Fire Cider Recipes

With garden produce in full swing and cold/flu season ahead, now is the perfect time to make a healthy, immune boosting cider. Armed with a copy of Rosemary Gladstar’s Fire Cider, here are four fire cider recipes that I am trying out this year.

What is Fire Cider?

Fire Cider is a tonic that has in essence been around for centuries, but the name “Fire Cider” and its popularity in the United States came about in the 1970s. Famed herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar, made it frequently with her students at the California School of Herbal studies.

At its very basic level, Fire Cider is a mix of roots, herbs, sometimes vegetables, and raw apple cider vinegar. You let these sit four weeks or so, then you strain and add (if you like) honey to sweeten it.

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What Can Fire Cider be Used for?

Apple cider vinegar has many great benefits that have been known in folk traditions for years. Even now it is starting to be more recognized in modern medicine for its benefits: Balancing blood sugar, fighting off infections, assisting in weight loss, and more.

The primary use of Fire Cider is as an immune boosting tonic. Some folks take a shot glass of it every day during cold and flu season. Other folks just take it when they feel like they might be getting sick. Other ailments that Fire Cider might help with include:

• Stuffy Nose – It isn’t called “Fire” cider for nothing. It typically packs a solid punch that can clear out your sinuses.
• Sore Throat – Especially ciders made with sage.
• Weariness- If you are tuckered out, a few tablespoons can help! Apple Cider Vinegar contains potassium, amino acids, and other enzymes that can help with tiredness.

Ingredients

This is where things can vary greatly, depending on your tastes and what you have available. There isn’t one definitive recipe, which is half the fun. There are a few key ingredients that almost all Fire Cider recipes include.

• Fresh Horseradish Root
• Ginger Root
• Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• Onion
• Garlic
• Hot Peppers
• Raw Honey

Equipment

One of the great things about Fire Cider, is that it isn’t very complicated to make. Here are the basic tools you’ll need.

• Cutting Board
• Grater
• Sharp Knife
• 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar or quart sized
• Canning lid with ring
• Wax Paper
• Optional: Food Processor

The Process of Making Fire Cider

No matter what recipe you use, the process for making it is the same.

1. Chop or grate ingredients.
2. Add ingredients to a clean mason jar.
3. Pour raw apple cider vinegar over the top to cover them by 2-3 inches.
4. Place a square of wax paper between the lid and the jar top. Vinegar is tough on metals and can cause leaching.
5. Shake it up, then leave it in a warm place for 4-6 weeks.
6. Shake it up every day. Add some healthy intentions and thoughts to it, if you are into that sort of thing.
7. Strain the fire cider into mason jars or other glass containers.
8. Warm honey to taste, and stir it into the cider.
9. Store in the fridge, almost indefinitely. Store on the counter for several weeks.

Fire Cider Recipes

Each of these recipes comes from the book, Fire Cider. Given the fact that Fire Cider is a community term and folks who brew it share their recipes freely, I feel comfortable listing these out here. For each recipe, I will be linking to the author’s blogs so you can check them out for more quality content.

Rosemary Gladstar’s Original Fire Cider

This is maybe the simplest Fire Cider recipe and a great place to start. The “+” sign just means to feel free to add more if you want.

• 1/2 Cup fresh grated horseradish root
• 1/2 Cup + chopped onions
• 1/4 Cup + chopped garlic
• 1/4 Cup + grated ginger
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Apple Cider Vinega
• Raw Honey

Sparrow Farm Fire Cider (Lisa Mase)

Visit Lisa’s blog Harmonized Cookery.

• Cup Diced Ginger Root – 1/2 Cup
• 1/2 Cup Diced Turmeric Root or 2 TAblespoons turmeric powder
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
• 1/4 Cup Minced or Crushed Garlic
• 2 Jalapeno Peppers, chopped
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 5-6 sprigs of thyme
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Raw Honey

Oshala Fire Cider (Elise Higley)

You don’t even have to brew this yourself, you can buy a bottle direct from them! Their recipe in the book makes five gallons, so this is the paired down version. Note that it is in weights, not measures.

• 1/4 # Horseradish
• 1/4 # Burdock Root
• 2 1/2 onions
• 3/4 # Garlic
• 1/4 # Jalapeno
• 2 oz Thyme
• 2 oz Oregano
• 1 oz Rosemary
• 1/2 oz Cayenne

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Raw Honey

Southern Fire Cider (Phyllis D. Light)

This recipe really spoke to me by its simple ingredients and the inclusion of pine needles. No shortage of those in Minnesota! More from Phyllis D. Light.

• 1/2 Cup Chopped Garlic
• 1/2 C Chopped Onion
• 1 T ground bay leaf
• 1/4 Cup Pine Needles
• 1 tsp Ground Cayenne
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4-1/2 Cup Honey

What to Do with Leftovers?

After you’ve strained out the fire cider, you are left with jar of essentially pickled roots, herbs, and vegetables. Here are a few ways to use them up.

• Compost
• Food for pigs or chickens
• Add it to stir fries
• Make Egg Rolls
• Blend it up for a spicy chutney or relish

Watch and Learn

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Resources

If Fire Cider interests you, then I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book! Fire Cider! 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vnegar – by Rosemary Gladstar and Friends