Fire cider

Recipe: Fire Cider!

Apr 23, 2020

Support your digestive and immune systems right now with yummy Fire Cider!

I have been meaning to make fire cider for YEARS!! Why finally now? I’m home, looking for ways to support my self and my hubby, Pete through this crazy pandemic time. So, I dug out the email from Beverly Lewis from 2016 🙂 I think she has offered classes on Fire Cider in the past – thank you, Beverly! Mountain Rose Herbs is another fabulous resource. 

Ingredients (so many variations; I’ll list what I did)

For me, it goes without saying that ingredients should be organic so that you aren’t extracting chemicals into your vinegar-based Fire Cider. But, if you only have access to conventionally grown, should you skip it? Weigh your pros and cons and make the best choice for yourself! The healing properties o foods are quite strong; are they strong enough to outweigh the risks of chemical exposures? I wish I could say for certain. 

From Mountain Rose Herbs, “Either fresh or dried ingredients may be used, with only a few considerations to keep in mind. If using fresh herbs, make sure they are washed free of dirt and patted dry. Don’t skip the patting dry step, as water can dilute your vinegar and cause bacterial growth inside your extract.”

[The only thing that is sorely missing is horseradish that I didn’t have and didn’t want to wait to get. Recipe calls for 1/2 c grated or thinly sliced.]

1/2 c fresh ginger root, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon (or orange)

 Several sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp turmeric (I wish I had had fresh root on hand; I used dried powder)

pinch of cayenne pepper (can be left out for those of you who can’t tolerate nightshades well)

Variations: astragalus, burdock, oregano, parsley, peppercorns, elderberry, hawthorn berries, … the sky’s the limit 🙂 

Raw apple cider vinegar

Raw local honey

 
Directions

Prepare all ingredients into a quart-sized jar. Fill with apple cider vinegar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the top of the jar. Use a piece of parchment paper to cover the top to prevent the vinegar from coming in contact with the metal lids (corrosion!). Shake well. Store in a cool, dark place for a month. Shake gently, daily.

After 4-6 weeks, strain the pulp and pour the vinegar into a clean jar. Squeeze as much of the liquid from the pulp as you can. Next, add 1/4 c honey and stir to incorporate. Taste and see if you need more honey, and add as needed.

Mountain Rose Herbs suggests using the strained pulp (roots, onions, garlic, etc.) to mix it with shredded veggies like carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and fresh herbs to make stir-fries or spring rolls. Yum! I haven’t tried that, yet – I’ll let you know in 30 days when my Fire Cider is done how it goes…

 

If you aren’t up for the time in your kitchen but like the immune-boosting, digestive-waking flavor of fire cider, here are some options (no affiliations here):