As far as we’re concerned, something we all need is more thyme. In other words the more thyme the better. There’s no such thing as too much.
Homestead Grown Dried Thyme
Thyme is a perennial herb that deserves a place in any herb garden. It takes up very little room and can even be grown in a pot indoors on a sunny windowsill. There are many varieties of thyme including but not limited to English thyme, German winter thyme and French summer thyme. Regardless of which kind you decide to grow, we hope you’ll agree that something we all need is more thyme.
Growing Thyme
Thyme can be grown from a plant you purchase from a garden center, from cuttings or root divisions or from seeds which is how we’ve done it. Thyme seeds are very tiny so all I do is sprinkle the seeds on the soil surface and then pat them in with the palm of my hand. Seeds can also be started indoors and the plants can be set out 1 to 2 weeks before the last frost.
Thyme prefers full sun and well drained soil. Any wet, heavy soil should be avoided. Because thyme is a somewhat low growing plant, mulch is particularly beneficial as it helps keep the stems and leaves from getting spattered with mud and dirt during rains. Mulch also helps keep in moisture during dry spells.
Thyme Growing in Herb Garden
Because it’s a perennial, once established, thyme should faithfully come up every year provided you don’t pick it so aggressively it winter kills. For folks in zone 4 or less, winter protection in the form of a thick layer of straw or other mulch is also necessary. This should be applied in late fall. Years ago when we were homesteading in zone 3 of northern Maine, I forgot to cover my thyme plant one fall with it’s straw blanket and it winter killed. I’ve not made that mistake since.
Harvest and Preservation
Thyme should be harvested just before its pinkish flowers open. I try to pick it early in the morning of a sunny day, not long after the dew has dried. The essential oils are the highest at this time making for a more flavorful final product. I cut the low growing stalks so I leave at least 2” of the stalk behind. That way I’m assured the plant will be able to survive our northern winter.
I rinse the stalks to remove any dirt, then spin them dry in my salad spinner. Air drying is my preservation method of choice. To do this I put the spun dry stalks in either a colander or a pie plate that I place atop the warming oven of my wood cookstove. I usually mix them up a bit every so often to facilitate the drying process.
Once dried, the leaves will easily separate from the stalks by rubbing or stripping them off. The stems go on the compost and I store the leaves in a labeled air tight glass jar. The more leaves the better. As I said earlier, there’s no such thing as too much thyme.
I’ve also frozen some sprigs after they’ve been spun dry. I simply put them in a ziplock baggie and throw it in the freezer. I’ll use these frozen sprigs to season the holiday turkey by placing them between the skin and flesh. I do the same thing when I’m roasting a chicken. This technique really flavors the meat nicely.
Using Thyme
Homestead Grown Potatoes with Dried Thyme from Herb Garden
Next to basil and oregano, thyme is my favorite herb. I find it to be very versatile so therefore I use it more than any other herb. In addition to numerous soups, I use it in salad dressings, in beef and pork dishes and in one of our favorites, roasted potatoes. I also use it in our homemade poultry and Italian seasoning blends and poultry seasoning. Full sprigs of thyme are especially nice when placed in between the skin and flesh of any poultry prior to roasting.
Ready to go in Oven
Here’s a recipe for thyme roasted potatoes. It’s one of our favorite potato dishes.
Thyme Roasted Potatoes
4 potatoes cut in 1” cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme
Toss everything together and roast in 400 degree oven 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Mix potatoes part way through. I usually cook for the longer amount of time as we like the potatoes a bit brown and crispy on the outside.
A Homestead Favorite, Roasted Potatoes…Yum!
Before I add my dried thyme to any dish, I always crumble it up with my fingers as this helps to release more flavor.
I hope like us, you’ll agree you need more thyme in your garden, your kitchen and your cooking.
Until next time, keep the dream alive! We wish you a great day!
Ron and Johanna
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