It took awhile for folks to warm up to the idea of elderberry syrup as a cold and flu remedy, but once the berry proved itself, the popularity and mystique took off. Not much unlike elderberry syrup, fire cider is something many people find “too hot to touch”. Fire cider is a vinegar infused tonic with seriously fierce peppers, herbs and spices that wake up your circulatory system and get toxins moving their way out of your body.
Fire Cider recipes vary, but most of the ingredients remain the same. Some prefer a sweeter taste for their fire cider, so they will add more sweet ingredients, while some prefer spicier mixes and will ramp up the spices to accommodate those needs. The standard base ingredients for fire cider are apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers, but there are so many delicious herbs that can be thrown at your leisure. You can experiment with jalapenos, rosemary, turmeric and even fresh lemon peel.
This fire cider recipe I am going to share with you is not very painful. It’s actually pleasantly sweet (with a kick of course) and easy to add into your daily diet to help boost your immune responses, stimulate digestion, and get you toasty and warm inside! Fire Cider takes about a month to mature and encompass all of those wonderful health benefits, so get on making this recipe as soon as you can! Everything that takes time in life is well worth waiting for.
Fire cider is highly antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal, making it perfect to use against colds and flu. Its ability to increase white blood cells, circulation, and waste removal allow it to quickly rid the body of uncomfortable symptoms.
History of Fire Cider Fire Cider is a traditional remedy with deep roots in folk medicine. It is believed this spiced-up version first was named Fire Cider by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who adds garlic, onion, horseradish, turmeric and pepper to the blend to kick-start immunity. From there, recipes for Traditional Fire Ciders are often adapted regionally depending on local herbs, culture or family tradition. There was no Google back then, so townspeople and practitioners had to figure out what worked and what didn’t simply by trial and error.
Many popular herbal remedies we know today were once used by accident when their powerful qualities were surprisingly revealed. There is no exact recipe for fire cider that dates decades back. I believe that fire cider was used with whatever was spicy, local and in season. Today, we know by research backed evidence that many of the components traditionally found in Fire Cider all contain antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
How To Take Fire Cider
Fire Cider can be taken straight by the spoonful or you can get creative!
Drizzle over salads with 100% pure olive oil
Use as a marinade for chicken or steak
Add to organic juice (Best option for kids)
Take in a shot form (a.k.a. wellness shot!) This is best if you enjoy the taste.
Take 1 tbsp each morning or 3 tbsp if you feel like illness is coming on
Fire Cider Recipe
Although Fire Cider does exist in store-bought bottles, it’s best to make your own so you are able to ferment and consume greater quantities and really reap all of the wonderful benefits of the tonic. This particular recipe is adapted from Mountain Rose Herbs.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup peeled and shredded ginger root
½ cup peeled and shredded horseradish root
½ cup peeled and chopped turmeric
½ cup white onion, diced
¼ cup minced garlic cloves
2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped thin
Zest and juice from 2 organic lemons
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey (Enough to fill half the jar. Use more for a sweeter end result)
OPTIONAL ADD-INS
Rosemary
Thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Ghost Peppers (VERY SPICY)
Basil
Tarragon
Hyssop
EQUIPMENT
Regular Mouth Quart Jars with Lid
Wax Paper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add the ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, jalapeno and lemon juice to a quart-sized mason jar. Pack all ingredients down lightly. Place heavy roots at the top so that they will weigh down the herbs and jalapenos which naturally float. Pour apple cider vinegar over the roots/vegetables. You want all ingredients to stay under the liquid to prevent spoilage. Some roots will expand so make sure you have enough liquid to cover everything. Hold off on the honey until tonic has fermented. I recommend Wedderspoon 100% Raw Manuka Honey as it has the most beneficial properties of almost any honey available. Let your tonic sit for about 30 days. When matured, add your honey and take as desired.
If you are using a metal lid, put wax paper over it so the vinegar does not corrode the metal. When the fire cider is ready, shake well and then strain the roots and vegetable pieces using a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve.
Store in the fridge and enjoy!
