Cut oregano on well established plants. As long as there’s an inch or two of greenery left at the bottom, it will grow back.Use kitchen scissors and cut several stems at once, about an inch or two above ground level.When placing the oregano in your basket or bowl, try to keep the stem ends together. This makes it easier for washing and hanging later.
Wash oregano by swishing in a bowl of water. Be sure to remove any blemished leaves at this point as well. Leaves that are bruised or starting to turn yellow don’t have a lot of flavor, so it’s best to remove them at this point. I’m always surprised by how much debris and tiny critters are left behind after washing.
Dry your oregano before you dry it. It’s important to remove water droplets or surface moisture from the oregano. Herbs are fairly delicate and water droplets can quickly turn into brown water spots or worse, into mold. So, before you tie your bundles or put them in paper bags, you must remove all surface moisture. I use a salad spinner and then lay out the oregano on a clean towel for an hour or more to remove surface moisture. When the oregano is totally dry and starting to wilt, that’s when you can tie it or bag it.
Gather 5-7 stems of oregano and tie together with kitchen string. To allow for good air circulation, do not crowd the leaves in big bunchesOR, you can toss washed and dry oregano (no surface moisture) loosely into brown paper bags. Leave plenty of space in the bag to allow for air movement. Use several paper bags. Do NOT overfill and Do NOT use plastic bags.
Whether you hang or bag your herbs, be sure to label and date them. It may seem obvious what it is now, but by the end of the summer when you’ve harvested a variety of herbs, they all start to look the same. Hang or store your bags in an undisturbed, dark and dry spot. I often hang my herbs in the garage or on a makeshift clothesline in my basement pantry. Any place that’s dry and clean will do.
Your oregano is finished drying when it is so dry that its crumbly and crunchy, about 2 weeks in the summer (depending on humidity).
Strip the leaves from the stems and place in a paper bag or glass jar.
Keep the leaves as whole as possible to retain maximum flavor.
Store in a glass jar or paper bag. The ideal spot to keep dried oregano, and other herbs, is in a cool, dry, dark spot. In my house, that means the basement.
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Reality check: My spice cupboard is next to my oven so my herbs and spices are handy. I know the fluctuating temperature from the stove are not ideal for herbs, but I’m not running to the basement every time I need oregano! So I compromise. I keep two jars of dried oregano. The bulk of my oregano I store in the ideal condition of our basement. But I also keep a small jar in the spice cupboard for every day use. I refill this jar as needed and keep the leaves as whole as possible. It ensures my oregano will stay flavourful for as long as possible.Use oregano in Italian Seasoning, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, stews and many other recipes.