Oregano is a wonderful fragrant herb for the kitchen cooking, and easy to grow in the garden. But sometimes you have so much fresh herb stock that it is handy to learn how to dry oregano correctly.
Immediately after the harvest you should combine the individual stems into a small bundle and tie them with a rubber or a string.
As a bundle, the herb is then brought to a shady and cool place, where occasionally a wind pervades and you can dry oregano correctly.
Oregano dries best if you hang it upside down and let it dry, similar to bouquets of flowers. Wait about three weeks after hanging up, because that’s how long the drying process takes. You recognize completely dried oregano by being able to easily detach the leaves from the stalk and crumble them between your fingers.
Make sure that the bundle is really dry before you bring it into the kitchen and use it there. Damp areas quickly lead to mold growth.
If you only want to harvest and dry the oregano in the fall, it can be too cold and damp outside. Then you have to dry the oregano in the oven.
How to cut oregano so it grows more
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 about 35 ° C. Everything above 40 ° C should be avoided as this is too hot and destroys the aromas of the oregano.
During the drying time be sure to clamp a wooden spoon between the oven door to allow the steam to escape. Drying in the oven takes several hours.
For storage, strip the dried leaves from the stems and place in a container. If possible, this should be protected from light, as too much light destroys the aroma of the dried oregano. When oregano is dried, it lasts for about a year.
How you plant oregano, we tell you in another practical tip.
