Oregano and Marjoram:
An Herb Society of America Guide to the Genus Origanum
Culinary Uses
Origanum vulgare subspecies and cultivars (oregano)
While marjoram's primary flavor is sweet and mild, oregano's is
spicy and strong. Fresh oregano has a spicy aroma reminiscent of
clove and balsam, and the dried herb has a pungent flavor with notes
of peppermint, pine and clove (9). Oregano is traditionally used in
Italian, Greek and Mexican dishes (16). Flowering tops are used in
beers and ales, and fresh and dried leaves can be added to soups,
casseroles, sauces, stew, stuffing, eggs, olives, teas, tomato-based
dishes (38) and strong-flavored foods like chili (16) and pizza
(92). Flowers have a spicy flavor similar to the leaves and can add
a flavorful and decorative touch to vegetables, salads and other
foods (7). Oregano complements cabbage, kale, chard, tomatoes,
mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions,
aubergine, potatoes (72), eggplant (92), cucumber (95) and a variety
of meats, poultry and seafood (92). Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay
suggest tying small branches together to make a meat-basting brush
(53). Oregano can be combined with black pepper, parsley, marjoram,
capers, thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, garlic, coriander and cayenne
pepper (72), and fresh leaves can enliven cream sauces, eggs and
cheese dishes (85). Like sweet marjoram, oregano can also be added
to liqueurs (35) and was reportedly a component of absinthe (23).
Both oregano and marjoram can be used as salt substitutes (114).
Commercially, the oil and/or oleoresin are used to flavor alcoholic
beverages and processed foods (89) including baked goods, meats,
condiments, vegetables, snack foods, fats and oils (72). When
converting for recipes, the ratio of fresh to dried is 1 teaspoon: ½
teaspoon (99).
Many sources simply list culinary oregano as O. vulgare
(16, 35, 38, 48, 85, 92) but of all the subspecies of
O. vulgare, only O. vulgare subsp. hirtum
(Greek oregano), O. vulgare subsp. gracile
(Russian oregano) and O. vulgare subsp. glandulosum
(Algerian oregano) are useful in cooking, although O. vulgare subsp.
glandulosum is uncommon in the U.S. (102). By far the most
widely used and recommended is O. vulgare subsp.
hirtum, which has a "sharp," "creosote-like"
aroma (102) and a flavor that is the standard for pasta and tomato
sauce (38). This subspecies was introduced to the American herb trade
by HSA member Arthur O. Tucker via Well-Sweep Herb Farm in 1979 (100).
Although O. vulgare subsp. vulgare is generally not
recommended for cooking (102), Rex Talbert and Carol Morse like the
cultivar 'Humile,' and Rex describes its flavor as
"sweet" (78, 95).
It is also worth repeating that plants from other genera have the
characteristic oregano flavor and are known and used as
"oregano." Examples include members of the Verbenaceae
(verbena family), Lippia graveolens (Mexican oregano) and
L. micromera (Jamaican oregano); and other plants in the mint
family, Poliomintha bustamanta (Mexican oregano),
Plectranthus amboinicus (Cuban oregano)(100, 102) and
Salvia greggii (San Antone oregano, autumn sage) (16, 51).
Although a large proportion of standard spice-rack oregano is
O. vulgare subsp. hirtum, bottled commercial brands may
also include O. onites (pot marjoram) and species from
different genera, including Mentha spicata (spearmint),
Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal) and Melissa officinalis
subsp. altissima (a type of lemon balm) (100).
Next topic: Origanum
xmajoricum (Italian oregano, hardy sweet marjoram)
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