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    Home » All Recipes

    Author: Donna | Published: Jan 8, 2018 | Modified: Jun 19, 2018

    How To Dry Oregano Without a Dehydrator

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    Use Oregano in Bulk

    Bumper crop of oregano this year? Learn how to dry oregano using this quick and easy method that will allow you to dry LOTS of oregano for use all year round. Keep the dried oregano stored in a mason jar and crumble it into your favorite recipe when needed.

    Once you have your dried oregano you should check out these oregano-heavy recipes:

    • Smashed Oregano Lemon Garlic Potatoes with Feta
    • Lemon and Oregano Chicken Skewers
    • How to Use Up Lots of Oregano: Fresh Oregano Pesto

    How To Dry Oregano?

    Don't worry, drying oregano without a dehydrator is super simple.

    Simply:

    • cut the stems you want to dry, give them a good wash, and pat dry;
    • line them side by side on a clean baking tray, pop into a dry, well-ventilated area (not in direct sunlight), and leave to dry.;
    • optional: cover with a light cheesecloth in order to ensure those dust bunnies stay away, but I usually don't bother;
    • turn the stems several times during the drying process to expose the leaves evenly to air and heat.

    Tip: if space is at a premium then you can hang the oregano stems in bunches.

    Just gather the leafy stems into a "bouquet", tie them together and hang them to dry in a well-ventilated area.

    Fresh vs Dried

    Oregano is a super simple herb to grow at home, whether that be in your veggie patch, or on the kitchen bench.

    Fresh oregano is delicious, but the concentrated flavor when you dry the herb is just amazing.

    I love using dried oregano in soup and casserole recipes as you get the flavor you need without the big leaves, which can be offputting.

    I tend to reach for my homemade dried oregano and crumble it into a dish whilst cooking for this very reason, rather than going to the effort f having to wash, dry and chop the fresh stuff every time.

    How Hard Is It To Grow and Dry Oregano In Bulk?

    It's not.

    Oregano is certainly one of the easiest culinary herbs to grow, and if you happened to get lucky (or you are a very skilled gardener?) you may have ended up with a bumper crop this season.

    Our crop is M-A-S-S-I-V-E, and seeing as one of my new year's resolutions is to cut down on food waste, I have been running around like a blue arse fly trying to use oregano in just about everything.

    It is such a versatile dried herb to have on hand.

    Personally, I have recently invested in a dehydrator (thanks Black Friday), but before that spiffy machine, I was drying all my herbs using this very method.

    You just need a little bit of space and a little bit of patience.

    And it is totally worth the effort - oregano is just as good (if not better??) dried than it is fresh.

    How To Harvest And Store Once Dried

    Once the leaves are dry and the stems are stiff, which can take up to a week, you can remove the leaves for storage.

    The best way to do this is to pinch the stem at the bottom and pull it up.

    The leaves should fall away easily.

    Tip: if the oregano leaves don't fall away easily it is because they are not dry enough. Leave for another couple of days and try again.

    Pop the dried leaves into a glass mason jar with a lid and keep them in the spice drawer for about 6 months (you can keep them for a year, but the flavor is best within the first 6 months).

    That's it!

    What's your favorite way to use oregano in bulk? I just love to hear from you so be sure to pop back and leave a comment sharing your genius ideas with us all! Happy eating.

    Recipe

    How to Use Oregano in Bulk

    How To Dry Oregano Without a Dehydrator

    Bumper crop of oregano this year? Use oregano in bulk with this quick and easy method that will allow you to dry LOTS of oregano for use all year round. Keep in a mason jar and crumble into your favorite recipe when needed.
    5 from 35 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 20
    Calories 18 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • Oregano, as much as you can pick
    • kitchen twine for tying
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Pull, wash, and pat the leaves dry

    Baking Tray Method

    • Line them side by side on a clean baking tray. Move the tray to a dry, well-ventilated area (not in direct sunlight)
    • Leave to dry for about a week, turning once or twice to ensure the leaves are evenly exposed to air and heat. The leaves should be dry and the stems should be stiff
    • To remove the leaves for storage pinch the stem at the bottom and pull up. The leaves should fall away easily.
    • Pop into a glass mason jar and keep in the spice drawer for about 6 months (you can keep them for a year, but the flavor is best within the first 6 months).

    Hanging Method

    • To Hang: Just gather the leafy stems into a "bouquet", tie them together and hang to dry in a well-ventilated area
    • Leave to dry for about a week, turning once or twice to ensure the leaves are evenly exposed to air and heat. The leaves should be dry and the stems should be stiff
    • To remove the leaves for storage pinch the stem at the bottom and pull up. The leaves should fall away easily.
    • Pop into a glass mason jar and keep in the spice drawer for about 6 months (you can keep them for a year, but the flavor is best within the first 6 months).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2g
    Keyword How to dry oregano
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment HERE and let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nellie says

      January 26, 2018 at 4:53 pm

      Such a brilliant idea, thanks for the helpful hints!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        January 27, 2018 at 1:17 pm

        You are welcome 🙂

        Reply
    2. April says

      January 26, 2018 at 3:14 pm

      It never ever even occurred to me that I could dry my own herbs. This is fantastic, thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Donna1 says

        January 27, 2018 at 1:17 pm

        Such a money saver!

        Reply

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    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

    I am so glad you are here!

    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

    Forget about hunting down weird ingredients and making trips to specialty shops.

    We are going to make the most of what is available at the store and farmer's markets all whilst enjoying some delicious meals the whole family (hopefully...if you have fussy eaters I guarantee nothing) will enjoy.

    Pop on that apron and let's get creative in the kitchen!

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