How To to Dry Fresh Oregano at Home : 4 Easy and Common Method. Microwave 45 seconds, then in 15 second increments. We have a very small microwave, that I hardly ever use as it requires a lot of solar generated power. That means you can use it as a spice in Italian, Greek, Turkish, Spanish, South French, Syrian, Lebanese, Israeli/Palestinian food. How To Dry Oregano, Traditional Method: Use your garden sheers and harvest entire stalks of oregano after the flowerbuds form, at the end of the summer season, early in the morning but after the dew of the night has dried. Oregano is closely related to marjoram, but with a more robust, aromatic flavor. Oregano herb dried or fresh is a typical Mediterranean food ingredient. It’s perfect and good for using in soups, stews and all those comfort foods we love. While you can dry any type of fresh herbs in a very low oven, some people prefer using the oven for woody (thyme, rosemary) herbs, rather than tender (basil, parsley) ones, which are more delicate. My prefered method is to wash and completely dry the leaves and put them on a tray, and allow them to dry out. I have compiled a list of uses for your dried and fresh oregano below. Drying Herbs . Every Homestead Needs a Cutting Garden. How to Grow Oregano? A well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight is ideal. Some herbs can turn yellow when you try to dry them, but not Oregano! Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum) is herbaceous perennial. Remove any discolored or wilting leaves. So, we’ve figured out how to grow oregano and how we can use it. 7 Herbs That Taste Good When Dried. Then dry it up. Dry fresh herbs in … Dried oregano has a slightly stronger flavor, so you need less dried herb than you do fresh. Here's why we love it and how to incorporate it into your cooking. This method will take a few days, so patience is needed since you won’t have your dried herd right away. How to Dry Oregano. This low-tech option calls for tying clean herbs into bundles by their stems with plain kitchen twine, cotton string, or rubber bands. There are several methods used to harvest oregano and dry it for preservation. (Image credit: Jayme Henderson ) Just to add a little perspective, look at the 16-ounce wide-mouth Ball jar in the first photo. Make a bouquet and tie it with kitchen twine or a soft string. How to Trim & Dry Greek Oregano. When using dried oregano, it is a good idea to crush it in the palms of your hand to help release the essential oils. I recommend that you experiment with fresh oregano. The Best Herbs for Drying . There are a few different methods you can use when making dried oegano or other dried herbs. And summer time is the perfect time to grow, harvest and dry Rosemary. As so, let’s give you a heads up on how to grow it! Substitute 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) of dried oregano in place of 1 tablespoon (1.6 g) of fresh oregano. The prime steps of growing oregano are more critical and essential than that of drying. Oregano is synonymous with Italian cooking; use it in anything with an Italian vibe. Garden Planning ~ A Fresh Start. Yes, Oregano really helps to treat many ailments, such as skin sores, aching muscles, asthma, cramping, diarrhea, indigestion, colds, and to boost overall health. Do use oregano in moderation. How To Preserve Your Oregano. But, how do you store it? Tie bunches of herbs with string and hang up in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. Quite easy to grow, people enjoy this herb as both fresh or dried. hirtum) is … The leaves of the oregano plant are very small and a dark green color. After Oregano is finished drying, get a bowl to harvest your Oregano in. People have been using oregano for thousands of years in their dishes to add extra flavor and also to treat health conditions. This will ultimately eliminate its desirable properties, making it a no-no for food usage in weeks. Growing oregano is a no-brainer. Fresh oregano will eventually turn gray and unusable if you don’t dry it up. Before jumping straight into the drying part, please make sure that the herbs are fresh, young, and harvested well. No matter which drying method you choose, effective drying relies on abundant dry, fresh air more than heat. Oregano produces tiny white, pink, or purple flowers which are very attractive to pollinating bees. Growing oregano in your garden is easy, so it's likely you'll have an abundance of the herb after the growing season ends. Dried. Just last week I discovered how to dry fresh oregano. Dried Oregano comes in leaves or powder form, depending on how you wish to use it. It works best with herbs like bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme, and there are a couple methods you can use. Fresh and dried oregano aren't always interchangeable, but you can usually swap one for the other if you keep a few storage and measurement tips in mind. Once the oregano is dry, just use your hand to crumble the crispy leaves off of the stem. Learning how to dry fresh rosemary is simple and not only does it have a wonderful scent but it looses very little flavor when dried. Instead, dry the leaves and save them to use when it's too cold to grow fresh herbs. 1. Store your freshly dried herbs just as you would any other herbs from the store. Oregano: Fresh vs. Gently shake the branches to remove excess water, and place them on a clean towel to dry for at least two hours. Leave the leaves attached if you plan to use fresh oregano as a part of a bouquet garni. Did you know that you can dry oregano and other herbs to use at a later date without a dehydrator? We grow Oregano, Lovage, Parsley and Chives which are all perennial herbs. Not only that, it’s super easy! If you purchase fresh oregano from a grocery market or farm stand, choose long, bushy branches. When I cut oregano on well established plants, I’m not too fussy. Today I want to show you how to dry herbs. Find out how to dry fresh herbs at home to save money and reduce food waste. It is a perennial in many zones and the stems can become woody over the years. The dried variety has a stronger more intense aroma then the fresh herb. Layer another sheet of paper towels on top of the herbs, and that’s it! It’s usually overlooked but adds so much flavor to a dish. Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. Don't toss out leftover oregano. Rinse each branch, whether from your garden or the store, in cool water to remove any hidden insects and dirt particles. What’s Needed for Drying Out Fresh Oregano: Fresh Oregano Leaves; Glass {microwaveable} Plate; Microwave-Safe Paper Towels; Drying Fresh Oregano in Microwave Instructions: Place 1 paper towel flat on your plate; Lay out Oregano Leaves in a single layer on the paper towel, then add another paper towel on top. This technique works for oregano, sage, thyme, mint and basil that can be used anytime!… although, I prefer to freeze my fresh basil, blended with olive oil, for a delicious fresh taste in your sauce. Dried oregano is made by drying the fresh Oregano leaves under the sun or in a dehydrator. It fantastic when cut fresh from the plant and can easily be dried for long-term storage. Fresh oregano tastes so different than the dried oregano in shakers in pizza shops. How to Dry Fresh Oregano? Plant them once and they should come back each year with new growth. Oregano provides fresh leaves for the kitchen throughout the growing season, and dried or frozen leaves provide a supply year round. Common oregano (Origanum vulgare) grows in a wide range of forms and can be invasive. Separate the herb leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Oregano can be frozen, or as I prefer, it can be dried. If mold is an issue, we recommend using a small commercial dehydrator. Let’s just get this one out of the way right now – pizza. Consider the kind of oregano you buy, and the properties of fresh and dried oregano, before you use them; adding oregano to a dish can give it a pleasantly herbaceous bite, but too much can make food taste bitter. Leave them in a cool/dry place (either on a porch – safe from the weather, or in a basement, or in a room that doesn’t get too warm/steamy) and let them sit for at least 3-4 days, or longer if you want! Our climate (Zone 3) dictates that we have to mulch the Oregano heavily for insulating over winter, if we want to plant it right into the ground. As long as there’s an inch or two of greenery left at the bottom, I know it will grow back. Oregano is a staple culinary herb, used for the assertive, woodsy, slightly peppery flavor of its leaves, which can be used fresh or dry, but are more flavorful when dried. One of the best herbs for aromatic aroma too. As you can see, there’s a lot to get from oregano, either fresh or dry. Oregano is a flavorful herb used in a variety of recipes, particularly recipes for Italian food. In several of the programs the subject of fresh herbs comes up and Ina makes a point of saying how she doesn't like to cook with fresh oregano, preferring it in dried form because the flavor is more subtle. The fresh herb makes a great addition to salads and other uncooked dishes but doesn’t stand up well to prolonged heat or cooking. Hanging Dry. This is one of the widely used herbs in many cuisines, as it renders a distinct and appealing aroma. Varieties. However, I twisted the hubby’s arm and he let me use it this once, as long as it was for a few minutes and during the day. Place the leaves on a baking sheet so that they are not touching. Preheat the oven to 180˚F. Oregano is a popular herb that is used to season a wide variety of dishes. Details About the Oregano Plant . If the conversion is 3 to 1, fresh to dried, then 6 sprigs fresh thyme should be equivalent to about .66 teaspoons dried thyme if I did my math correctly but now you are asking about “ground” dried thyme. Dried oregano also has some advantages over the fresh version when it comes to cooking. If you live in a humid area, the process may be slower, and mold can be a problem. The good news is that, it is an insanely easy process. Traditionally, herbs are hung to dry. 1. The fastest way just happens to involve your microwave. There are several methods to dry herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves. While dried oregano should be crumbled, fresh oregano will have to be stripped from the stems before being chopped and added to the dish. Dried oregano should be added to dishes at the beginning of the cooking time to ensure it has time to infuse into the other ingredients. Clip oregano stocks right before it flowers; Tie stocks together at the bottom; Hang Oregano upside down; Let dry for 3 days in the sun/or ~7 days inside (place a paper bag underneath so it will gather any droppings if you’re drying Oregano inside. Then picked a couple handfuls of fresh oregano and basil and spread them out on the paper towels. Oregano has a little secret: It is one of the only herbs that tastes so good dried that you would use it, even if a fresh version is available. How to Cut and Dry Oregano. The stem itself is pretty bitter, but word on the street is that you can use the dried stems in a smoker to impart a nice flavor to whatever you’re cooking. I've been watching some of the new TV season of Barefoot Contessa, the one based on Ina Garten's most recent book, Back to Basics. Air drying is not only the easiest and least expensive way to dry fresh herbs, but this slow drying process can also help retain the essential oils of the herbs, which helps to maintain their flavor. As such, it has become a staple herb in even the most basic of spice collections.When working with this herb, you may have found yourself wondering if your cooking might benefit from the use of fresh oregano as opposed to the typical dried variety your spice rack most likely holds. Dried oregano is also called “Pizza Herb”, as it is a mandatory ingredient used in making Pizzas. I use kitchen scissors and cut several stems at once, about an inch or two above ground level. How to Dry Oregano. 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