I’ve made pepper sauce (simple whole peppers in vinegar), tabasco sauce, and still they keep coming, so I strung string after string of these and hung them up in the kitchen window.
Pretty and useful. When they are completely dried I can crumble one off as needed and use it as I would any dried pepper flakes.
Bunches of somewhat larger red peppers bundled together and strung up similarly to this are called ristras, and are a sort of symbol of the U.S. Southwest. Very cute. These peppers, tabascos, pop off their stems as they are harvested, so they won’t string up in bunches like most peppers and have to be strung like this.
It’s very easy to do, and it goes very fast. Just thread dental floss or heavy string (about a foot or a foot and a half) on any needle and knot a button onto the end.
Then, string the tiny peppers along the string, piercing through the center of the side of each pepper. Make a loop at the end for hanging, and hang anywhere small kids won’t be able to reach. Or pets.
I notice some of them look like they have a little black on them. Did you sear them first?
LOVELY !!!
I always string my chilli peppers this way and then hang them in the kitchen….I find it very handy for all my culinary needs!!
I had so many cayenne slims this year, I had to do this as well. It’s a functional pretty kitchen ornament!
What a beautiful and practical way to store them!
Chipmunk–That’s just the peppers beginning to dry. I didn’t do anything to them, I’m just letting them dry in the air. I would love to smoke some peppers someday, though.
Tomato Lady – If You decide to smoke peppers be careful and don’t let Your tongue touch the pepper when You lick the paper to hold the smoke together and for petes sake don’t inhale. To Chipmunk, our cats brought in Alvin and Theodore this week as well as a field rat, they both looked as smug as the cat who ate the canary. I’ve made pepper sauce before and thought I’d check out how others did it, basically the same. I’ve never put a slit in the peppers or used anything other than peppers and vinegar but I’m going to try several of the suggestions this year. I havn’t seen peppers on a string in years but I will string some up this year and hang in the kitchen window, thanks for the info and lovely photos. Ben
Ben–Duly noted. I haven’t tried the smoked peppers yet but would love to make my own chipotle some day. Thanks for the support and the helpful tips.
I have an overabundance of ALL kinds of peppers this year and am running out of ideas. Still have plenty of pepper sauce from last year, making more pepper jelly and also made chipolte in adobo sauce. Will no doubt be drying a few ristras myself this year. Any ideas on what to do with 5 lbs. of habaneros?
@ Ben ROTF! Too funny – I will be careful! LOL
I usually dry Cayennes some slowly upside down on the bush and some in the oven for a smokey flavor. We grew some Tobasco plants very easily this year in NH. I usually slit my Cayennes prior to stringing. Do I need to do that to the Tobasco’s to keep them from molding?
Hi. I’m curious as to why you don’t use sewing thread? Is something wrong with it, or does it not work as well? Have you tried it?