Lightly rinse the leaves with a gentle stream of water, or clean them with a damp cloth. However, if you find that you need to wash them, you can. The essential oils are what give thyme its flavour, so you want to avoid eliminating those. You want to avoid washing your thyme leaves because doing so will strip some of the essential oils. Also, outside-grown leaves usually don’t need washing either unless they appear visibly dirty or if you’ve used pesticides. If you grow the leaves inside, it’s not usually necessary. Whether you choose to wash the leaves or not depends on how dirty they are. Doing so many cause your plant difficulty in growing back. Try to avoid cutting into this woody section. You’re only going to leave the woody ends behind. All you need to do is prune off about 2/3 of the stem from the tip. This is when the leaves will have the most flavour. This is the best time for growing your thyme, and it’s when the leaves will taste the best.Īlso, if your thyme is grown outside, it’s best to harvest it in the morning after the dew has dried. Flowers usually bloom between June and August, so just be sure to harvest before this time. How and When To Harvest Thyme for Dryingįor the best results, you should harvest thyme from late spring to early summer just before the plant has bloomed. Drying fresh thyme significantly increases how long the herb will last and be good for use. It’s a good way to preserve what you haven’t used so that it doesn’t go to waste. Why Dry Thyme?ĭrying thyme is a great way to have the herb on hand at all times. Thyme has also gone bad if you notice wilting. If only small sections are like this, you can always cut them off and use the stuff that’s still good. The thyme will be soft to the touch and will feel slimy. It’s a lot easier to tell when fresh thyme has gone bad. If you don’t know how old your frozen thyme is, it’s likely okay as long as you don’t see any obvious freezer-burnt parts. If you can’t taste or smell much, it’s time to discard it. Crush some of the dried thyme between your fingers and smell it, then give it a taste. If you’re not sure how old your dried thyme is, try the sniff and taste test. They lose their aromas and flavours.ĭried thyme doesn’t necessarily “go bad”, but it will lose its flavour and aroma after a long time. Technically, you can get away with using them for up to a year, but they probably won’t have much flavour at that point.īad, when it comes to herbs that have been dried or frozen can also mean that they add no value to your dishes. When preparing dried or frozen thyme, you should always label and date your packages.
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