In the Southwest, where the weather is hot and dry, ristras are a popular way to preserving peppers and garlic for future use. In that climate, a couple days of hanging outside is often enough to dry them out. If you live in an area where mold or rot seem likely to kick in before your rista can dry, you can jumpstart the process by drying your rista in a 140-degree oven. In some cases, peppers will dry in about four hours, though often it takes longer. As for the garlic, it serves dual purpose as a weight at the end of your string and the dried garlic makes excellent seasoning in its own right!
In the Southwest, where the weather is hot and dry, ristras are a popular way to preserving peppers and garlic for future use. In that climate, a couple days of hanging outside is often enough to dry them out. If you live in an area where mold or rot seem likely to kick in before your rista can dry, you can jumpstart the process by drying your rista in a 140-degree oven. In some cases, peppers will dry in about four hours, though often it takes longer. As for the garlic, it serves dual purpose as a weight at the end of your string and the dried garlic makes excellent seasoning in its own right!