question about thyme

Posts: 2,451
3/2/11 12:11 P

I have always found that a little thyme goes a long way and if you use too much it will ruin the flavor of what you are preparing...

Posts: 1,795
3/2/11 10:41 A

Her's an article I found some time ago:


Spice Information

Spices are derived from either seeds and barks or roots and fruits. In many parts of the world, spices are ground fresh everyday for the best flavor. Here are a few tips on using sweet spices for best results.

* Try to keep your spices no more than one year. Although they are not dangerous to use after a year, the flavor fades away.

* Keep all of your spices away from heat and light, which destroy flavors. The best place for spices is inside a drawer. Keep bottles properly capped. You may want to consider placing spices in the freezer for maximum freshness.

* Whenever you can, grind your own spices. Purchase an electric coffee grinder and place the whole spice inside. Whirl for 1 minute and you will have the best fresh ground spices. For instance, I always grind my own cloves, and the flavor is absolutely wonderful!

Posts: 843
3/1/11 5:03 P

I think dried thyme has kind of a dirt taste to it. I stopped using dried a while ago since it seemed to ruin whatever I made. I've never had a problem with fresh though.

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3/1/11 4:46 P

Try crushing it a bit first, releases more of the flavor. Also, how often do you replace dried Thyme? Herbs when dried seem to go bad about 6 months from the package being opened, where they lose most of their flavor and get a kind of "dirty" or moldy taste. Try to replace dried herbs at least that often to prevent this from happening, even if the herbs aren't used up.

Posts: 11,780
3/1/11 4:08 P

Some people find that if you are using too much, perhaps trying using less? Are you using fresh or dried?

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3/1/11 2:38 P

Any time I use thyme in a recipe, DH says its tastes modly, any thoughts?