How To Remove Leaves From Thyme

Growing and Harvesting Thyme

Yesterday I posted a great post over at Growing Real Food that dives into Growing and Harvesting Thyme. I am not going to go into that in this post, so if growing thyme interest you please check out that post.

Thyme is one of my favorite herbs to grow and I use it often in my kitchen. It adds so much flavor to any dish! Thyme is so versatile and can be used in stews, stocks, homemade soups, lamb, tomatoes, and casseroles.

There is a certain way to learn how to remove leaves from thyme and today we are going to learn how.

How To Remove Leaves From Thyme

Once you harvest your thyme, there is a proper way to remove the leaves. The central stem is usually woody. It becomes woodier as it matures. It is important to remove this woody stem and to not cook with it.

To do this start by removing the smaller stems from the central stem. The smaller stems typically are not woody and can be chopped up with the leaves.

Now that you have the central stem fully exposed, place your fingers at the top of the stem and firmly slide the leaves down the woody stem. The leaves should easily come off.

Discard the woody stem and run a knife through the leaves. I usually like to chop mine just a little because I love large pieces of thyme in my dishes.

How To Use Dried Thyme and Fresh Thyme

You now are ready to cook with your fresh thyme. Remember if a recipe calls for 1 tsp of dried thyme you can replace it with 1 tbsp of fresh thyme. So for every teaspoon of dried thyme, you can use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.

If you prefer to use dried thyme, harvest your thyme in a large amount and tie off at the base of the stem so you are able to hang it upside down. Hang in a cool dry place for a week or two and allow to fully dry. Once fully dried, remove the leaves from the stems and store in an airtight container.

If you haven’t grown thyme before in your garden, why not give it a shot. It really is a simple process to learn about growing and harvesting thyme. It also grows really well in pots and would make for a nice indoor plant as well.