Doesn’t oregano make everything a little bit more delicious? I use it as an all-around spice for all sorts of savory dishes, because it helps to bring out the natural flavor of everything from meats to veggies. The dried herb you get from the grocery store, however, may already be several weeks or even months old before it hits your plate. That’s why I learned how to dry oregano that I grew in my own garden, and maximize the flavor this herb brings to every single bite. It’s actually a pretty simple process to dry the leaves, and once you know how to do it, you’re unlikely to buy old, flavorless dried herbs from the supermarket ever again.
Step 1: Harvesting the Herbs
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Harvest oregano leaves before the plants have flowered so you can dry them while they’re fresh and lock in all the flavors. It’s best to harvest these leaves in the morning, but not too early: the ideal time to pick oregano is when the dew has dried, but before the sun has reached its peak at midday.
Each plant should be at least 6 inches tall before you begin harvesting its leaves, and be sure to never pick more than 30 percent of the leaves off a single plant if you want it to remain healthy and continue to grow. If you keep them healthy and don’t deplete them all at once, their leaves will regrow and you can re-harvest up to three times a season.
Don’t simply yank leaves off the stems, as this may do damage to both the parent plant and the leaves you’re harvesting. Instead, cut off a few plant stems with small garden shears. You’ll want to make your cuts right above growth nodes, which are the little roundish nodules you’ll see on the stems. This encourages the plants to produce even more delicious leaves. When preparing the leaves for dehydration, be sure that you don’t cut the entire stem off the leaf. Always leave a little bit of the stem attached, because this makes the leaves much easier to handle throughout the drying process.
Step 2: Cleaning the Leaves
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Clean the leaves well before you dry them, or you could end up with dried herbs that have a slightly mulchy taste to them. That’s an ingredient you don’t want to add to your cooking! To wash your oregano, all you need to do is rinse the leaves gently in water to remove any mulch or dirt. You can do this directly in the sink, or use a colander.
Handle the leaves carefully, and don’t use a strong spray of water while washing. Simply coat each side of the leaf with water to remove any dirt. Once the leaves have all been rinsed, shake them gently to remove excess moisture.
Step 3: Drying with a Dehydrator
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If you’re lucky enough to have a food dehydrator, drying your oregano leaves will take very little effort. Take the trays out of the dehydrator, and simply lay the leaves flat on the trays. Make sure that none of them overlap, so air can circulate all the way around them.
Once all the leaves have been laid out carefully, place those trays back in the dehydrator and set it to the lowest setting. The oregano will usually be completely dry in one day, though some larger leaves may require a little bit more time in the dehydrator until they’re completely dried out. Check your leaves after 24 hours to see how they’re progressing. If any leaves haven’t dried yet, leave them in the dehydrator and check them every few hours until the process is complete.
Step 4: Drying Leaves on Trays
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Haven’t got a dehydrator? That’s not a problem, though you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer to enjoy your dried oregano. Spread the leaves out flat on trays or baking sheets, and again, make sure they don’t overlap. Put those trays in a warm room where they won’t be disturbed, and let them sit for several days so the oregano can air dry naturally.
It’s a good idea to check the herbs once or twice a day to see how the process is moving along. When you’re checking on the leaves, use the stems to flip them over so each side has equal air exposure. You’ll know that the oregano is completely dry when the stems are stiff to the touch, and the leaves crumble easily when handled.
If you’re just learning how to dry oregano and other culinary herbs, this is one of the easiest and most hands-on approaches to try.
Step 5: Hanging the Herbs to Dry
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If you don’t have a lot of flat space or a bunch of trays to dry the oregano leaves, you still have another option: hang them up in bunches to air dry. For this method, it’s better to harvest longer stems that are covered in leaves, rather than individual leaves.
Carefully gather the herbs into a bunch, and tie their stems together with twine or string. You can even use a rubber band to keep your bunch together.
Leave some excess string at the end of each bundle, so it’s easy to hang them up. Before hanging them, use a bit of extra twine or string to secure a paper bag over each bunch, and cut a few slits or notches into every bag. Those cuts will allow air to get to the leaves, but the bag will prevent dust and debris from disturbing the herbs while they dry. Be sure to hang the oregano away from direct sunlight, as this can affect both the flavor, and the drying process itself. These oregano bunches will need about a week to dry thoroughly.
Using an oven or direct sunlight to dry oregano leaves is never a good idea, as this results in uneven drying and can also bleach color out of the leaves. Hanging oregano is a very effective drying method, but only if the bundles are hung away from direct light and are kept clean while they’re airing out.
Step 6: Remove the Leaves from Their Stems
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Once your oregano leaves have dried thoroughly, you can remove them from their stems, since those spiky bits are quite inedible.
To do this, pinch each stem firmly with your fingers and move your hand upwards along the leaves. The dried leaves will fall away from the stems very easily, so make sure you have something to catch them during this process. Ultimately, it’s best to do this over a tray, a plate, or even a clean bowl.
After the leaves are removed, you can simply throw the stems away or add them to your compost pile. If you’d like to find a different use for them instead, burning them has a number of different benefits. If you like, you can try adding them to your fireplace kindling, or in the fuel you use for your smoker. Those dried stems emite a pleasant scent when burned, and add a little bit of savory flavor to meats when used in smokers. Throw the stems on top of a woodstove, and they’ll fill your home with a wonderful, woodsy scent.
Step 7: Sort the Leaves
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Once the leaves have been detached from their stems, go through them to remove any bits of chaff, fluff, or extra stem bits that may have gotten into the mix. Remove this unwanted material until only dried oregano leaves remain, and toss the unwanted bits away. Now, you can store your dried oregano in containers until you’re ready to use it. Glass jars are very effective for storing dried herbs, but plastic also works well.
Step 8: Storing Oregano
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Store your oregano container in a dark, dry location—like the inside of your spice cabinet. It’s best to keep dried herbs away from direct light in order to maintain their color and flavor. As long as you follow safe storage procedures for your oregano, it will stay good in your cabinet for up to 6 months, without losing any of its flavor.
Step 9: Cooking with Oregano
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Dried oregano is a wonderful all-around spice that can be sprinkled on salads, used to season meat and fish dishes, omelets, and just about anything else you want to make. It’s also one of the key flavors in Italian cuisine, so the next time you’re making some pasta sauce or stuffed bell peppers, be sure to add a pinch or two of this wonderful herb for an authentic, garden-fresh experience.
Once You’ve Dried it Yourself…
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Did you enjoy this simple tutorial for how to dry oregano from your own garden? The process itself is rather empowering, and the end result is amazing if you follow the steps precisely. Once the herb is dry, you’ll have more than enough to enhance just about everything you eat.
The best part? Once you’ve learned how to dry oregano by one of the methods we’ve shared, you can dry just about any other culinary or medicinal herb the same way. Fill your garden with delicious and healing plants, and know that you now have the skills to preserve them well for future use.
Lead image via Pixabay
