Thyme dries better than almost any herb, keeping its warm, savoury, thymol-rich flavour. It is the base of herbes de Provence, Italian seasoning and Cajun blends, and ideal for long cooking.
Dried or fresh?¶
Thyme's flavour comes from oily, resinous compounds, mainly thymol, held in tiny glands on the leaf, and they survive drying well. Dried thyme tastes very like fresh, only more concentrated and a little less green and lemony. For most cooked dishes the difference is small.
Fresh thyme is still better where the herb is barely cooked or seen: scattered over roast vegetables at the end, in a salad dressing, or as whole sprigs in a bouquet garni that you lift out later. Dried is at least as good in anything that simmers for an hour or more, and better in dry rubs, where fresh leaves add moisture. See thyme for the fresh herb.
In the kitchen¶
- Long cooking. Add it early to beef stews, cassoulet, ragù, bean pots and stocks so it has time to soften and release its flavour.
- Rubs. With salt, pepper, garlic and paprika for roast chicken, pork or potatoes; see dry-rubs-and-marinades.
- Stuffings and pies. With onion and breadcrumbs, and in pork pies and sausages.
- Blends. It anchors herbes-de-provence, italian-seasoning and cajun-seasoning, and is essential in jerk-seasoning and many versions of zaatar.
- Tomato sauces and soups. A pinch early in the cooking, alongside or instead of oregano.
Crumble it between your fingers as it goes in. Unlike fresh sprigs, there is nothing to fish out.
How much to use¶
About 1 teaspoon of dried leaves for 1 tablespoon of fresh leaves, which is roughly six sprigs. Thyme is one of the herbs that loses least in drying, so some cooks use a little less. Ground thyme is stronger still when fresh from the jar: use about half as much as leaves. For a stew serving four, 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaves is typical.
Buying and storing¶
Buy whole dried leaves rather than ground. They keep their aroma for about a year in a sealed jar away from light, while ground thyme fades within months. A good jar smells strongly and savoury when you rub a pinch; a dull, dusty smell means it is time to replace it (see how-long-spices-last).
To dry your own, hang small bundles in a warm, airy place until the leaves crumble, then rub them off the stems into a jar. See drying-herbs.