When the seasons change, colds and sickness can occur. Even if you eat a real foods diet, get proper rest and fluids, you can still get sick. One way to combat those symptoms is by making fire cider.
What is fire cider? It’s a spicy hot, deliciously sweet vinegar tonic. First concocted in the kitchen at the California School of Herbal Studies by Rosemary Gladstar in the early 1980’s, it was for teaching students how to make herbal preparations that were as much food as they were medicines.
Fire Cider was among those early cross-over recipes—part medicine, part food—that was made and shared freely. Hundreds of people were taught how to make it and use it. Fire Cider is pleasantly delicious, and also a wonderful blend of medicinal herbs.
The original formula contained garlic, onions, horseradish root, ginger root, hot peppers, sometimes turmeric, and often Echinacea — all powerful immune enhancers that help ward off infections, colds, flus, and bronchial congestion.
We found we could use Fire Cider during the winter, a tablespoon or two a day, to help keep the immune system healthy and to ward off infections. All this, and it tasted good too!
How To Make Fire Cider
Ingredients
- 2 whole white onions cut into quarters
- 3 whole cayenne peppers cut in half
- 6 whole garlic cloves crushed
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
- 2 Tablespoons dried rosemary
- 32 ounces raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups raw honey
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large half-gallon mason jar.
- Cover with apple cider vinegar.
- Cap tightly and store in a cool, dry place for 4 weeks.
- Strain the infused vinegar.
- Gently warm honey just until melted.
- Stir honey into the infused vinegar.
Notes
This should be stored in a cool, dry place and will be good for up to a year.
You can make it with the original formula, but many formulas for this “master tonic” have evolved.
I like to use what I have in my garden, and they all have the properties that the original blend called for.
Have you made fire cider before? What do you put in yours?
Heather’s homesteading journey started in 2006, with baby steps: first, she got a few raised beds, some chickens, and rabbits. Over the years, she amassed a wealth of homesteading knowledge, knowledge that you can find in the articles of this blog.
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Where should this be stored and how long will it be good for?
as it says in the recipe, store in a cool dry place for up to a year.
Do you add the honey before or after y let the mix sit for 4 weeks?
you add it after it sits and the vinegar has been strained.
Do you mean strain instead of drain?
What are your thoughts on horseradish instead of the peppers?
Horseradish does have some of the same warming properties that peppers have. I’d say try it and see how it works for you! 🙂 I personally am not fond of the flavor of horseradish myself, which is why I leave it out 🙂
i have been making this for a couple of years now….My recipe is
1 whole onion
1/2 cup garlic
1/2 cup horseradish
1/4 cup fresh ginger
2T of tumeric…wish I would find fresh
4 sticks of cinnamon
12- 14 whole clove
4 sprigs of rosemary
1t red pepper flakes
1/2 t cayenne pepper
32 ounces of vinegar
1 cup of local raw honey
add all ingredients Except the honey in a gallon jar. store in a cool dry place for 30 days
Strain all the stuff out…(Use as compost in garden) add honey until mixed. I do store it in the refrig and I take 2 ounces daily at night before bed unless I don’t feel well…then I take 2 ounces 3 or 4 times a day…
I use Oranges, Parsley, Horseradish root, Fresh turmeric, and ginger, onion, rosemary , thyme, acv , then honey after it is done ‘ perking ‘ . I think bell peppers would be good in it as well.
I use a pineapple ring to top it off as well
that sounds great! I love the addition of pineapple for the bromelain!
Does the garlic and onion make your breath smell if you have this daily?