Give your house that uniquely New Mexican feel that only a Hatch Chile Ristra can offer! Our Ristras are hand-made year-round out of sun-dried Sandia (Hot) Hatch Chile. Ristras are said to confer good luck and good health on a household and can be used throughout the year to make your homemade red chile sauce as well! We ship both treated (inedible but preserves color and shine) and untreated (edible but be careful, they are HOT).

• We cannot ship this product to PO Boxes. Please use a physical address when checking out.
• Sandia Ristras come in 6 sizes, ranging from 6 inches to 3 feet in length (these are approximate)
• All our Sandia Ristras are hand-tied in the lovely town of Hatch, New Mexico
• By default, we do not treat our ristras, but you can have us treat yours (to preserve its color) for a $5 charge
• In the traditional style, this ristra is topped with corn husks and has a string loop with which to hang it
• Ristras, Wreaths, and Crosses ship Tuesday and Thursday.

After your ristra arrives

Unwrap the ristra and hang it as soon as you can — the pods like air around them. A nail or hook in a covered porch, entryway, or kitchen wall works well. Indoors is fine; what you want to avoid is direct, all-day sun (it fades the red color faster) and damp spots like an unventilated bathroom (moisture is the only real enemy of a dried ristra).

How long a ristra lasts on display

A well-hung ristra holds its color and shape for one to two years indoors, sometimes longer in a dry climate. Outdoor ristras under cover usually look their best for one season. The Treated ("Not Edible") option is dipped in a clear food-safe lacquer that locks in the color and stretches that display life by another year or two — that's the trade-off for not being able to cook with it.

Edible vs. Not Edible — what the difference actually is

Our Edible (Not Treated) ristras are sun-dried Sandia chile and nothing else. You can break pods off as needed, rinse them, rehydrate in hot water, and use them in red chile sauce, posole, stews, or anywhere you'd use dried New Mexico red. The Not Edible (Treated) ristras have a clear lacquer coating for longer display life and should be treated as decoration only.

Storing a ristra you plan to cook with

If you want to use your Edible ristra in the kitchen but won't get to it for a while, keep it hanging in a cool, dry spot until you're ready. Once you start breaking pods off, the easiest long-term storage is a sealed bag or jar in the pantry; for years-long storage, vacuum-seal and freeze. The pods are already dried, so they don't need refrigeration to stay good — they just need to stay dry.

If something's wrong with your order

If your ristra arrived late on a paid expedited service, came to the wrong address, showed up as a duplicate, or you think you were charged incorrectly, email [email protected] with your order number. We'll pull your order history, send a copy of the invoice if you need one, and make it right. For pre-ship address corrections, see our change shipping address page; for damaged ristras, see our order arrived damaged page.

Frequently asked questions

Who sent me this gift?

If your ristra arrived as a surprise, the gift sender's name is on the packing slip inside the box. If the slip didn't make it in or the name isn't familiar, email us at [email protected] with your shipping address and we'll look up who sent it.

My order is delayed — I paid for expedited shipping but it arrived late. What now?

We're sorry. Expedited shipping covers the carrier's transit time, not order processing, and weather or carrier delays still happen. If your ristra arrived late on a paid expedited service, email us with your order number and we'll review the shipping charge.

Can you check my order history or send me a copy of my invoice?

Yes. Email [email protected] from the address on the order, or include your order number, and we'll send a copy of the invoice and any past order history we have on file.

What variety and heat level did I receive?

Our Traditional Ristras are made from sun-dried Sandia Hatch chile, which runs medium-hot. The variety and heat level are the same across every ristra length we sell. For our full heat lineup, see the heat-level guide.

Are these ristras edible or just for decoration?

Both options exist on this page. The "Edible (Not Treated)" ristras are sun-dried only and can be cooked with — break off pods, rehydrate, and use in red chile sauce or stews. The "Not Edible (Treated)" ristras are dipped in a clear lacquer for longer-lasting display and should not be eaten.