Why Ina Garten Doesn't Use Fresh Oregano
Ina Garten is known for espousing the use of freshly prepared ingredients in her recipes while assuring less kitchen-savvy viewers that "store-bought is fine." After all, Garten is quite specific about her cooking and baking repertoire.
When to use fresh or dried oregano
This does not mean, however, that you should let your oregano plant go to pot. Though Ina Garten prefers the dried version, there are many contexts in which you might prefer to pick a sprig of the fresh stuff rather than simply sprinkling from the jar. Fresh oregano, as Garten mentioned, has an intense flavor and is best used in small amounts to not overwhelm other flavors. It's also an excellent garnish since its flavor is at its most intense when it is uncooked. If you want to maintain that intensity, sprinkle it on towards the end of cooking.
You can also use fresh oregano as a seasoning in dishes such as roast chicken. Placing fresh oregano inside your chicken along with other ingredients, such as lemon or thyme, can help to infuse the dish with fresh flavor that dried oregano simply can't replicate. Dried oregano provides a more even and earthy flavor and works best when incorporated earlier on in a recipe. It's also perfect as a part of a salad dressing or as a pizza topping. Really, whether you use fresh oregano or prefer to use the dried variety is completely up to personal preference. When it comes to Ina Garten, she'll stick with the stuff you can sprinkle from a jar.
