Cut each branch, hang them upside down to dry -- easy way is old-fashioned clothes pins holding the cut end of the branch to a piece of twine strung across a dry, cool, well-ventilated spot.
Then the hardest part is allowing them the proper time to dry without sticking your greedy hands in their and smoking it all....
If you have the branches hung up in a nice dry, well-ventilated place, how long does it usually take?