Beyond the First Sip: The Ultimate Guide to Reusing Tea Leaves
Throwing away your tea leaves after just one cup can feel like such a waste! Did you know that many types of tea can be steeped multiple times? This way you can get much more out of your tea, reduce waste, and save money at the same time.
In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of reusing tea leaves for multiple infusions, how to do it, and give tips for getting the most out of your tea leaves. From adjusting water temperature and steeping time, to ideas on how to use leftover tea leaves, this post will cover everything you need to know about reusing tea leaves.
Reusing tea leaves the same day
When reusing tea leaves for multiple infusions, it is best to do so on the same day. This is because the tea leaves can start to lose their aroma if left for too long, even when properly stored.
There are several methods to reuse tea leaves on the same day. These include Gong fu cha and traditional western methods.
Gong fu cha
Gong fu cha, is a traditional Chinese method of preparing tea. It emphasises the art and ritual of tea-making. The term "Gong fu" refers to the skill and effort required to prepare the tea, while "cha" simply means tea.
To make tea using the Gong fu cha method, you need a small teapot and a bit more tea than you normally would use. This is how it goes:
Add the leaves to the small teapot.
Pour a small amount of hot water over the tea leaves and infuse for only a few seconds.
Pour the freshly prepared tea in your teacup and drink.
After that, you pour hot water over the tea leaves again for a few seconds and drink. You can repeat this process multiple times, until the flavour from your tea leaves is gone.
Gong fu cha is more than just a method of making tea; it is a cultural practice that values the connection between the tea drinker and the tea itself.
The traditional tea ceremony involves a series of intentional and precise movements, from warming the teapot and cups, to measuring and pouring the tea, to admiring the aroma and flavour of each infusion.
Classical western method
Reusing tea leaves with western preparation methods goes as follows:
Add tea leaves to your tea pot.
Pour hot water over the leaves.
Let tea brew somewhere between 30 seconds to 4 minutes, depending on the tea.
Take the tea leaves out of the teapot and set aside.
Once you have finished your tea, put the tea leaves back into the teapot, pour hot water over the leaves, and repeat the process.
You can do typically reuse tea leaves with this method somewhere between 2 and 8 times, depending on the tea.
It is best to finish brewing the tea within 3 hours after the first infusion.
Reusing tea leaves the next day
It is generally not recommended to reuse tea leaves the next day. This is for several reasons:
No matter how well you dry and store your tea leaves, the flavour of the tea will be affected. Generally speaking, when you brew your tea the next day, it is less flavourful and more astringent.
Leaving wet tea leaves out for an extended period of time can create a breeding ground for bacteria and mould, which can affect the quality and safety of your tea.
If stored incorrectly, the tea leaves could absorb odours.
Having that said, even though not optimal, tea leaves can be reused on the next day. The ways to do that are either by making iced tea overnight, which I personally recommend, or by carefully drying and storing the tea leaves for the next use.
Making iced tea
Making iced tea overnight is super easy. Pour cold water over the tea leaves and let them steep in the fridge overnight. Your tea will be ready when you wake up in the morning.
Making hot tea
If you want to make traditional hot-brewed tea with leaves from the day before, the most important thing is to make sure your leaves are dried and stored properly. The paragraph below outlines how to do that step by step.
Once you have your tea leaves, you can just brew the tea like you normally would.
How to store tea leaves for use the next day
As mentioned above, storing the used tea leaves properly is essential if you want to reuse tea leaves on the next day.
The official method
Step 1:
Spread the leaves on a towel and let them dry for a while. Make sure you keep the tea leaves away from strong odours.
Step 2:
Once the towel has absorbed most of the moisture, transfer the tea leaves to a new dry towel and let them dry completely.
Step 3:
Once the leaves are completely dry, transfer them to an airtight container and store in a cool, dark place.
The 'lazy' method
If you don’t have the towels and the space in your kitchen to follow the above method for storing tea leaves, perhaps this ‘lazy' method could help you out.
Instead of drying the tea leaves on a towel, you can use a sieve or a large strainer. Make sure the strainer is hanging over a bowl, in order to allow the bottom leaves to dry as well.
If you use this method, you will have to gently stir or move around the leaves a few times as they are drying. This is to make sure they are evenly dry.
Storing used tea leaves in the fridge
If for some reason you don’t have the opportunity to dry your tea leaves, but still want to use them to make tea the next day, it is best to store them in the fridge.
Keep in mind that storing your tea leaves like this is not optimal, and the taste of your tea will be affected. But it is still better than keeping wet tea leaves outside at room temperature.
How many times can you steep tea?
The reusability of tea leaves can vary depending on several factors. Generally speaking you can steep tea somewhere between two to eight times. Here are some of the factors that determine the reusability of your tea leaves:
1. Type of tea leaves
Some types of tea are more suited for multiple infusions than others.
High-quality loose leaf tea often has more flavour and can often be reused more times than lower quality tea bags.
In general stronger black teas, like pu-erh and oolong, hold up better to multiple infusions than the more delicate green and white teas.
2. Using pure tea
If you want to use your tea leaves for multiple infusions it is best to use pure tea from the Camellia sinensis plant. Other flavours or herbs might not be suitable for multiple infusions.
3. Water temperature and steeping time
The temperature of the water and the length of the steeping time can affect the reusability of tea leaves.
Generally, the hotter the water and the longer the steeping time, the more flavour compounds will be extracted from the tea leaves.
Using cooler water and shorter steeping times can help avoid over-extracting the tea leaves and forming a bitter flavour.
4. Tea leaf storage
The way you store your tea leaves between infusions impacts their reusability. After making your tea, it's important to remove the tea leaves from the hot water and let them dry completely.
Storing damp tea leaves can cause them to form mould, lose their flavour, and increase the astringency of the tea.
How to use leftover tea after multiple infusions
After you have reused your tea leaves several times, and you don’t feel like you can brew any more tea with them, or you have gotten tired of drinking tea, you may be wondering what else to do with the leftover tea leaves. Here are some ideas to help you:
1. Cooking and baking
The used tea leaves can sometimes be added to recipes. For example, you can use green tea leaves in rice dishes or add them to muffin or cake recipes.
2. Composting
Tea leaves are a great addition to your compost pile, as they are naturally rich in many valuable nutrients for the soil, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If using tea bags, make sure to remove the bag, as many tea bags contain plastics, and therefore can not be used in the compost pile.
If you don’t have a compost pile, you can also use them when potting plants. To do that, put the leaves on top of the drainage layer, before adding the actual soil.
3. Tea toner for skin
After you are done drinking tea, you can use your leftover tea leaves to brew your own DIY tea toner. To make the toner you just have to make a cup of tea as usual, and let it cool down.
To apply, you can either use a spray bottle or a cotton pad.
For best results, do not use a tea toner older than a week.
4. DIY beauty treatment
This is by far my favourite way to use tea leaves after making tea with them. Tea leaves have many antioxidants and other components that are beneficial for the skin. They are excellent for DIY face scrubs, but also face masks, or even a bath soak.
What I like to do is add the tea used leaves (while still wet), to the other ingredients of a DIY face mask. This is for example, an easy way to add antioxidant benefits to a hydrating DIY face mask. Gently massage your skin in circular motions when washing off the mask if looking for a scrubbing effect.
Generally speaking, the larger leaves from loose tea, scrub the skin very gently, while the small tea particles from tea bags result in a much stronger face scrub.
Instead of a face scrub, you can also use them for a body or foot scrub.
5. Reduce litter box smell
Leftover tea leaves are very effective at absorbing unpleasant odours, even after you have used them for many infusions. So next time after you have brewed your tea, dry your tea leaves, and then add them to your cat’s litter box.
FAQ about reusing tea leaves for multiple infusions
Here are some frequently asked questions about reusing tea leaves for multiple infusions:
Can any type of tea leaves be reused?
Most types of tea leaves can be reused, including black, green, white, oolong, and herbal teas. However, some types may be better suited for multiple infusions than others. Generally speaking, you can get more infusions and stronger flavour out of black tea than green tea.
How many times can tea leaves be reused?
The number of times tea leaves can be reused depends on many factors, including type of tea, water temperature, and steeping time. Lighter teas, such as white and green tea, can normally be reused for 2-3 infusions, whereas darker teas can be reused even more, usually 5-6 times. Some teas can even be infused 7-8 times or more.
Is it safe to reuse tea leaves?
Yes, it is generally speaking safe to reuse tea leaves. However, it is important to properly store the used tea leaves and avoid using leaves that have been left out for extended periods or show signs of spoilage.
How do I store leftover tea leaves for later use?
The used tea leaves should be allowed to dry completely. Then, they can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The container should be labeled with the type of tea and date of the first infusion for reference.
Most common mistakes when reusing tea leaves
1. Rinsing the tea leaves before each infusion
Rinsing the tea leaves with water before each subsequent infusion can remove flavour from your tea. So never do that if you want to get the most out of your tea.
2. Not drying your tea leaves
Not drying your tea leaves properly will not only ruin their taste, but could also cause mould to form.
Wrap up
Reusing tea leaves for multiple infusions is a great way to get the most out of your tea leaves.
Using leftover tea leaves for iced tea, cooking, composting, cleaning, and beauty treatments can extend their usefulness even further.
To ensure the best taste and flavour, it is recommended to reuse your tea leaves within the same day.
Keep in mind that caffeine content may decrease with each subsequent infusion.
Never rinse the leaves before or after an infusion, because this will flush away even more taste.