How To Quickly De-Stem Herbs With A Kitchen Gadget You Already Own
As a lover of fresh herbs in cooking, I am always seeking out methods to make herb prep quicker. When I saw the viral herb hack video of a TikTok user pulling cilantro through a box grater to remove leaves from stems, my curiosity was piqued. Using a kitchen gadget in an unconventional way to save time on herb prep sounded like a game-changer.
I decided to test out this herb de-stemming hack myself and experimented with eight different types of herbs varying in leaf and stem texture. Here are my results:
Rosemary
Rosemary is known for its needle-like leaves and woody stem, making it a difficult herb to de-stem by hand. However, pulling the rosemary through the large shredding holes on the box grater removed almost all of the leaves, making this hack a genius food prep hack.
Marjoram
Marjoram has thicker stems and a more delicate, mild flavor than oregano. Using the fine shred on the box grater was effective in removing all the leaves, leaving behind a stem membrane with detached needles.
Thyme
Thyme has tiny leaves attached to a sturdy, thin stem, making it crucial to remove the leaves. The medium shred worked best, removing almost all of the leaves, with just a few small branch pieces remaining at the top.
Tarragon
Tarragon has a soft stem and leaves, making it a difficult herb to use the box grater on. Unfortunately, this hack did not work for tarragon, resulting in ripped leaves, left-behind stem membrane, and broken branch pieces.
Oregano
Oregano has soft, fragrant leaves and a pliable yet firm stem, making it an excellent herb to use with this hack. The medium shred worked flawlessly, removing all leaves without any stem membrane.
Related Facts:
– Using a box grater for herb de-stemming is also common in Korean cuisine and is known as “garu-garu” in Korean.
– Other useful kitchen gadgets for herb prep include herb scissors, a herb stripper, and a food processor.
Key Takeaway:
Using a box grater for herb de-stemming can be a game-changer and significantly reduce herb prep time. However, it may not work for all types of herbs due to stem thickness and texture. Experiment with different herbs and shredding holes on your box grater to find the best method.
In conclusion, as someone who is always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen, the box grater herb de-stemming hack is a winner. Although it didn’t work for all the herbs I tested, it significantly reduced prep time for some of the more challenging herbs like rosemary. Give it a try and see how it works for you!
