destem

Pluck off stems

To destem is to remove stems from fruits, vegetables, or herbs before cooking or processing.

The word appears most often with grapes, cherries, and leafy greens: Destem the kale before adding it to the soup.

In winemaking, destemming separates grape berries from their stems to reduce harsh tannins.

berries

strawberries

Red fruits with external seeds

grapesClustered vine fruit
cherriesSmall red drupes
currantsSmall seedless dried grapes

blueberries · raspberries · blackberries · gooseberries · mulberries · tomatoes · peppers · hulling · coring · seeding

technique

pluck

Spirit or yank

stripNarrow elongated piece
pinchSqueeze with fingertips
pullForce toward oneself

trim · remove · detach · separate · clean · prep · knife · fingers · thumbnail · bowl

herbs

basil

Fragrant culinary leaf

cilantroPungent leafy herb
parsleyCulinary herb for garnishing
thymeAromatic culinary herb

mint · rosemary · oregano · sage · dill · tarragon · chervil · marjoram · chives · kale

Opposites

stem attachment action

destemstem

Plant's central axis

Family

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G