Making sure the thyme is dry before you put it in the dehydrator will make it easier for the dehydrator to do its work. Share this: Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Like this: Like Loading... Related + June 29, 2014 by wild and wanderlust Image herbs, In the Kitchen, lemon thyme, yard and garden. The leaves will be completely dry in just a couple of days. Instead, choose young, fresh sprigs throughout the spring and summer. Strip large-leaved herbs, such as sage and mint, from their stalks. If doing several herbs, try to place similar herbs together. Throw it out if you see any on the sprigs. Best Herbs for Drying. The best time to cut herbs for drying is just before they flower. Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs. If you want to cook with lemon thyme, add it near the end of the cooking time to get the most intense flavor. Last Updated: September 23, 2019 Step 2 Group the branches into small bunches with the stems all going in the same direction. Drying times may vary from one to four hours. The leaves will dry more quickly off the stem but they will remove more easily from an already dried piece of the herb. How to Dry Thyme Leaves: Place 1 paper towel flat on your plate Lay out Thyme sprigs in a single layer on the paper towel, then add another paper towel on top. Hang Drying: A traditional air-drying method, which involves bundling together pruned and cleaned fresh thyme using a string, twine, or rubber band. With the right temperature set, you can dry the leaves in less than a day (usually it takes about 6 to 12 hours to dehydrate thyme). Check periodically. Lemon Balm; Basil; Rosemary; Thyme; Lemon Grass; Mint; Oregano; Chives; Sage; Bay; Parsley; Tarragon; Dill; Drying Herbs in the Oven: An Easy Process. Traditionally, many herbs were dried by hanging. Organic Beverage Others dry it in an oven or food dehydrator to speed up the drying process. Strain out the herbs or spices and pour into cleaned bottles. The moisture in herbs that are drying in the necessary warm conditions may cause the formation of mold if too much humidity is in the area. Thyme is a perennial herb that is hardy to dry and rugged terrain. Store in the oil of choice and place the bottles in a dark spot for a week or two. Drying fresh thyme in a food dehydrator is fast and protects against possible mold. lemon zest, turbinado sugar, lemon marmalade, egg, fresh thyme leaves and 4 more Lemon-thyme Chicken Knorr boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, water, all-purpose flour and 6 more Air Drying: Sturdier herbs are the easiest to dry and can be tied in small bundles and air dried indoors for best color and flavor. Place individual leaves or chopped leaves in freezer bags. Hang Dry the Thyme Leaves. References. It’s important to harvest herbs at the right time. Flatten the bags to remove air. The stems will dry in under two days and can be stripped of the leaves. Lemon verbena is an easy herb to grow, either in a sunny garden during summer months or on an indoor windowsill in a pot even in winter. 1. This is still a useful practice today and requires no special equipment. Woody stemmed herbs are best harvested just before blooming for peak flavor. The woody stemmed herb has small leaves that add flavor to recipes and an aromatic touch to sachets and aromatherapy treatments. Make sure that your soil’s drainage is ample, and avoid overwatering. Over the year or so I’ve spent a good portion of my free time getting to know and understand Fresh Herbs. After a year or so you should assess the flavor your dried thyme has and decide if you need to dry some more. Thyme grows to a maximum height of about 1 foot. Tags . These herbs include thyme, summer and winter savory, rosemary, oregano and marjoram. Now that you know about the general description of thyme sprigs, let us talk about 3 different methods to dry and preserve them in your home. Strip the fresh leaves from the stems and use the leaves as needed, or dry sprigs of leaves using the instructions in the article above. Antimicrobial properties. Next Post » Leave a Reply x. If stored properly, it can last for up to 2 years. Vittoria, I'm glad you caught your culprit, but just a friendly tip: thyme is an herb and they prefer more neglect than attention. provides an evergreen groundcover in the garden and flavorful leaves for culinary use. Strip the fresh leaves from the stems and use the leaves as needed, or dry sprigs of leaves using the instructions in the article above. Place individual leaves or chopped leaves in freezer bags. Tiny sprigs of dried herbs can add a nice touch to your table--just tuck them into a linen napkin. Infuse vodka with it. Use in the kitchen. Washing can strip the oils from the leaves. Thyme (/ t aɪ m /) is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus Thymus of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae.Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus Origanum.They have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses, and the species most commonly cultivated and used for culinary purposes is Thymus vulgaris It just won’t be as fresh, so it might have less flavor once dried. When growing thyme, you need to regularly prune it throughout the years in order to promote a good shape of the herb and encourage continual growth. Take a look here and get free shipping on orders over $49. With its intense citrus taste, lemon thyme is widely used in cooking, both in Europe and in Eastern countries. As with bay, thyme is slow to release its flavours so it is usually added early in the cooking process. I started an herb garden last. This is sustainable living at its best! Rosemarie. I will show you how to dry your thyme for storage. You can dry thyme in a variety of ways. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. Rinse the sprigs of thyme well in clean, cold water. Posted by libby in herbs, oils & spices, love to cook, tips & techniques ≈ 17 Comments. Air Drying. Step 1 - What to look for. Unlike other aromatic herbs, the lemon thyme it does not lose its olfactory characteristics with drying, but rather enhances them. You can dry thyme in a variety of ways. Harvest on warm, dry mornings after the dew has evaporated. I started an herb garden last. Dried orange peel or lemon peel can be used to make your own DIY cocktail bitters or homemade vermouth. Lemon thyme combines the earthy, woody notes of garden thyme with a lemony fragrance. ... 3 Simple Methods of Drying Thyme at Home. Put the container in a dark, dry location, such as a cupboard or pantry. Little leaves like some of the parsley, mint, lemon thyme, and rosemary I left on the stem. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. posted by kestrel251 at 7:13 PM on June 16, 2011 Reply. Some sources say that the lemony scent fades when cooked (Lemon Thyme is better for this purpose). Try exclusive recipes with step-by-step video instruction from Pro instructors. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Your once lovely lemon tree is suddenly looking like it was in the desert for a month. Dried, and especially powdered thyme occupies less space than fresh, so less of it is required when substituted in a recipe. While thyme dries well, the fresh flavor is better preserved by freezing. fresh herbs. A good way to manage your culprit and the plant is to ensure the soil around it is pretty rocky (I use gravel outside or small river rocks inside) which helps drainage and dogs don't seem to enjoy. You can trim as much new growth off the plant as you like. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The woody stemmed herb has small leaves that add flavor to recipes and an aromatic touch to sachets and aromatherapy treatments. Its pungent leaves are gray-green, tiny, and dotted with scent glands on 6-8″ stems spread out over the ground. An efficient way to quickly dry and preserve the goodness of fresh herbs is to dry herbs in a dehydrator. Many people hang it up and let it dry gradually. Herbs are dry when they crumble, and stems break when bent. Sturdy Herbs: Herbs such as sage, thyme, summer savory and parsley are the easiest to dry. Your dried thyme should last for more than a year if it is stored properly. Harvest – all year round. You know, you’re completely right about work and life happening … and to just do our best. To dry thyme in a dehydrator, lay the stems in a single layer on the racks that come with the unit. Thyme is a fragrant, small, hardy, evergreen, perennial shrub. If the plants are homegrown and free of pesticides, it’s not necessary to wash them. This will keep your dried thyme fresh for 1 to 2 years. Diuretic properties If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Morning is the best time of day for harvesting thyme. You can trim most of the new growth off of a plant as long as you keep the woody growth intact. The amount of time it will take for your thyme to dry will vary depending on the variety of your thyme and the conditions you are growing it in. Leaves are browning, curling and dry and fruit is nowhere to be found. Revive Thyme that is Drying out. You can also just dry the leaves by placing them on a tray. Lemon thyme can be used to clean porcelain in the bathroom. The group of stems should be no thicker than your little finger. Wooly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)- This is an ornamental variety that grows fascinating fuzzy, grey-silver leaves. Gently crush or “bruise” the herbs, toast any spices, all of which brings out the natural oils flavor of each. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. It’s best to dry thyme at a moderate heat for a long time. Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus) and creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and can survive a frost in Winter and grow next year (hardy to USDA zone 5-9). According to Reader's Digest , place four to five bunches of fresh lemon thyme into a metal bucket and fill it with boiling water. Lemon-Thyme Bread Lemon and thyme go together like milk and cookies. Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus)- This is another variety highly valued by chefs because of its lemony flavor and scent. No, in order to reduce moisture and the chances of mold growth, thyme should not be dried on the plant. The leaves are most often used in the following ways: Cooking; Drying; Seasoning; Tea; Features & Attributes. Here are a few ideas. By using our site, you agree to our. It's about 2 degrees here today. Lemon thyme can also be highly ornamental with golden or variegated leaves. Name – Thymus x citriodorus Family – Lamiaceae Type – condiment. There are other ways of preserving thyme. If you have more thyme than can fit into a bundle with a diameter of 1 inch (2.5 cm), then make several bundles. It’s best to pick sprigs that have not bloomed. Store dried thyme in a dark, cool place in an air-tight container. Fresh thyme is best, but if you must use dried, reduce the amount to 1 tablespoon and crush it between your fingers before adding it to the batter. Drying thyme. Plant lemon thyme in the spring in full sunlight, with plants spaced about 12 inches apart. An easy way to do this is to hold the stem in one hand and run your fingers down the stem with your other hand. When they’re dry the leaves will crumble right off the stems. It’s best to pick and prepare one variety of herb for drying at a time.Discard any damaged leaves. Wash them thoroughly and shake or pat off the excess water. But leave small, feathery herbs, like dill and fennel, on the stalks until drying is complete.Tarragon, bay, mint, lemo… If they are not, you can put fine screen at the bottom of them to hold the leaves. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Flatten the bags to remove air. Thyme can be harvested anytime during growing season. They should be picked before the flowers develop. It’s a mint family member and has square stems with small opposite leaves and mint-like flowers. This doesn’t take as long as making Preserved Lemons, but it’s worth the wait! For this reason, you can sometimes find it in the crevasse of a rock wall. To dry thyme, hang the sprigs in a dark, well-ventilated, warm area. The leaves will fall off. Take stems and bundle them together. It grows quickly in sunny, hot conditions but can also withstand cold winters. Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs. This article has been viewed 30,406 times. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. After harvesting thyme, wash it and shake off the excess water. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Height – 8 to 16 inches (20 to 40 cm) Exposure – full sun Soil – light, well-drained. Lemon thyme is a versatile herb both in the kitchen and throughout the home, and is an important ingredient in both bouquet garnis, a traditional herb bundle for soups, stews and stocks, and Herbes de Provence, a blend of herbs popular in the Provence region of France. Drying Thyme. If you have grown a lot of it, it’s a great idea to dry some of it for use later when the growing season is over. Knowing how to dry thyme can help you preserve the fresh delightful scent and flavor of this herb for easy home use. Lemon Thyme is a perennial herb that is typically grown for its edible qualities, although it does have ornamental merits as well. The tiny fragrant round light green leaves can be harvested at any time in the season.