How to fry tea leaves
Fried tea is one of the important steps in traditional Chinese tea processing. Stir-frying can remove the moisture in the tea leaves and stimulate the aroma and taste of the tea leaves. Different tea types have slightly different frying methods, but the basic principles are similar. This article will introduce in detail the basic steps, precautions and common tea frying methods.
1. Basic steps for making tea

The process of making tea mainly includes the following steps:
| steps | Operation | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Picking fresh leaves | Choose fresh, tender green tea leaves | Avoid picking old or damaged leaves |
| 2. Spread to dry | Spread the tea leaves evenly and let them dry naturally | Avoid direct sunlight, and the time should not be too long |
| 3. finalize | Rapid frying at high temperature destroys enzyme activity | Temperature control at 200-300℃, time 1-2 minutes |
| 4. Twist | Twist tea leaves by hand or machine | Moderate strength to avoid breaking the tea leaves |
| 5. Drying | Fry slowly over low heat to remove remaining moisture | Temperature 80-100℃, time 10-15 minutes |
2. Things to note when making fried tea
1.temperature control: Temperature is the key during the tea frying process. If it is too high, the tea leaves will be burnt, and if it is too low, the aroma will not be fully stimulated.
2.Skilled in technique: Hand-fried tea requires skilled techniques to ensure that the tea leaves are heated evenly.
3.Tool selection: Traditionally, iron pots are used for tea frying. Modern electric tea frying machines can also be used, but they need to be cleaned and maintained.
4.Timing: The frying time of different tea leaves is different and needs to be flexibly adjusted according to the type of tea leaves.
3. Common tea frying methods
The frying process of different tea leaves is slightly different. The following are the key points of frying several common tea leaves:
| Types of tea | Stir-frying temperature | Cooking time | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longjing tea | 180-220℃ | 15-20 minutes | Flat and straight, with a clear aroma |
| biluochun | 160-200℃ | 10-15 minutes | Curly like a snail, delicious taste |
| Tieguanyin | 200-250℃ | 20-30 minutes | Semi-fermented, with obvious orchid aroma |
| Mao Feng | 150-180℃ | 8-12 minutes | The pekoe is exposed and the taste is sweet. |
4. The difference between hand-fried tea and machine-fried tea
1.Handmade fried tea: Relying on experience, the tea quality is more personalized, but the efficiency is low and suitable for small batch production.
2.Machine fried tea: More precise temperature and time control, higher yield, but may lack traditional flavor.
5. Tips for making tea
1. Before frying, you can preheat the iron pot until it is smoking, and then cool it down to the appropriate temperature.
2. Use a wooden spatula to assist in turning during the frying process to avoid burns.
3. The fried tea leaves need to be cooled before being sealed and stored to prevent moisture regain.
Tea frying is a technical activity that requires constant practice and summary. Only by mastering the correct tea-frying method can you make good tea with rich aroma and mellow taste. I hope this article helps you understand the basic knowledge and techniques of stir-frying tea.
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