How to Make Fire Cider
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Natural remedies have been making a comeback for years. There is a reason many of them have been around for generations–they work and they use ingredients that are readily available and all-natural. While fire cider is certainly one of the scarier sounding remedies, it is in my opinion one of the most effective.
I will admit, when I first saw the recipe, I held off making it. Horseradish, ginger, onions, garlic, and jalapeno–that is A LOT of strong flavors to pack into one concoction. But, there is evidence that many of these ingredients are powerful immune boosters and cold fighters, so its not surprising that this home remedy is well-loved by many.
However, once the cold season started running rampant through my household, I was desperate for anything.
I will share the moment I was convinced fire cider was amazing: My daughter came home from school with a cough and drippy nose. The next day, I felt the same symptoms. I started taking fire cider that morning–after two days, the symptoms were gone! There were zero changes to my diet other than the fire cider.
I have grown to prefer natural remedies to prescribed medications. It simply makes me feel better as a person and a mom to put something closer to the Earth in my body.
Fire cider is easy to make and is comprised of ingredients that most people can find at their local grocery store.
Step One ~ Gather Ingredients & Supplies
This particular fire cider recipe combines ingredients I found in several different recipes.
Ingredients
Fresh ginger (about three inches)
1 white onion
1/2 head of garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
2 jalapeno peppers
Horseradish root (about three inches)
1 Lemon
1 Lime
1 Orange
1-2 Tablespoons Turmeric
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons or more of Raw Honey (preferably local)
1/2-1 1/2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar (w/the Mother)
**The amount of honey and vinegar required depends on a number of things. For the honey, I recommend at least using 2 tablespoons. I am a bit of a spicy food wimp, so I added 5 tablespoons total to my fire cider. Add the two tablespoons for the benefits raw honey provides, taste it, and decide if you need more. The amount of vinegar used depends on how you chop your ingredients. I have made this both chopping by hand and using the food processor. I ended up using more when I hand cut the ingredients over food processing. Just be sure that all of the ingredients are submerged in the vinegar.
Supplies & Tools
Food Processor (optional)
1 Mason Jar (quart-sized)
Canning funnel (optional)
Cheesecloth or Wax Paper
Step Two ~ Chop Ingredients
While you can certainly hand chop the ingredients with a knife, it is much faster to use a food processor. Place the peeled onion (cut in half), the peeled garlic cloves, the jalapenos, the ginger, and the horseradish in the food processor. It is less work on your food processor if you chop up the ginger and horseradish into manageable size chunks before blending. Roughly chop the ingredients–the whole concoction gets strained, so they don’t need to be uniform or pretty.
Chop up the lemon, lime, and orange into smaller chunks. Don’t worry about the rind–it can stay right on!
Step Three ~ Add Ingredients
Add the chopped ingredients into the mason jar. I found it helpful to use my canning funnel. There is no particular order the ingredients need to go in, other than the apple cider vinegar and honey, which you should do last. Just pile ’em on in there! Then, pour the apple cider vinegar over the other ingredients. Do not put the honey in yet, you will add this later.
I personally crammed too much into my mason jar. If that happens, just use a knife to loosen up the ingredients. This allows the apple cider vinegar to get everywhere. The goal is for all of the ingredients to be submerged in the vinegar.
Once they are all submerged, screw on your mason jar lid and give it a healthy shake. Remove the lid and replace with a thick layer of cheesecloth or wax paper and screw the band back on.
Step Four ~ Wait
Fire cider needs to sit in a dark, cool space for four weeks before it is ready. I have mine in the cabinet I keep my vanilla extract in. Every couple of days, give it a swirl. Be careful not to spill any!
Step Five ~ Strain and Store
After four weeks, use a fine mesh strainer and strain the liquid into a clean mason jar. Add in a few tablespoons of raw honey. Taste it and add more if you feel the need. Store it in the same dark spot as you brewed it. Kept sealed and in the dark space, it should last for several months.
Consuming Fire Cider
As a germ preventative or to kill any symptoms you feel, take a tablespoon of fire cider once daily. I have found that, for me personally, it settles better if I have something in my stomach prior to taking it. I make it a point to take it after I have eaten breakfast.
