How to Oven Dry Oregano

Oregano is a very productive herb; if you don't trim the plant regularly, it will take over your garden. No matter how many Italian dishes you make daily, you are likely to have some oregano left over. One way to extend the shelf life of freshly harvested oregano is to dry it out. With the help of an oven, oregano only takes a few hours to dry out. And when properly stored it will last for years. However, the flavor begins to decline after six months.

Paper towel
Parchment paper
Cookie sheet
Air-tight glass container

Instructions

- 1
  Pull off any oregano leaves that look insect eaten, black, wilted or otherwise unsavory and throw them away.
- 2
  Rinse the oregano stems you have picked and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- 3
  Pull the oregano leaves off of the stems.
- 4
  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. If you put the oregano leaves directly onto the metal tray, it will darken the herb as it dries it.
- 5
  Spread the oregano out evenly over the cookie sheet.
- 6
  Turn the oven onto the lowest heat setting possible.
- 7
  Place the tray onto the top rack in the oven.
- 8
  Leave the oregano to dry for two hours. Then pull out a piece of dried oregano. If it is dry enough to crumble easily, then it is ready to come out of the oven. If it is still too moist, check every 30 minutes until it is dry.
- 9
  Place the dried oregano into an air-tight glass jar. Store it in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

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