Thyme

Sturdy thyme slowly releases its flavor, making it perfect for roasts, braises, and stocks.

Flavor

How to use it

Add early. Sturdy herbs like thyme need time in heat and fat to give up their oils.

Strip the leaves. Pull leaves off the woody stem backwards and discard the stem, or drop whole sprigs in and fish them out.

Common mistakes

• Using it as a last-minute garnish, where it tastes dry and sharp.
• Leaving the woody stems in the finished dish.

What goes with thyme

• Rosemary. Both herbs have camphor and pinene, giving them a resinous aroma.
• Chicken Stock. Thyme's essential oils infuse savory notes into chicken stock.
• Bay Leaf. Bay and thyme are the core of a bouquet garni, giving stocks a layered herbal depth.
• Scotch Bonnet. Thyme's earthy, minty notes balance scotch bonnet's fruity fire in jerk seasoning.
• Chicken thigh. Thyme's earthy, woody oils hold up through roasting and flavor the fat.
• Lemon. Lemon's brightness lifts thyme's earthy depth, and both smell of lemony thymol.
• Butter. Butter's fat captures thyme's aromas, releasing them over time.
• Shallot. Thyme's earthy terpenes amplify shallots' subtle sweetness.

Try tonight

• Roast chicken thighs on a bed of thyme.
• Add sprigs to a pot of beans.
• Fry in butter and spoon over mushrooms.

Storage

Wrap sprigs in damp paper in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.