Remove any damaged leaves or stems. Rinse herbs under cool running water, turning constantly until thoroughly clean. Let herbs drip-dry for a moment over the sink.
How do you clean and use fresh thyme?
Wash, then either use the whole sprig or remove the leaves and discard the stalk. To strip the leaves from the stems, hold a stalk at the top and then firmly run the thumb and forefinger of your other hand along the stalk from top to bottom – the leaves should break off as you go.
Do you wash Tyme?
After harvesting thyme, wash it and shake off the excess water. You can choose to dry the entire stem or remove the tiny leaves. The leaves will dry more quickly off the stem but they will remove more easily from an already dried piece of the herb.
What part of thyme do you use?
Cooking With Fresh Thyme
Fresh thyme can be added to a recipe whole with the stem, or the leaves can be removed from the stem and then sprinkled into a dish. If a recipe calls for a “sprig” of thyme, the leaves and stem should be kept intact.
Should thyme be refrigerated?
Fresh thyme needs refrigeration if you want it to last for more than a few days. Store it in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel for best results. Dried thyme should sit in a cool and dry place, tightly sealed.
Is there an easy way to strip thyme leaves?
Luckily, there’s a much more useful kitchen tool that you can turn to solve your woody herb problems: a fine-mesh strainer. Simply push the end of the thyme stem through a hole and carefully but forcefully pull the stem through. The leaves will be collected in the strainer, ready to use whole or be chopped.
Do you use the stems of thyme?
The stems of thyme are edible but are typically too woody to enjoy. The leaves are really what you are after, but leaving the leaves attached to the stem saves prep time. You can just remove and discard the stem and any attached leaves after cooking.
Can you eat thyme raw?
Q Hi Nigel, Can you enlighten me as to whether it is OK to eat raw thyme leaves, eg sprinkled on a salad? A Hello Lesley, If the leaves are very young then, yes, you could put them into a very rustic salad. They would be particularly appropriate with feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes or a potato salad.
How do you pick and dry thyme?
Create a small thyme bouquet, tying them together at the stem with a piece of twine/string. Hang the herbs (from more string, a clothes hanger, or even using a herb drying rack in a well-ventilated, warm area away from direct sunlight. The thyme will take between 1-2 weeks to dry, depending on the weather and climate.
How do you dry and store fresh thyme?
Hang the small bunches on a nail or hook in a warm, dark place with good airflow and low humidity. After 1 to 2 weeks, once the leaves have completely dried, remove the leaves by running fingers down the stem, and store the thyme in a mason jar or other airtight container.
What can I use fresh thyme for?
Thyme (fresh and dried) pairs well with meats of all kinds, chicken, stews, soups, eggs, pastas, vegetables and beans. Fresh thyme is nice with fish and seafood. Think of thyme when you are making lasagna, sautéing or roasting vegetables, roasting chicken, pork, lamb, or beef, and making any sort of potato dish.
Can you eat thyme leaves?
Thyme is a main ingredient in this tasty take on pesto sauce, which you can use as a condiment or add to pasta or rice. Fresh leaves or whole sprigs can be used while preparing meat or poultry. Thyme is also an excellent ingredient to use with fish, like in this heart-healthy white fish recipe.
Which thyme is best for cooking?
Those best for flavor, as well as ease of use, are the low-growing, shrubby ones known as English, French, lemon, or winter thyme.
Is drinking thyme tea good for you?
Thyme tea is best known for relieving ailments such as colds, flu and tonsillitis, which love to spoil our winters. Rich in phenol, a powerful antiseptic, thyme tea can also help soothe sore throats.
Can you swallow thyme?
While fresh or dried thyme is safe to use as a flavoring in food when pregnant, it’s important to consult your doctor before ingesting it as an essential oil. Thyme is generally safe. However, using too much, especially if ingesting it as an essential oil, can lead to a drop in your blood pressure or hypotension.
Can you freeze fresh thyme?
Here’s how: Wash the herbs (still on their branches), dry them thoroughly, strip the leaves from the branches, and put them in labeled plastic zipper-type freezer bags. With herbs such as rosemary and thyme, you don’t even need to strip the leaves from the branches. Press out all the air, seal and freeze.
How long can fresh thyme be stored?
Normally the fresh thyme can be stored in refrigerator for a few days (one or two weeks) if it is warped in a damp paper towel and place it in a plastic bag. For long term storage the fresh thyme should be washed, trimmed/ chopped and dried properly before placing it in heavy freezer bags and freeze it.
What can I do with a bunch of thyme?
Thyme can be used fresh or dried, and works well in soups, roasted vegetables, pasta, sauces, pizzas and more! We love garnishing a recipe with a few sprigs of thyme: it looks lovely and adds a fresh herbaceous flavor.
How can you tell if dried thyme is bad?
How to tell if thyme is bad or spoiled? Thyme that is spoiling will typically become soft and discolored; discard any thyme that has an off smell or appearance.
How do you store thyme leaves?
To store sage, thyme, rosemary, mint, or chives: Clean and dry the herbs very well (see below for cleaning tips). Place in a pile in a slightly damp paper towel and wrap them up. Place inside of a plastic bag with a few punctured holes. Keep in the refrigerator about 1-2 weeks or more.
How do you remove stems from herbs?
Take one stem of the herb and hold it at the top. Not at the tippy top, but at a point near the top where the stem is pretty strong and hold it firmly. With your opposite hand, gently pull down against the growing leaves. This will pull them off the stem.