"Storing bay leaves often begins with the same few questions: Where should you put them? How long do they last? What can you do to preserve the flavor and aroma? The answers, first and foremost, come down to one important factor - the bay leaves' own condition. Are they dried or are they fresh? This single distinction will determine the rest of the storage process, and if you do it right, cooking with bay leaves will be much more efficient."
"Fresh bay leaves, as you may have guessed, tend to have a shorter shelf life than the dried variety. Wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in an airtight container or a sealed bag in the fridge, they will last for up to three weeks. That said, the fresh leaves will lose some of their original menthol, piney taste as the days go by, so use them as soon as possible."
"Dried bay leaves, however, don't need to be refrigerated. Stored in a tightly sealed container and placed in a cool, dark place, such as the pantry or spice drawer, their earthy aroma will remain for several months - depending on the specific storage and initial drying conditions. After that, while still edible, the potency will slowly dwindle. If you want to keep it longer (for up to a year), consider freezing the bay leaves in small-portioned packagings, which works for both dried and fresh varieties."
Bay leaves require different storage approaches depending on whether they are fresh or dried. Fresh bay leaves last up to three weeks when wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in an airtight container or sealed bag in the refrigerator, but they gradually lose menthol and piney flavors. Dried bay leaves need no refrigeration; kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark place their aroma remains for several months though potency slowly dwindles. Both dried and fresh leaves can be frozen in small portions to preserve flavor for up to a year. Old bay leaves remain edible but lose aroma and flavor.
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