Fire Cider, a traditional folk remedy, is wonderful for helping boost your immune system. It’s often praised for its ability to support the immune system and shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms should they occur.
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Fire Cider
Fire Cider is a vinegar infusion that can help boost your immune system, stimulate digestion, and much more! The ingredients in fire cider can vary from person to person, but the base generally contains apple cider vinegar, horseradish, onions, garlic, and a spicy pepper. It’s easy to incorporate into a daily diet and is a nice way to get warmed up on cold days.
Since it takes a month for fire cider to be ready, I recommend starting a batch now. I actually just pulled (3) half-gallons for our family, and started another round. Everyone in our family (even the kids) take fire cider and loves it!
Fire Cider Recipe
After trying different techniques and ingredients, this is the fire cider recipe that our family prefers. We love the heat and garlic combination and choose to leave the honey out.
• horseradish root (1/2 cup peeled and diced)
• turmeric root (1/2 cup peeled and diced)
• ginger root (1/2 cup peeled and diced )
• white onion (1/2 cup, chopped)
• fresh rosemary (2 sprigs)
• black peppercorns (1/2 teaspoon )
• minced garlic cloves (1/4 cup – approx. 2 bulbs)
• lemons- (2-zest and juice)
• jalapeno peppers (2 sliced)
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• Honey (optional)
Optional Additions
Cayenne Powder
Burdock Root
Rosehips
Whole Chili Peppers
Astragalus
Instructions
Layer all ingredients in your wide-mouth quart-sized jar. I like to start with the horseradish and then go in the order listed. This is just a personal preference. Pour apple cider vinegar over the roots and vegetables. You want everything to stay under the liquid. A fermenting weight will help achieve that. Once you’ve covered everything with ACV, place either a plastic cap or line your metal lid with wax paper.
Place fire cider in a dark, room temperature cabinet for 4-6 weeks. When mature, give it a shake and then strain. Store finished fire cider in the fridge.
How to Take Fire Cider
In our house, we take 2 tablespoons (a shot) of fire cider daily through the fall and winter months as preventative measures. If cold/flu symptoms are present fire cider can be taken every 3-4 hours.
Why These Ingredients:
There are so many different herbs that can go into fire cider. Here’s a quick look at some of the ingredients.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a pungent, dry, warming herb that’s used to treat chest colds and coughs. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is often used as a digestive aid.
Ginger
Ginger is a very warming herb and is often times used for treating sore throats and coughs, aiding in digestion, treating nausea and much more. It also contains a proteolytic enzyme that has been shown to reduce inflammation.
Horseradish
Horseradish helps to open sinus passages and loosens up mucus to help with draining. It’s also great for colds and coughs.
Garlic
When it comes to treating colds, flus, sore throats and poor digestion, garlic is the herb of choice. It’s even been found to be effective against several forms of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
Onion
Onion is not only nutritious but is known for treating colds, digestive complaints and even bronchial ailments.
Hot Peppers
I choose to use Jalapenos in our fire cider, but you certainly use cayenne or other hot peppers instead. Peppers are very warming and help to stimulate the circulatory system.
Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV helps to support the immune system, ease allergies, lower blood pressure and cholestrol, helps digest food and so much more!
Printable Version
Fire Cider Recipe
After trying different techniques and ingredients, this is the fire cider recipe that our family prefers. We love the heat and garlic combination and choose to leave the honey out.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peeled and diced horseradish root
- 1/2 cup peeled and diced turmeric root
- 1/2 cup Peeled and diced ginger root
- 1/2 cup white onion chopped
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup minced garlic (approx. 2 bulbs)
- 2 lemons zest & juice
- 2 jalapeno peppers sliced
- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- Honey (optional)
Optional Additions
- Cayenne Powder
- Burdock Root
- Rosehips
- Astragalus
- Whole Chili Peppers
Instructions
-
Layer all ingredients in your quart-sized jar. I like to start with the horseradish and then go in the order I have it listed. Pour apple cider vinegar over the roots and vegetables. You want everything to stay under the liquid. A fermenting weight to help with that. Once you've covered everything with ACV, place either a plastic cap or line your metal lid with wax paper.
-
Place fire cider in a dark, room temperature cabinet for 4-6 weeks. When ready give it a shake and then strain. Store finished fire cider in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
The first time I made this, I went into a panic on day 2 when I opened the cabinet door to find green garlic. I thought for sure I had done something wrong. However, it is a completely normal reaction for garlic to turn a blue-green/green color when immersed in an acid.
