Provided oregano gets a sunny and not too moist location in the herb garden, it tends to spread vigorously and form fragrant carpets of herbs. To prevent it from overgrowing the entire bed, it is recommended to prune the herb regularly. This pruning can be preserved and thus preserved, so you can enjoy oregano from your own garden all year round.
Preserving fresh oregano
There are several ways to preserve fresh oregano. Below we would like to briefly introduce the most common methods:
Freeze oregano
To freeze, carefully pluck the small leaves and flowers from the branches. Brown and damaged leaves are not suitable for freezing. Place the herbs in portions in ice cube trays or small freezer bags and allow the oregano to freeze thoroughly.
Drying oregano
For this preservation method, use long-stemmed oregano sprigs if possible, gather them into loose bundles and hang them upside down in a dark, airy, dry place. After about a week, when the oregano is completely dry, you can carefully rub the small leaves and flowers off the branches and store them in tinted, tight-fitting jars.
Pickle oregano
If you put the dried oregano branches in high-quality cooking oil, you will get a tasty seasoning for salads and many kinds of dishes. Only well-dried twigs should be pickled, and you should place them in a tightly sealed glass bottle. Pour the herbs with the oil so that they are completely covered and let the herb oil infuse for a few weeks in a bright but not full sun place.
Alternatively, you can soak the dried sprigs in vinegar. In order for the essential oils of oregano to dissolve in the vinegar, the jars need to steep in a cool place for a longer period of time.
Salt flavored with oregano.
Clean the fresh oregano and carefully pluck the small leaves from the branches. Larger leaves should be additionally crushed. Fill the herb into pretty and tightly sealed jars and fill them with coarse-grained sea salt. The volume of salt should be about the same as the volume of oregano leaves.
The salt removes both moisture and some of the essential oils from the oregano leaves. Therefore, keep this mixture in a cool place, such as the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
Tips & Tricks
Oregano preserved in oil or salt makes a pretty gift for loved ones. Decorate the jars with homemade herb tags and a pretty bow.