Dry thyme
The drying is probably the most common way of preserving thyme. But be careful: In contrast to other herbs, the thyme aroma intensifies many times over as soon as the leaves are dried. Therefore, you should be more economical with dried thyme than with fresh. Harvest the whole thyme stalks including Leaves and flowers, tie them in small bunches and let them dry in a warm but dark place. Sunlight only ensures that the valuable essential oils evaporate. Once the thyme has dried, simply pluck the leaves off and crumble them. You can then store the spice in a screw-top jar.
also read
- Can you freeze thyme?
- Do you prefer to dry or freeze thyme?
- Preserving marjoram: freezing or drying?
Freeze thyme
Thyme can be Freeze great too. To do this, pluck the fresh leaves off, wash them and then pat them dry with a little kitchen paper. Now you can chop the thyme as desired. To freeze, fill the crushed thyme in a suitable container, for example a small can Lid, a freezer bag (not suitable for removing smaller quantities later) or simply in one Ice cube tray. The herbs can easily be stored in an ice cube or freezer compartment.
Make herb cubes yourself
Herbal cubes are also very practical: harvest fresh thyme and other herbs to taste (e.g. B. Rosemary, oregano, lavender, basil, marjoram, lovage), chop them very finely and mix them with a little olive oil. You can also add very finely chopped garlic as well as pieces of onion. Freeze this mixture in portions in small ice cube trays. The herb cubes refine many dishes such as B. Pasta sauces, stews and stews.
Put in the thyme
Pickled thyme is not only practical, but also very pretty to look at - perfect as a homemade gift or souvenir. Liquids such as vinegar, olive oil or honey, but also salt, are suitable for this. Put a few stalks of fresh or dried thyme (perhaps other herbs as well as desired) in a sealable glass container and fill it up with vinegar or oil. Let the mixture soak in a cool place for a few weeks. The herbal oil or the thyme vinegar is wonderfully suitable for refining dishes and salads or for frying.
Tips & Tricks
Try making herbal salt yourself. To do this, take thyme and possibly other herbs as desired, chop them very finely and mix them in a ratio of 7: 1 with sea salt. Fill the mixture into resealable containers and keep them in a cool, dry place. By the way, thyme salt is great for seasoning fried potatoes with it.
