What Does Tarragon Taste Like?

Tarragon is a popular ingredient and is used in several dishes. This article will discuss what tarragon tastes like, how you can cook it, what goes well with it etc. If you have never tried tarragon, you need to read this article.

Once we have shared all the information regarding tarragon, we will discuss a few important queries in the last section to give you some much-need clarity and ensure that tarragon is in your recipes in the future.

What is Tarragon?

Tarragon, also called Estragon, is a type of perennial herb and belongs to the sunflower family. The herb is widespread across North America, Southern Europe and parts of Asia. Tarragon has long been cultivated for medicinal and culinary purposes.

What Does Tarragon Taste Like?

Tarragon has a bittersweet and spicy flavour, and you can compare its distinct flavour to fennel fronds, anise and licorice. Tarragon has this type of taste due to an organic compound known as Methyl Chavicol, which naturally occurs in trees and plants and has a licorice flavour and unique taste.

How is Tarragon Made?

Tarragon is a herb, so it occurs naturally. Rather than focusing on how tarragon is made, our focus will be on where tarragon comes from. Tarragon was first grown in Siberia. However, the French tarragon is cultivated in countries like Spain and France and parts of North America such as the United States. The leaves of tarragon have a bright green colour and a warm odour.

How Do You Cook Tarragon?

Fresh tarragon and Dried versions of tarragon are used in different dishes and recipes. When cooking with fresh tarragon, the leaves need to be cleaned, and you need to run them through a drying process. Then you will need to remove the tarragon from the stems by running your fingers through the stems.

You can chop the tarragon leaves or use them as it is. On the other hand, fresh tarragon is either added at the end of cooking or used raw. If you cook the fresh tarragon for a long period of time, it will develop a bitter taste. Fresh tarragon can also be used as sauces, chicken salad, green salad and potato salad.

What Do You Eat Tarragon With?

Here are some recipes that can use a bit of tarragon:

Cocktails

Mixing tarragon with cocktails will give the drink a citrusy and bright flavour. Muddle a handful of tarragon into your favourite cocktail; if you want to use tarragon as an ingredient, go for floral melon and white rum mojito or grapefruit tarragon gin.

Pasta

Pasta and tarragon are a match made in heaven, and the two are often seen together. You can add the tarragon to all pasta dishes, such as the lemony mushroom pasta. You can also pair the tarragon with the ricotta-coated summer squash.

Cooked Veggies

Tarragon has a strong taste and flavour, making it a perfect pairing for gently braised, grilled or roasted vegetables. Go for roasted asparagus or roasted baby turnips, and pair them with a poached egg and creamy lemon sauce. Once the dish is ready, sprinkle a little bit of tarragon atop it.

Sauces

You can add tarragon to your favourite sauces such as Green goddess, Pesto, Gribiche and salad dressing. You can also take an extra step and add tarragon to a lemony dip, savoury whipped cream, Semi-German Green sauce and Walnut and anchovy sauce.

Seafood

Tarragon pairs perfectly with many fish species, from snappers to tuna to salmon. Tarragon is also perfect with dipping sauces specifically made for fish dishes. Use fresh tarragon with scallops and clams as well.

Poultry

You can pair fresh tarragon will all types of chicken recipes, such as chicken coated with creamy tarragon sauce, chicken pot pie and chicken salad. Don’t forget duck dishes, as tarragon also pairs well with them.

Potatoes

If you are unsure about how you feel about tarragon, try it with potato dishes like a springy one-pot meal or a potato salad.

Eggs

You can add fresh tarragon to all egg dishes, such as deviled and scrambled eggs.

Is Tarragon Good For You?

Terragon is a variety of herbs that go by different names and have been used for decades. However, does tarragon offer any real health benefits? Yes, it does, and we have discussed a few benefits below:

Can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar

Insulin is a hormone that provides glucose to the cells and enables you to have energy. Factors like inflammation and diet can increase insulin resistance, increasing the glucose levels in the body. Check out 5 Best Stovetop Pressure Cookers.

Studies show that tarragon can improve insulin sensitivity and how your body consumes glucose. Seven-day research conducted on animals showed that tarragon extract was able to lower the blood glucose level in the animals by 20 %.

A random and double-blind 90-day study was conducted on 24 people with impaired glucose tolerance, looking for glycemic control, insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. The study discovered then when 1000 milligrams of tarragon were given to these individuals before dinner and breakfast; their insulin secretion level dropped dramatically.

Can regulate sleep patterns and improve sleep

Insufficient sleep has been linked to several dangerous diseases and can increase the risk of heart diseases and type-II diabetes. A busy lifestyle and changes in a work-related schedule can contribute to a lack of sleep or poor sleep quality.

Hypnotics or sleeping pills are used as sleeping aids; however, they can cause substance abuse or depression complications. Tarragon has been used to remedy or medicine for several health conditions, including sleep-related issues. Check out 5 Best Professional Stand Mixers and 5 Best Slow Juicers.

Research suggests that plants have a sedative effect and can help manage sleep patterns. However, no conclusions can be drawn as more research is required in this area.

Can reduce leptin levels and increase appetite

There are many reasons behind losing appetites, such as chemotherapy, age and depression. If loss of appetite is left untreated, it can decrease the quality of life and malnutrition. An imbalance in the leptin and ghrelin hormones can also lead to a loss of appetite.

One study concludes that tarragon extract can stimulate appetite. The study results showed that a decrease in leptin and insulin secretion could increase weight. These finds indicate that tarragon can enhance the feeling of hunger.

That being said, these results were only acquired from high-fat diets. More research is required in this area before a conclusion is drawn.

Related Questions About Tarragon?

Are there different types of tarragon?

Tarragon has three popular varieties:

Mexican tarragon

This is a lesser-known variety of tarragon; it is also known as the Texas tarragon, Mexican mint marigold and Spanish tarragon. This tarragon has an anise-rich taste and is closely related to the French tarragon. Please check out 5 Best Commercial Food Processors and 5 Best Stand Mixer for Bread.

French tarragon

In France, tarragon is the King of herbs and is a major component of French cuisine. This is the most flavorful variety of tarragon and is difficult to grow because it requires a lot of time, effort and care. The flowers of this tarragon don’t produce seeds as they are sterile.

Russian tarragon

The Russian tarragon has a mild flavour and is not as popular as the French tarragon. This tarragon is easy to grow, making it the most affordable variety of tarragon.

How to store tarragon?

You can roll tarragon on a piece of paper and store it in the refrigerator. However, it will be better to place the tarragon in a plastic bag and then store it.

Conclusion

This article has covered everything you need to know about tarragon. We have also discussed the different varieties of tarragon and how you can cook the herb. Hopefully, this will give you the confidence to use tarragon in your recipes.

Sources:

• Healthline
• Food52
• TheSpruceEats
• Britannica