Video: How To Make Fire Cider - An Ancient Tonic For Modern Times

Fire Cider is one of my favorite tonics for cold and flu season. It is a simple yet spicy apple cider vinegar infusion that’s safe for anyone to make at home. Fire Cider is easy to make in bulk and can keep for up to a year in the fridge, but it likely won't last that long as tonics are best taken regularly like a vitamin.  I love making my first batch of the year at the end of the summer or in the early fall so it's ready to go when cold and flu season come around. 

Fire Cider's origins are based on the 4 thieves' vinegar recipe used during the bubonic plague. Legend has it, four young grave robbers were brought to the king to provide the reason they had survived contact with the dead. The boys admitted they drank an herbal vinegar infusion. For logic and Herstory’s sake - I'm going to imagine that these boys had mothers, forgotten to history,  making this recipe to help keep them safe as they tried to provide for the family during a tragic point in time. Bubonic Plague Mamma infused her vinegar with garlic, sage, rosemary, and thyme as a medicinal tonic. It seemed to work, as the royal family wanted the recipe for themselves!  Herbalist and Educator Rosemary Gladstar reinvigorated the basic recipe and you can purchase it at Mountain Rose Herbs. 

All the ingredients are affordable, can be home growable and are available at most grocery stores. If you are sold on the benefits but don’t see yourself making it at home, I also highly recommend picking up a premade bottle from Wooden Spoon Herbs. A Tablespoon a day is all you need. If you have children, you can add as much honey as you like or leave out the extra spicy peppers and replace them with elderberries/extra citrus/extra herbs. Making this with your children can fun when they come of age and giving them the task to check on the jar and shake it everyday is a fun way to involve them in learning how to take care of their bodies. Adding a splash of fire cider to their lemonade is a great trick too.  Fire Cider can even be turned into kid friendly gummies! 

FIRE CIDER CORE INGREDIENTS:

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR With the Mother!

This is what we will use to extract all the constituents from our herbs and roots. ACV is great for digestion and is easily incorporated into  your recipes. 

HORSERADISH GRATED

When grated, horseradish root releases ally isothiocyanate, a strong anti-inflammatory and antibiotic compound. It's been used for centuries to boost the immune system, prevent urinary tract infections, treat sinus infections, and aid in digestion. It’s what gives fire cider its trademark hot, pungent flavor. You can feel the spicy effects of horseradish in your nose and sinuses, which explains why horseradish is one of my number one favorite herbs for relieving sinus congestions and headaches due to sinus pressure. 

GARLIC - CHOPPED

Garlic is called the poor man’s penicillin! Garlic has potent anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Garlic contains a high amount of cysteine, an amino acid that contains sulfur and works to support detoxification in the body. Researchers found that garlic’s heart-healthy effects seemed to result mainly from hydrogen sulfide, a chemical signaling substance formed after garlic is cut or crushed and relaxes blood vessels when eaten. I recommend cutting your garlic first, then letting it sit for 10 minutes to help allow this chemical reaction to release before infusion.

ONION  - CHOPPED

Onions, like garlic, have anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties.  Onion is a folk remedy for colds and flu, and is particularly rich in quercetin, which is strongly anti-inflammatory. Onions are a member of the allium family and have properties that may protect against certain cancers, especially digestive tract cancers. The sulfur contained in onions works to alter the behavior of precancerous cells and has antifungal and antimicrobial properties. We all know onion gets the eyes watering and the sinuses opening

GINGER GRATED

Warming, antiviral, and rich in Polyphenols (micronutrients,) ginger acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radical activity and reducing inflammation.  Free Radicals are unstable atoms linked to diseases like cancer.  Ginger also improves gastrointestinal health and can be used to fight nausea. Plus, the flavor is spicy and delicious!

CAYENNE PEPPER

Powder, fresh, or dried. One of the best cardiovascular herbs, cayenne helps your immune system mobilize by moving blood through the system. It's spicy, warming, and delicious.

HONEY

Honey gives fire cider the spicy-sweet edge it’s known for, and you can add more honey as needed if you’re not a fan of the more pungent flavors. Honey is antimicrobial. If you want to add honey to the original recipe, wait until the end (after the ingredients have marinated together for 3-4 weeks,) and warm the honey before stirring to make it mix easier. Heating honey up to 37°C (98.6 F) causes loss of nearly 200 components, part of which are antibacterial. Keep the temperature low, just enough to make it easier to incorporate into the liquid. 

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS TO TRY:

TURMERIC ROOT GRATED or POWDERED

Turmeric’s bright yellow color and health benefits come from cumin, an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative compound. For this recipe, I recommend using turmeric root instead of ground turmeric. Since curcumin is made more bioavailable (easily absorbed in the body) with black pepper, I recommend adding the black pepper in this recipe for maximum benefit.

BLACK PEPPERCORNS WHOLE or GROUND

Black pepper is anti-inflammatory and is being researched for anti-cancer properties. I also always include black pepper because it increases the absorption and metabolization of curcumin

JUICE & CITRUS PEEL ZESTED

Lemon and orange peels contain high amounts of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C, and are great for boosting the immune system. Many traditional Chinese medicines used citrus peels to treat coughs, fevers, and other infections. Plus, they taste great! 

THYME

Antibacterial and aromatic, Thyme had long been used to help with coughs and bronchitis. It’s packed with vitamin A & C as well as manganese, iron, and fiber.

ROSEMARY

Used as a mild pain remedy in folk medicine, this easy-to-access herb is a powerhouse. It opens the blood vessels, creating warmth through improved circulation. It’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory commonly used to help clear brain fog and cloudiness. 

OREGANO

Antibiotic, antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory. Gram for gram, Oregano has 42 times the antioxidant level of apples, and four times that of blueberries. This is thought to be mostly due to its rosmarinic acid content. It also helps improve gut health! 

FIRE CIDER RECIPE:

1 medium organic white or yellow onion, chopped

10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped

2 organic jalapeno peppers, or any hot pepper of your choice chopped

Zest and juice from 1-2 organic lemon or orange

4-6 inches of fresh grated organic ginger root 

4 inch piece of fresh grated organic horseradish root  

2-3 inches fresh organic turmeric or 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder

1 tbsp Black Peppercorns

1/4 tsp. organic cayenne powder

2-3 sprigs each of rosemary, thyme and/or oregano 

Organic apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup of raw, local honey, or to taste

YOU WILL NEED:

Glass jar (I prefer the ease and cleanliness of plastic lid or you can place wax paper or parchment paper between the aluminum and the vinegar, as it can react in a negative way)  

Cutting board

Box grater or food processor 

Cheese cloth (can also use clean muslin or cotton cloth) 

Funnel 

Sharp Knife or food processor

DIRECTIONS 

Chop and grate your ingredients and put them in a glass jar. Cover with apple cider vinegar. Store in a cool dark place and shake every day. 

After 4 weeks, strain it using cheese cloth or a wire strainer.

 Warm honey and add to taste. Date and refrigerate. 

HOW MUCH FIRE CIDER SHOULD I TAKE? 

Take a shot a day as a tonic to support the immune system.

I recommend taking a tbsp every hour when you feel congestion coming on until it clears up. Enjoy!