Dry Woodruff – That’s How it Works

Drying woodruff not only makes it more durable – it also enhances its typical taste. This article tells you how to do it.

Woodruff: Instructions for drying

The ingredient coumarin is responsible for the characteristic woodruff taste. This is harmful in higher amounts. Therefore, harvest woodruff before flowering in April or May if you want to preserve it: from this point on, the plant produces more coumarin. If you harvest the woodruff later, you should use it very sparingly.

• Tie the woodruff together by the stalks into small bouquets. Hang the bundle’s upside down in a place that is well ventilated but dry.
• The advantage of hanging it up: the plants exude their typical scent for several weeks. From time to time you should nudge the tufts and check that the air reaches them evenly.
• Another option is drying in the oven. To do this, first, separate the stems from the leaves and spread them out on (preferably two separate) trays.
• Do not dry the woodruff above 40 degrees in the oven. Stick a cooking spoon in the door to allow moisture to escape. The woodruff is ready when the leaves are a delicate green color. If you dry the plants for too long, they will lose their flavor.
• Another option is drying in a special dehydrator. Prepare the plant for this in the same way as for the stove, so separate the stems and leaves.
• Finally, fill the dried woodruff in screw-top jars or freeze it. The plant is now durable and has a more intense taste.
• Coumarin breaks down in woodruff during drying. This means that the preserved plant tastes much more intense than fresh. Whenever you work with fresh woodruff, you should therefore let it lie around and let it dry (if necessary, put it in the freezer for a short time).