When it comes down to the cooking process, one uses a variety of spices and condiments to add flavor to the food and oregano is one of the widely used spices. It’s basically a herb that adds pungent, umami, and earthy flavor to the food. While it’s a great addition to pasta and soups, it’s used as a rub for meats and fish, but as a cook, you need to be careful about the oregano form you use. So, let’s check out the ground oregano vs oregano leaves comparison to find the right fit for your recipe!
Ground Oregano vs Oregano Leaves
Ground Oregano
Ground oregano is one of the most commonly available forms of oregano and is made by drying the oregano plant’s leaves. Once they are dried, a blender is used to turn these leaves into a powdered form. It is used in various recipes but it’s a delicious rubbing agent for meat (yes, you can use it for flavoring the BBQ meat). It’s available in bottled form, but once you open the bottle, it has to be stored in the storage container to prevent exposure to air and moisture.
To make the ground oregano, the oregano stems are bundled and hung to ensure proper drying because of the airflow (these have to be hung in a dry and warm room). In most cases, it takes around seven to ten days to dry up properly, and after that, they are grounded to make the powder texture. The ground oregano can be used on its own but you can also mix it with some spices and herbs to make your homemade rub for flavoring the meat – the meat is perfect for grilling as well as barbecuing.
The right way of applying the rub is to sprinkle ground oregano all over the meat and add other spices on the top before you rub it all in. To make the ground oregano, you need a herb mill as it allows you to harness the desired texture, be it fine or coarse. Once grounded, the oregano has to be stored in an airtight jar to prevent mold development. All in all, it must be stored in a cool and dry place as it helps retain the flavor and your oregano will be fresh for over a year.
Ground oregano has an intense flavor and also has a peppery tone to the food. As far as the aroma is concerned, ground oregano has an earthy and sweeter flavor. While it adds amazing warmth to the food, you need to remember that it doesn’t add the visual aspect. It can be used in Italian sauces and many people like it for Greek sauces as well. In addition, it adds a dynamic flavor to the sauces and dressings to add fresh flavors.
Oregano Leaves
Oregano leaves are available in a fresh form as they are plucked from the herb plant. The oregano leaves are usually associated with fresh leaves. However, the fresh oregano leaves can also be purchased from the grocery store, and if you store them properly, they won’t go bad for weeks in the refrigerator. In the grocery stores, you can find it in the vegetable section and will be packed in plastic clamshells.
However, before you purchase the leaves, make sure they are fresh. The fresh oregano leaves have a rich green color and won’t have any limp. On the other hand, if you have planted an oregano plant at home, make sure that the morning dew has evaporated before you pluck and use the leaves. However, you need to store the fresh oregano properly because they spoil pretty quickly.
For instance, you should use a slightly wet paper towel on a bag to store the oregano leaves and make sure to leave some air in – this is perfect to keep the leaves fresh for a week. In addition to this, the fresh oregano leaves can be frozen. For this purpose, you have to wash and dry the sprigs, take off the leaves from the stems, and put them in the plastic bag (don’t crowd the bag) but you need to remove the air.
Once frozen, you can use it within a year and you don’t need to thaw the frozen oregano before using it. The fresh oregano leaves can be used as a topping on pizzas and you can add them to soups and stocks for adding a visual appeal to the food. However, keep in mind that oregano leaves a burst of flavor, so use them in moderation.