Oregano can be grown easily at home in your garden or in planters, so hopefully you have fresh oregano available to you. Most grocery stores now carry fresh oregano in the produce department. Purchased fresh oregano should be rich green in color and not the least bit limp. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can extend the life of fresh oregano by storing whole stems with leaves in a glass of water with a plastic bag loosely tented over the glass in your refrigerator. I stick a bamboo skewer in the glass to hold the bag up.
Fresh oregano may also be frozen, but I don’t recommend it. It is readily available in the garden or store.
To dry fresh oregano, tie sprigs into a bunch and hang in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. Once dried, seal tightly and store away from sunlight. This is better than the store-bought dried oregano.
For the most part, dried common oregano sold in your grocery store is actually a mixture of different varieties of oregano combined with marjoram and thyme.
All dried herbs should be kept in a cool, dark place in a tightly-sealed container and used within six months. It won’t go bad if kept longer, but the color and flavor will deteriorate greatly with time.
Oregano cooking tips:
Fresh oregano leaves are always the first choice when possible. Remove and discard the stem.
When using oregano in a bouquet garni, do not strip leaves from the sprigs. Just tie it up with the rest of the herbs.
Oregano can become overpowering and bitter if too much is used on mildly flavored foods. A little goes a long way.
If you find you are out of oregano, marjoram can be substituted. Use 1/2 the amount of oregano called for. Basil, savory, and thyme can also be substituted.
Oregano goes well in almost all tomato dishes. It also compliments meats and vegetables, like lamb or zucchini.
When using dried oregano, crush it in the palm of your hand before adding to the food. This helps release essential oils and revive flavor.
1 tablespoon fresh oregano = 1 teaspoon dried
1 ounce fresh oregano = 1/2 cup chopped