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I first discovered a recipe for fire cider years ago. It didn’t sound like something I wanted to try immediately, but when I read about the immune-boosting benefits I decided to be brave and give it a try. Years later, it’s a staple at our house around cold and flu time.
Fire cider is a traditional recipe that contains garlic, onion, ginger, cayenne, vinegar, and raw honey. The original recipe calls for horseradish, but for the sake of the kids I typically substitute echinacea root.
Fire Cider
Fire cider harnesses the beneficial properties of onion, garlic, ginger, and herbs, plus vinegar and raw honey for a nourishing drink with a little kick.
How Does Fire Cider Taste?
Judging by the ingredients in the recipe, you might not expect it to taste very good. I didn’t either and I was quite pleasantly surprised by the taste. I’ve even tried it on salads as a dressing and it has a mild peppery and sweet vinaigrette flavor.
In the winter months, I sometimes take a teaspoon or so of this a day or use it on salads. If illness hits, I’ll take that dose every few hours or add a tablespoon to hot water or herbal tea a few times a day until I feel better.
For the kids, I reduce the cayenne or leave it out and they don’t mind the taste too much since the honey helps balance out the vinegar taste.
If you try fire cider and like it, I highly recommend Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs book as the reason I first discovered this remedy (and may I suggest my Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox book for many more natural remedy and beauty recipes as well!).
On to the recipe:
Spicy Fire Cider Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 1 bulb garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 3 inch piece of fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 TBSP dried echinacea root (optional)
- 1 orange (sliced, optional)
- 1 jalapeño (sliced, optional)
- apple cider vinegar (organic, with “the mother”)
- raw organic honey
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place onion, garlic, ginger, and echinacea root, organge, and jalapeño if using in a quart size mason jar. Make sure garlic is at the bottom and completely submerged.
- Add enough apple cider vinegar to cover the ingredients. Use a fermentation weight to make sure all ingredients are below the liquid level.
- Cap tightly and leave in the jar for 2-3 weeks, preferably in a sunny or slightly warm place.
- After 2-3 weeks, strain and discard the herbs.
- After straining, measure the apple cider vinegar left and mix it with an equal amount of raw honey and add the cayenne pepper.
- Store in the refrigerator and take 1 teaspoon as needed daily or when illness strikes. I’ve taken as much as 1 teaspoon an hour during illness until I felt better.
Notes
Nutrition
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This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Shani Muhammad, MD, board certified in family medicine and has been practicing for over ten years. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.
Ever made a spicy cider like this? What is your favorite natural remedy for cold and flu?
Fire cider without horseradish in it??? Craziness! Also, that tiny amount of echinacea in powdered form isn’t doing much other than wasting your money… I’d just stick with a tincture of echinacea, 1 drop for every 2 pounds of body weight taken every few hours at the first sign of illness.
At what age can this tincture be used?
I would say as soon as their palate can handle it…..a chaser of natural juice might help.
After 1 year if it has honey in it
How long can you keep it in the fridge?
How do you find that this compares to elderberry syrup?
Similar in strength for helping with illness. Different people like different things though.
Looks like a great recipe! How long does it last in the fridge? Thank you.
Would there be a way to speed up the process of making this. Me and the kids are sick now!
Add all the ingredients you have and shake multiple times a day. Leave it in a warm spot in the house (near fridge or stove works for us) and start using it tomorrow, you’ll get some benefit and it will get stronger each day.
Does this need to be stored in the fridge? And how long will it keep?
Natural is BEST.
I made fire cider for the first time March, 2017. I used it at the first sign of a sniffle or just not feeling right. It stopped the sniffle almost immediately and I never had a cold or flu all year. Normally I at least catch a cold once or twice during the season.
I also added horseradish, turmeric, nasturtium leaves and flowers, 2 x Thai Chilies, fresh olive leaves, and herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon balm. Y
You can start consuming it the next day and it will be effective, but it will strengthen over time. Many of the goodies in these ingredients will leach into the vinegar quite rapidly.
Not a few of the fire cider ingredients are effective against super bugs and I will always have it in the cupboard ready for use. I don’t keep it in the fridge and it is still good after 10 months. Vinegar is a preservative.
Yes, elderberries are a good addition too. I didn’t add them to mine as I had already made some elderberry tincture and it is wonderful too but I think the fire cider is better. Next time I will add them to my mixture as they can only add more benefit to the brew.
This mixture can also be poured over your meals to add wonderful seasoning. The left over vegetables and herbs can be added to food as well, so there is no waste.
I never add honey. If I intended to, I would add it as I was consuming it. That may have something to do with it keeping well non-refrigerated.
I add the honey to a 1/2 pint of it and keep it separate from the original jar. I add the honey as I need more in my 1/2 pint jar.
Hi there. Can you use echinacea drops instead of the dried root?
How long does a batch last in the fridge?
We do this at our house, but our recipe is slightly different!! We add horseradish, turmeric, lemon, thyme, rosemary and jalapenos. I have heard of adding in elderberries as well!!
how long will is the shelf life in the refrigerator?
I made mine 3 years ago and it is still good and works great. I keep it in the refrigerator.
I wear by this stuff! I have been using Fire Cider for years; ever since my mom went to an herbal school in Forestville, CA. and learned about it and many other amazing herbs.Rosemary was there for part of the teachings. Rosemary is awesome. Her book is also.
We use horseradish in our recipe.
Thank you for posting this recipe to share with people! It really helps either fight off a cold or extremely reduce the severity of cold like symptoms when you are fighting one.
Where do you get your horseradish root?
Our local food co-op carries it.
How much horseradish did you use?
I put leaves of peppermint , fresh dill, fresh basil ,lemon, marigold flowers, fresh ginger dried elderberries, bay leaf, peppercorns, fresh cayenne pepper , fresh jalapeño, fresh garlic and apple cider vinegar and let set for one month then strain. Can add raw honey.