How to dry oregano?
I have oregano in my garden. But I only use it fresh. How should I properly dry the oregano so I can get something similar to oregano found in the stores?
Best Answer
This page lists several methods for drying and storing herbs. A quick summary:
- Food dehydrator - a topic unto itself
- Air drying - Indoors or out, you need shelter, low humidity, and air circulation
- Sun drying - Low humidity, need to make sure the sunlight is not too intense
- Microwave oven or traditional oven - use very low temperatures
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Can you dry fresh oregano?
There are several methods used to harvest oregano and dry it for preservation. You may pull off the tiny leaves and dry them separately or dry the entire stem and then crumble off the crisp leaves. Bundle the stems together and hang them upside down to dry oregano in a dark, dry spot.Do you wash oregano before drying?
Drying is essential because it improves the texture and flavor of oregano. Before you dry your oregano, wash it by rinsing it under cold water if it's dirty. Then, you can dry your oregano by hanging it or setting it out on a tray. If you're in a hurry, you can also use a dehydrator or oven.Is it better to freeze or dry fresh oregano?
Freezing works well for basil, chives, oregano, lemon balm, mint, or tarragon. Frozen herbs can be used in the same proportion as fresh herbs. Remember though they will be limp when defrosted, but will still add fabulous flavor to your cooking.How do you preserve fresh oregano?
Storing Fresh Oregano Whether it's homegrown or purchased, oregano should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you place a slightly damp paper towel in the bag with the oregano and leave some air in the bag, it may extend the life up to one week.Drying Oregano
More answers regarding how to dry oregano?
Answer 2
I've seen it done a set of stems tied together and hanged upside down (leaves pointing to the ground) on a string on a dry room.
That said, I think fresh oregano is so much nicer and tastier than dried one that I wouldn't even bother to dry it.
Answer 3
I would suspect you could use Alton Brown's Jerky method. I haven't done it with herbs but it worked great for the Jerky and should provide the same effect.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/beef-jerky-recipe/index.html
You use a box fan and paper furnace filters.
Lay the filters on the out side of the fan with your herbs between the layers of filters, bungee cord the filters to the fan and leave the fan running.
Not sure timing for the herbs, would just have to check them periodically.
Answer 4
Tie stems together in a brown paper bag, and hang somewhere away from heat and moisture for a few weeks.
Once they're dry, strip the leaves off of each stem and store in zip-lock bags until needed. Make sure they're good and dry before sealing though, or they'll mold!
Answer 5
Along with what Donut mentioned, I've had luck with fridge drying, but it's slow:
Lay out a length of paper towel, then lay out the leaves on it, and roll it up, and hide it in the back of your fridge for a few weeks.
Answer 6
I have success drying fresh herbs in microwave. It's quick and you get reasonable results in just a few minutes. I did it for mint and basil, and I'm sure you can dry oregano using this method too.
I learned that it is possible after I had read this Tipnut article and been doing it since then whenever I have excess fresh herbs at hand.
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