Oregano that is harvested yourself or purchased at the supermarket must be dried before it can be used as a recipe or garnish. This drying is very important because it will improve the taste and texture of the oregano. Before drying, wash the soiled oregano under cold running water. You can then dry the oregano by hanging it, or placing it on a tray. If you are in a hurry, you can use a dehydrator or oven. However, be careful that the oregano leaves can scorch and lose flavor if you heat them too long.
Step
Method 1 of 5: Preparing the Oregano
Step 1. Remove any dry or browned leaves from the stalks
Take a sprig of oregano and place it on the kitchen counter. Look for leaves that are dry and brown, then cut them with scissors or a knife. You can also pick them by hand. Discard these unhealthy and tasteless leaves.
Remove leaves that are not the same as the others on the oregano stalk. The oregano should have a dark green color when you dry it
Tip:
The dried leaves (while the others are fresh) will rot by the time you finish drying the remaining leaves. The leaves also taste bad because they don't absorb as much moisture as the plant is growing.
Step 2. Wash the oregano under cold running water
Place a strainer in the sink to catch fallen leaves. Wash the oregano leaves in cold water for about 10 to 15 seconds. If you have plucked the leaves from the stems, place the pile directly on top of the colander for washing. You don't have to pluck the leaves from the stems if you want to dry the oregano.
- If the oregano is already clean, or you bought packaged oregano that has been washed, you don't need to rinse it. In fact, it's better not to wash the oregano because the leaves will absorb the moisture from the washing water, which will delay the drying process.
- You will need to wash the oregano if the stalks are dusty, insect-eaten, or looking dirty.
Step 3. Shake the oregano to remove excess water, then wipe with a paper towel
Turn off the water, then lightly shake the oregano in the sink to remove any adhering water. Gently wipe the oregano with a paper towel to absorb any moisture on the surface.
If you wash it, hang the oregano for 6 to 12 hours to dry before you use any other method. Wrap the twine around the oregano stalk and attach it to a hook, hanger, or curtain rod
Method 2 of 5: Drying Oregano by Hanging It
Step 1. Gather the oregano into groups of 2-4 sprigs and place them in a paper bag
Prepare a paper bag that will hold all of the oregano and make about 10-15 small holes on each side of the bag using a knife, fork, or pen. Place the paper bag at an angle. Gather a few sprigs of oregano and tie them together by hand. Place the oregano leaf halves in a paper bag, with the stems sticking out 8-10 cm long.
- This method takes the most time, but is the traditional way to dry the leaves. This is the best method because the stalks will dry completely so the flavor can be preserved.
- Paper bags are useful for preventing dust from sticking to the leaves. Skip this step if you are drying oregano in a well-ventilated area.
- Some people prefer to punch a hole in the bottom of the bag and insert a sprig of oregano from the hole so the leaves will hang over the open end of the bag. You can choose this method if you wish.
Tip:
You don't need to dry more than 2 to 4 sprigs of oregano, unless you're making them in bulk to use for a few months. You can get lots of leaves from just 2-4 sprigs of oregano to spice up food.
Step 2. Wrap the twine tightly around the stem to tie it together
Take 15–30 cm of thread, then wrap it around the stalk and in a paper bag, directly under the first set of leaves. Tie the stem and paper bag tightly by wrapping the thread around the stem 2-3 times, then pulling tightly. Secure the ties to the paper bag and stem, ending with a knot.
- You can use 90-110 cm of thread if you want to hang the oregano with the excess thread. This way, you don't have to use two separate strands of yarn.
- You can use jute thread, meat thread, or cotton thread to wrap the oregano. If there is no thread, just use a rubber band.
Step 3. Hang the oregano stalk on a post, hook, or hanger using string
The easiest way to hang oregano is to use twine about 60-90 cm long and thread it into another thread used to wrap around the stalk. You can also tie it along the stem and tie it under the loop you made earlier (which was used to tie the stem). Tie the string on a clothes hanger, curtain rod, or hook in a dry, well-ventilated area of the house to hang the oregano.
- While hanging oregano in the kitchen may look appealing, the kitchen is actually the worst place to store oregano. When you cook on the stove, the aroma of the food you cook can seep into the oregano and change the taste.
- Another way to hang oregano is to unfold a paperclip, then thread half of it between the threads, and thread the bottom half of the thread. After that, use the top hook to hang it on the string.
Step 4. Wait 2-6 weeks for the oregano to dry
Drying oregano by hanging it can take a long time. Usually, oregano will dry within 2-6 weeks, although it can take shorter or longer depending on how wet the oregano is drying, the humidity in the room, and the amount of air flowing in the house. After 1-2 weeks of drying, check the oregano every 2-3 days to see if the leaves are completely dry.
- Dried oregano will be pale green in color and crumble easily when kneaded. To see if the oregano has dried, place one leaf in an airtight glass jar. The oregano leaves are dry if there is no moisture in the jar.
- Store dried oregano in an airtight container.
Method 3 of 5: Drying Oregano with Trays
Step 1. Prepare a set of drying trays that have protective gauze
Drying trays are 2 plastic or metal trays arranged in a stack to dry food. You can buy them at home or kitchen supply stores. Choose a tray with a protective screen to keep out dust and fleas.
This method takes less time than hanging the oregano, but the oregano leaves must be cut from the stems if you choose this method
Step 2. Arrange the oregano on the tray evenly, then arrange the two trays
Use kitchen shears or regular shears to trim the oregano leaves from the stems. Place the leaves on the tray evenly. Leave about 1-2 cm of space between each leaf so that they do not overlap. Once one of the trays is full, plug the other tray on top of it.
If the protective gauze is not permanently attached to the tray, first place the protective gauze at the bottom of the tray, under the leaves. Place another protective screen over the second tray when you stack it
Tip:
If you're using a large drying tray, you don't need to cut the leaves off the stems. These large drying trays are usually expensive.
Step 3. Place the tray in a warm, well-ventilated area
Take the dryer tray to a warm, well-ventilated area. If the air flow in the room is not very good, turn on the fan. Do not place the tray near a window or in a bright room. Sunlight can change the color of the leaves and remove some of the oil contained in the oregano leaves.
The attic is an ideal place to dry oregano in the dryer tray. Rubanah is a bad place because this room tends to be damp
Step 4. Wait at least 1 week for the oregano to dry
Check the leaves daily to see if they are dry. This process usually takes 4 to 7 days, although it can take longer depending on the conditions of the room used for drying. When the oregano is completely dry, remove the leaves from the tray and place in an airtight container.
- If the oregano is dried along with the stem, you should be able to easily pick the leaves off the stem.
- Once dry, the oregano leaves will turn pale and crumble when crushed. To check if the oregano is dry, place one leaf in a glass jar for about 15 minutes. The oregano is completely dry if there is no moisture in the jar.
Method 4 of 5: Drying Oregano with a Dehydrator
Step 1. Arrange the oregano in a single layer on the dehydrator tray
Remove the tray from the dehydrator by pulling it. Remove the oregano leaves from the stems using scissors, a knife, or your hands. Place the oregano leaves on a dehydrator tray, leaving about 1–2 cm of space between each leaf. You can use all the trays in the dehydrator to place the oregano leaves.
- This method is faster than drying the oregano by air-drying it. However, you will need a food dehydrator to do this. These tools are usually expensive.
- You can dry the oregano leaves along with the stems if a dehydrator can accommodate them. Most dehydrators are so small that you won't be able to fit the oregano leaves along with the stems.
Step 2. Heat the dehydrator to 38 °C
Plug the dehydrator's power cord into a wall outlet and turn on the appliance. Turn or press the button and set the dehydrator to 38 °C. Wait 5-10 minutes for the dehydrator to reach the required temperature.
- If the dehydrator provides a humidity setting, set it to the lowest setting.
- If your house is quite hot and very humid, set the dehydrator to 52 °C.
Step 3. Put the tray back in the dehydrator
Once the dehydrator is heated, put on oven mitts and open the dehydrator cover. Carefully place all trays back into the dehydrator by placing them in the grooves provided. Close the dehydrator again.
Try not to change the position of the leaves or shake the tray when you insert the tray into the dehydrator
Step 4. Dry the oregano in a dehydrator for 1 to 4 hours
There are several factors that affect the drying time of oregano. After the oregano has dried for 1 hour, open the dehydrator and check the leaves. If it becomes darker in color, curls slightly, and breaks when poked with a fork, the oregano is dry. If not, re-dry the oregano in the dehydrator for another 1-3 hours, and check periodically to ensure that the leaves don't burn.
- After 1 hour has passed, check the oregano every 20 minutes. This is to ensure that the oregano doesn't burn accidentally.
- Let the oregano cool for about 20 minutes before storing it in an airtight container.
Warning:
If you smell smoke, the oregano may have started to burn. Turn off the dehydrator and remove the drying tray using oven mitts to allow the leaves to cool.
Method 5 of 5: Drying Oregano in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 80 °C
Place a wire rack in the center of the oven. After that, close the oven door. Turn or press the oven button and set it to 80 °C. Preheat the oven for about 5-10 minutes.
This is the quickest method, but carries a high risk of accidentally scorching the oregano leaves. The flavor of the leaves can also be lost if you heat them too long. However, if you don't have much time, this is the best method for drying oregano
Tip:
If you use this method, you don't need to dry the oregano with a paper towel after washing it. Moisture can protect the leaves when you heat them.
Step 2. Spread the oregano on a clean, dry baking sheet
Place a clean, dry baking sheet on the kitchen counter. Take the oregano and place it on a baking sheet without a lid. When you heat the oregano along with the stalks, arrange the stalks on the baking sheet parallel. If you're only heating the leaves, spread them evenly on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of space between each.
You can dry the oregano with or without the stalk
Step 3. Bake the oregano for 1 hour on the middle rack of the oven
Once the oven is preheated, carefully place the pan on the center rack of the oven. Close the oven door to allow the oregano to dry. Bake oregano for 1 hour to dry.
- You may need to dry the oregano for more than 1 hour. If the oregano is dried without the stalk, you can dry it a little faster.
- If you heat the oregano too long in the oven, most of the flavor and main oil in the leaves will be lost.
Step 4. Remove the pan and allow the oregano to cool for 10 to 20 minutes
When the oregano is dry, remove the pan from the oven. Place the baking sheet on top of the oven and let it cool. Wait 10-20 minutes before transferring the oregano to an airtight container.
Tips
- Oregano isn't just for pizza! You can use it to decorate pizza, potatoes, lettuce, soup, pork, or coleslaw.
- Although the oregano sprigs are not edible, you can stick them on the fireplace while the fire is on to give your home a pleasant aroma. You can stick the stalks in a food smoker or slow cooker to give the oregano flavor to the meat.
