If you picked up a few stalks at the grocery store, you will need to dry it out before you can use it.The texture and flavor of oregano are improved by drying.If it is dirty, rinse it under cold water.You can dry your oregano by hanging it or placing it on a tray.If you are in a hurry, you can also use an oven.If you heat your oregano too long you can ruin the leaves.
Step 1: Remove the leaves from the stalks.
Put your oregano stalks on the kitchen counter.Look for leaves that are brown or dried out.Use garden shears, scissors, or a kitchen knife to cut the leaves off.They can be ripped off of the plant by hand.These leaves are not good for you.If the leaves have a different color than the rest of the plant, clip them off.When you dry it, it should be a deep green color.
Step 2: There is a stream of cool water.
If leaves fall off, put a strainer in the kitchen sink.It is a good idea to rinse your leaves under cold water.If you already removed the leaves from the stalks, put them in the strainer to wash them.You don't need to remove the leaves to dry it.If your leaves are clean, you don't need to wash them.It is better to not wash them since they will take longer to dry.It is a good idea to wash your stalks if they look dirty, have been eaten by bugs, or are dusty.
Step 3: You can dry your herbs with a paper towel.
The water in your sink should be turned off.You can remove most of the water by shaking it in the sink.Dry paper towels absorb most of the surface moistness.If you rinse it, hang it for 12 hours to dry before using another method.Attach the twine to a hook or curtain rod after tying the stalks in twine.
Step 4: Put your oregano in a paper bag.
Take a paper bag that can hold all of your leaves and punch a few small holes in it with a fork, knife, or pen.The bag should be on the side.If you want the stalks to be together, bundle them together by hand.Put your leaves inside the bag with the stalks sticking out.The traditional method for drying herbs takes the longest.It is the best way to make sure that your stalks are completely dry.You can protect your leaves from dust with a paper bag.If you are going to store your oregano in aventilated area, you can skip this step.Some people prefer to punch a hole in the bottom of the paper bag so that the leaves can hang out the open end.If you prefer, you can do this.
Step 5: Wrap twine around the stalks to hold them together.
Wrap the twine around the stalks and bag directly under the first set of leaves.Wrap the stalks with twine and pull it tight.Attach the twine to your bag with a knot.If you want to avoid using 2 separate lengths of twine, you can use a 36–42 in (91–107 cm) length.Jute, butcher's twine, or cotton string can be used to wrap your herbs.If you don't have twine, you can use a rubber band.
Step 6: Use a pole, hook, or clothing line to hang your stalks.
The easiest way to hang your stalks is to grab a 24–36 in length of twine and attach it to the other twine with a knot.You can tie the length around the stalks with the first knot you made.You can hang your herbs from a dry, well-ventilated area of your home.This is not the best place to store your herbs, even though it is nice to picture them in your kitchen.Food smells can change the flavors of your oregano when you cook on the stove.To hang your stalks, you can unfold a paper clip, slide half of it between your twine, and hook the other half on the twine.Use the top hook to hang the twine.
Step 7: Wait a couple of weeks for your oregano to dry.
It can take a while to dry your herbs.Depending on how wet your oregano is when you dry it, it can take up to six weeks to dry.After 1-2 weeks of drying, check your oregano every few days to see if it has dried out.You will be able to crumble dried oregano easily.If you want to see if they are dry, put a single leaf in a jar.Your leaves are dry if there is no condensation inside the jar.Store dried oregano in a container.
Step 8: Get a set of dehydrating trays.
A dehydrating tray is a stack of plastic or metal trays that hold food.Dehydrating trays can be purchased from a store.A protective screen is needed to keep bugs out of your herbs.This method takes less time than hanging herbs, but you have to trim your leaves to do this.
Step 9: Put your oregano in between the trays.
Cut the leaves with shears or scissors.The leaves should be put on top of the tray.There isn't any overlap between your leaves if you leave 1–2 centimetres in between each leaf.Place the other tray on top after you have filled one.Place a protective screen underneath the leaves on the bottom tray if it isn't built into your trays.When you stack them, put the protective screen on top of the second tray.
Step 10: The trays should be left in a warm, well-ventilated area.
You can take your dehydrating trays to a warm room in your home.If the room doesn't have a lot of air flow, turn the fan on low.Don't place your tray next to a window or well-lit room.Some of the oils from your oregano may be heated by the sun.It is possible to dry oregano on dehydrating trays.The basement tends to trap water in the room.
Step 11: It's best to wait at least 1 week for your oregano to dry out.
If your leaves have dried out, check them every day.Depending on the conditions of the room where you are drying them out, this process can take 4-7 days.Remove the trays and store the leaves in a container.If you dried your leaves on the stalks, you should be able to pull them off.The leaves of oregano will be a little lighter when it's dry.If you don't know if the oregano is dry, put one leaf in a jar for 15 minutes.If there is no condensation in the jar, it is dry.
Step 12: On your dehydrator's trays, arrange your oregano in single layers.
Pull the trays out of the dehydrator.Pull the leaves off of the stalks with a knife or shears.The space between each individual leaf is left bylayering your leaves out on the dehydrator's trays.It's possible to spread your leaves out with every tray in your dehydrator.This method requires the use of a food dehydrator, which is quicker than letting your oregano air dry.They can be expensive if you don't already have a dehydrator.If you can fit the stalks inside of your dehydrator, you will be able to dehydrate your oregano.The majority of dehydrators are too small to fit entire stalks.
Step 13: The dehydrator should be set to 100 F.
The power should be turned on when you plug your dehydrator in.Pressing the buttons will set your dehydrator to 100 F.Wait 10 minutes for your food dehydrator to reach the right temperature.Set it to the lowest setting you can find.If your home is warm and the humidity is high, turn your dehydrator on to 125 F.
Step 14: Take the trays out of the dehydrator.
Put an oven mitt on when your dehydrator is preheating.You can open the door for the dehydrator.Remove the trays from the dehydrator by sliding them into the grooves.Don't open the door for your dehydrator.You should not shake the trays or disrupt your leaves while you put them back into the dehydrator.
Step 15: The dried oregano can be put in the dehydrator.
There are a number of factors that affect the time it takes for your oregano to dry.After 1 hour of cooking, open the dehydrator and inspect the leaves.They are done if they are curled up a little and crumbled when you poke them with your fork.You should keep the leaves in the dehydrator for another 1-2 hours to make sure you don't burn them.After an hour has passed, check your oregano every 20 minutes.This will prevent you from accidentally burning your oregano.Before storing your oregano, let it cool for 20 minutes.
Step 16: The temperature in your oven should be 170 F.
There is a wire rack in the oven.The oven door needs to be closed.Press the buttons on the oven to set it to 170 F.Wait for your oven to preheat.The riskiest method is the fastest.It's possible to accidentally burn your oregano.A lot of the flavors may be removed by overheating it.If you are in a hurry, this is the best way to dry your oregano.
Step 17: You can spread your oregano on a clean sheet pan.
Put the sheet pan on the counter.Put your oregano on the sheet pan.If you are heating stalks, set them parallel to the pan.If you are heating individual leaves, spread them out evenly on the sheet pan with 1 in between each leaf.It doesn't matter if you're drying the oregano on the stalks or not.
Step 18: The oregano should be baked in the center rack of the oven.
When your oven is preheating, grab your sheet pan and slide it into the center rack.If you want your oregano to dry out, close the oven door.The oregano should be left in the oven for an hour to dry.It may take more than an hour for your oregano to dry.It may take less time if you are drying leaves off of the stalks.Most of the key flavors and oils in your herb can be lost if you leave it in the oven for too long.
Step 19: Allow your oregano to cool for 10 minutes after you remove the tray.
Remove the tray from the oven when the oregano has dried out.Let it cool on the top of the oven.Wait 10 minutes before you put your oregano in the container.