take out and use.
