What to do with all the Thyme on Your Hands

Thyme is one of my favorite herbs for an edible landscape. It is a terrific groundcover because it quickly fills in and it smells fantastic! Thyme is an evergreen, and hardy to -20F degrees, but it needs protection in winter from cold winds, wet wintery conditions and hard winters in general. Be sure to trim the plants after flowing to promote new growth and prevent the plant from becoming woody.

Harvest thyme after the morning dew has dried, but before the heat of the day sets in to preserve maximum flavor. Just cut as needed by snipping 4-5 inches off the top of the stem. Thyme can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. As the growing season draws to a close, you might want to preserve some of your thyme for winter use. It can be frozen- just put the cuttings in the freezer on a cookie sheet, once frozen you can easily strip off the leaves, then put in a freezer bag or plastic containers and freeze for later use. Frozen thyme has a better flavor than dried thyme, so it’s worth the little effort it takes.

Thyme also thrives in containers, so you can easily start a pot outdoors and enjoy it all season long, then when the winter months approach take the container inside to a sunny window, to enjoy even when the snow if flying for those of us in Northern climes. If you’re lucky enough to live in a mild climate, you can harvest thyme all year long, right from your garden.

Some great uses for thyme:

• Thyme is a great flavoring for fish like salmon and trout.
• Add 2 or 3 sprigs to your next batch of homemade chicken noodle soup or beef stew
  
• Make a creole flavor blend with 3 tablespoons paprika; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1-1/2 tablespoons cayenne powder; 1 tablespoon oregano; and 1 tablespoon thyme
  Mix these herbs and spices together and store in an airtight container in a cabinet away from heat and light. Use to add a bit of Creole flavor to meats, seafoods and vegetables.
• Make a Chicken Marinade using minced thyme, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and low sodium soy sauce.
• Use a tablespoon or so in a fresh vinegrette .
• Make Thyme Butter, just mince the leaves and blend with softened butter. The amount of thyme added depends upon your taste.
• Thyme can be substituted for basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary and savory in recipes.

These are just a few ideas for using thyme. I'd love to hear how you like to use Thyme, whether it's one of these ideas or your own specialty. Thanks in advance for sharing!