Mexican Oregano

Description

Mexican oregano, Lippia graveolens, is a member of the Verbenaceae family and a close relative of lemon verbena. Mexican oregano is not botanically related to common oregano and has a more intense flavor. It’s become better known in this country with the increasing popularity of Latin, Mexican and South American cuisines. Mexican oregano is typically only used in its dried form in American foods.

Mexican oregano has 3% to 4% essential oil, mainly thymol and carvacrol, which is about twice as much as the Mediterranean types.

Oregano is called tawabul (Arabic), Niú zhì (Mandarin), Origan (French), Oregano (German), ajavaayan kee pattee (Hindi), origano (Italian), Oregano (Japanese), orégano (Portuguese), oregano (Russian) and orégano (Spanish). Mexican oregano is also known as Mexican marjoram, Mexican wild sage, oregano Cimmaron, redbrush lippia, scented lippia and scented matgrass.

History of Mexican Oregano

Leaves are the only known parts of the Mexican oregano plant that are used in cooking. This is more than likely why there have never been any remnants found at any archeological sites in the central American growing regions. Leaves are typically only preserved in places like caves or rock shelters, as they tend to be less exposed to the elements, and central American growing regions are not known for their abundant number of caves. Shelters such as these are the best at keeping evidence for long sequences of occupations and eating habits of humans. Despite this, we still have a decent knowledge of where Mexican oregano comes from and where it is going.

Mexican oregano doesn't have quite as colorful a history as many of the region’s chile peppers, but it has been used for hundreds of years. One of the oldest known uses comes from an ancient Mayan recipe for recado rojo, a red paste, that included cinnamon, clove, oregano and garlic. The Mayan civilization lasted from 750 BC until the fall of the last Mayan city, Nojpeten (located on an island in Lake Petén Itzá in modern day northern Guatemala), in 1697.

Upon their arrival in the 1500’s the Spanish Conquistadors came across the Tarahumara people living throughout Chihuahua in what is modern day northwestern Mexico. As the Spanish further encroached on the Tarahumara civilization, these reclusive people retreated to the nearly inaccessible high sierras and canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental. This area is now often referred to as the Sierra Tarahumara because of their presence, and in the US this area is called Copper Canyon. The Tarahumara have long used wild grown oregano leaves as flavoring in pinole (pronounced "pi-nole"), a dry ground meal made of toasted and ground maize (corn) kernels. Pinole also refers to the drink made of parched cornmeal, hot water, and other ingredients (such as Mexican oregano). When liquid is added to the pinole it makes a cornmeal mush called ‘esquiate’ in which Mexican oregano is also a commonly used condiment. The Tarahumara are best known in the US as the long-distance mountain runners popularized in the book Born to Run, by Chris McDougall in 2009.

 

Carl Sigismund Kunth (1788-1850) was the first to identify and classify Mexican Oregano. He was a German botanist who wrote ‘Nova Genera et Species Plantarum,’ which was published in 1815 as a series of seven volumes on New World plants and flowers. This was the first collection of five that described with incredible detail and illustration the thousands of taxa of New World plants. Illustrations were also included, and all of this was collected and written during almost seventeen years of research in Paris. At the time, Paris was considered the capital of botany.

As of recent history, Mexican oregano has received more attention because of its phytochemical contents. There has been a renewed interest in the flavonoids of plants in the last few years. Flavonoids are plant metabolites that may give some health benefits through cell signaling pathways and antioxidants. Aside from this boost in attention from health-conscious individuals, Mexican oregano has also become more common in regular dishes because of the rapid Hispanic population growth in the United States.

Anywhere as hot as Mexico would be awash with vibrant scents, what with its freshly made tortillas and Laelia flowers that remind the nose of wintergreen. Luckily, this oregano is one of the good scents to be found. Because of its pungent scent, today it is sometimes used in perfumes or colognes or even in cosmetics. This is not unusual, as oregano in general has a long and prolific history in the perfume industry.

Mexican Oregano Cultivation

It is indigenous to southern North America (as far north as Texas and New Mexico) and down to southern Central America (as far south as Nicaragua). It grows up to a height of about 24” to 36” and has a mounding shape that is about 18” to 24” in diameter. This herb has open arching branches that are covered in small fragrant leaves with rough toothed edges. Petite star-like white flowers of Mexican oregano are delicate and aromatic and they bloom throughout the year when grown in places where there is no frost. The flowers are followed by small round fruits that cluster at the tips of the branches.

This plant is very easy to cultivate. Well-drained, fertile soil coupled with full sun and heat are all it really needs. Soil dampness is good in the average range, as the plant doesn’t require an overwhelming amount of water to thrive.

Our Mexican oregano is grown and wild harvested in Mexico.

Types of Oregano

There are so many different varieties of oregano that some in the culinary field feel that it should be considered a flavor and not an individual herb. Some of the more common varieties are common oregano (Origanum vulgare), Italian oregano (Origanum viride and Origanum virens), Spanish oregano (Thymus capitatus) and Syrian oregano (Origanum Syriacum).In the 1980's, Americans began a love affair with South of the Border cuisine, and with that came the introduction of Mexican Oregano, Lippia graveolens, which is a member of the Verbenaceae family. Mexican Oregano is not related to Origanum species and has a very different flavor profile.

Cooking with Mexican Oregano

In Mexico, it’s a signature flavor for bean dishes, burritos, moles, recados, tacos, tamales and fresh salsa, Throughout Central and South America Mexican oregano is used in roasts, soups, meat soups and with baked vegetables. In the Dominican Republic, it’s used to flavor sancocho (a hearty 7 meat stew), in Mexico it's popular in pozole de frijol (bean stew) and in Ecuador its added to fanesca ecuatoriana (also known as Easter soup).

When working with a recipe that calls for a stronger oregano presence, like fish, meatballs, or tomato sauces, Mexican oregano is an excellent addition. If you’re feeling particularly creative, the plant's thicker branches can be used as skewers in seafood or shish kebobs for some flavor enhancement. Putting whole branches over the charcoals when grilling will add some excellent flavor dimensions to your dish.

Spanish cooking uses Mexican oregano over Mediterranean oregano, which is more common in American cooking. Mexican oregano can be found in artichoke paellas, a classic staple dish in Spanish cuisine. This dish can be made as a standalone or with a fish or meat, as is the case with shrimp and artichoke paellas.

Mexican Oregano is outstanding in enchiladas and in egg and cheese dishes (such as Huevos Sonora). Mexican oregano is ideal for flavoring bean dishes, mixed fruit, tomato sauces and stews. Combine olive oil with oregano and brush on foods for the grill, it is also ideal to combine with other spices for a salt-free blend.

The leaves of this herb are used to prepare a conventional "country tea” or herbal tea.

Mexican Oregano can overpower a dish if there is too much present. Taste as you go, and use sparingly. Mexican Oregano works well in combination with chili powder, chiles, cumin, garlic, onion and pepper.

Put this in dishes with strong flavors, like Tex-Mex chili or any vibrant Latin American dish. It tastes good in salsas, with cheeses, and in stuffed peppers.

Some of our favorite recipes using Mexican oregano are Birria-Mexican Beef Stew , Pozole Rojo, Mexican Spaghetti, and Creole Sausage and Peppers.

Dried vs Fresh

Mexican oregano is most frequently used dried. Oregano of any type tends to taste better when dried because drying it causes a collapse of the structures of the plant tissue and increases the amount of the herb’s essential oil. The presence of more essential oil makes the flavors more easily absorbed into foods.

Other herbs that are considered better when dried include marjoram, rosemary and thyme.

You will find fresh Mexican Oregano in seafood and soups. The flavor is slightly more subdued, but present nonetheless.

What does Mexican Oregano taste like?

Mexican oregano has an intense, pungently grassy aroma while the taste is a bit citrusy with subtle hints of lime and licorice. Mexican oregano also hints of hay in its scent.

Substitutions and Conversions

If you're in a pinch you can substitute this herb 1:1 with either dried marjoram (has a similar citrusy, floral flavor) or dried verbena.

Mediterranean oregano has a different flavor profile form Mexican oregano so be sure to know which type your recipe calls for and use each accordingly.

** This product is certified kosher.

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