Dry Oregano – That’s How it Works

How to dry oregano

1. Immediately after harvesting, you should gather the individual stalks into a small bundle and tie them with a rubber band or string.
2. As such, the oregano is then brought to a shady and cool place where the wind blows through from time to time.
3. Oregano dries best if you hang it upside down and let it dry, similar to bouquets. Wait about three weeks after hanging, because that’s about how long the drying process takes. You can recognize fully dried oregano because you can easily separate the leaves from the stalk and crumble them between your fingers.
4. Make sure the bundle is really dry before you take it into the kitchen and use it there. Damp areas quickly lead to mold growth.
5. If you decide to harvest and dry the oregano in the fall, it can be too cold and humid outside. Then you need to dry the oregano in the oven.

Oregano can also be dried in the oven

However, the oven must not be set too hot. To capture the aroma well, you should dry the oregano bunches at around 35°C. Anything above 40°C should be avoided as this is too hot and destroys the flavors of the oregano.

1. During the drying time, you should definitely stick a wooden spoon between the oven door so that the steam can escape.
2. Drying in the oven takes several hours.
3. For storage, strip the dried leaves from the stems and place them in a container. If possible, this should be protected from light, as too much light destroys the aroma of the dried oregano.
4. Once dried, oregano will keep for about a year.