Thyme, rosemary and pepper
An herb-led combination that leaves room for the flavour of the meat.
Start with these
- 4 gfine iodised table salt
- 1 tspdried thyme
- ½ tspdried rosemary, finely crushed
- ½ tspground black pepper
The quantities are editorial starting suggestions, not finished home-tested recipes. Herbs are dried and spices ground unless stated otherwise. Use measuring spoons and adjust to taste.
The salt quantity is for 500 g plain, unsalted boneless meat. Use ordinary fine table salt, preferably iodised. Our starting quantity is 4 g (0.8 % of the meat’s weight). Weigh the salt; flakes and fine salt fill a teaspoon differently. Distribute salt evenly over the meat before frying or grilling. This is the total salt for the meat, not a further dose after cooking. If the meat is already marinated, salted or brined, omit the 4 grams and assess the need after cooking. Also use less spice mix if the marinade already adds plenty of flavour.
When should the spices go in?
- Dry the meat and brown it in a little olive oil. Brown in batches if the pan becomes crowded.
- Lower the heat after browning. Add herbs and pepper to the pan juices or a little oil, then turn the meat to distribute the flavour without burning the spices.
- Finish cooking according to the cut you are using. Add any fresh herbs or sumac at the end.
The final detailAdjust the sauce with a little acidity if it seems heavy.
AI-generated illustrations.