Oregano has an intense flavor that can enrich countless dishes, such as pizza sauce, baked chicken or tagliolini in chicken broth. Oregano belongs to the same family as mint (Lamiaceae) and can be dried to fully preserve all its aroma. If you have large quantities of oregano on hand, you may want to dry it out for use whenever you need it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making Fresh Oregano
Step 1. Use oregano from your garden
- Collect oregano 3 times during hot weather. Trim it with shears when it has reached a height of about 6 inches, just before it blooms. Generally, it is better to proceed in late summer. Using this method, you will promote the growth of the plant which will become even taller and stronger.
- Immediately put fresh oregano in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. If you intend to dry it, you should always use the fresh one because it has a very intense aroma.
- In late summer, cut the whole stems with shears, group them in bunches and tie them at the base with string.
Step 2. Alternatively, you can use store-bought oregano
- Buy the best oregano you can find: the leaves must be bright in color and must be free of stains.
- Store fresh oregano in the refrigerator until you are ready to dry it.
- Use string to tie the bunch of oregano to the base of the stem.
Part 2 of 3: Drying the Oregano
Step 1. Hang the oregano bunches upside down in a dry, warm and well-ventilated room
You will likely need a large setting, but once the oregano is dried it will take up much less space.
Step 2. Leave the stems hanging for a week
Oregano takes a long time to dry out, but this method is great for retaining all of its flavor.
Step 3. Prepare the oregano for storage
- Separate the flowers from the leaves to store them separately.
- Remove the leaves from the stems by sliding your fingers along the branches. Dried oregano will fall into messy piles, so it is best to work on a clean surface.
- Gather the leaves and crumble them with your fingers to reduce them to powder.
- Use sheets of paper to scoop the oregano off the counter and pour it into airtight jars.
Step 4. Throw the stems away in the trash or composter (if you have one)
Part 3 of 3: Fast Drying
Step 1. Turn on the oven, setting the lowest temperature
Then remove the fresh oregano leaves from the stems using your fingers, or cut them with scissors. You can save a lot of time with this method, but you won't be able to keep all the aroma of oregano intact.
Step 2. Arrange the oregano leaves evenly on an ungreased baking sheet
Step 3. Place the pan in the oven
Check the oregano every 5 minutes until it is dry.
Step 4. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool
Then, crumble the dried oregano with your fingers onto a sheet of paper and pour it into an airtight jar.
Advice
- Try adding oregano to your favorite recipes. It enriches sauces and dishes based on fish, poultry, as well as Mexican, Greek and, of course, Italian dishes.
- Try using oregano to decorate your flower arrangements. Dried flowers last up to a full year.
- You can also use dried flowers to make potpourri or to perfume the bag.
- Dried herbs, such as oregano, are perfect for decorating gift baskets.
