FIRE CIDER
This tried-and-true natural remedy is loaded with powerful immune boosting vitamins and minerals, and is host to anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, and anti-inflammatory properties - all through ingredients that are commonly found in grocery stores and farmer’s markets. While it can be made year ‘round, if you start the preparation in late summer, you’ll have a batch ready just in time for cooler temperatures and cold/flu season. This feisty and highly effective brew has a number of applications and, because a little goes a long way, you’ll have plenty to share making it a unique culinary gift!
Yield: About 4 - 4 1/2 cups - not including optional solids
Prep time: 30 minutes; 4-6 weeks
Cook time: N/A
Skill level: Easy
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup fresh HORSERADISH, peeled and chopped or grated
10 cloves fresh GARLIC cloves, peeled and minced
1 fresh medium WHITE ONION, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh GINGER, peeled and chopped or grated
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. CAYENNE PEPPER, you can also use a piece of fresh cayenne pepper, if available
2 fresh JALAPEÑOS (and/or other hot peppers), trimmed and sliced (seeding not necessary) - optional
2 LEMONS ends trimmed and sliced or quartered (seeding not necessary) - optional
a few tender sprigs or the leaves of fresh ROSEMARY or TYHME or 2 Tbsp. dried leaves - optional
1 Tbsp. TURMERIC powder ( or 1/4 fresh root peeled and chopped or grated) – optional
(add 2 teaspoons black pepper – about 1 teaspoon of ground or whole peppercorns, if using turmeric)Organic, raw, unfiltered APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – enough to cover the contents (approx. 5 cups)
Raw, unfiltered HONEY or MAPLE SYRUP to taste - after finishing or at time of serving
DIRECTIONS
Prepare all solid ingredients. Either grate and chop by hand or use the grater blade on your food processor. Place them into a 1/2 gallon glass jar that comes with a no-leak lid.
Pour the vinegar over the solids. Gently press down (do not pack) to encourage them to submerge. Use enough vinegar to completely cover.
Cover. If using a metal lid, line the top with parchment or wax paper so the lid doesn’t become corroded. A plastic lid is preferred.
Mark the name and date on the lid. You’ll thank me later.
Allow Fire Cider to sit on a counter or shelf in a cool, not too bright location (e.g.: a pantry) and gently shake and turn the jar, thoroughly moving the liquid throughout the ingredients. Do this daily for one month or up to six weeks.
When finished marinating, you can either:
a) strain the fire cider using cheesecloth or a plastic sieve, taking care to gently squeeze out all the liquid awesomeness from the solids.
b) macerate everything together in batches in a blender or food processor. From there, it’s up to you if you’d like to add more time before finishing. If so, return the contents to the glass jar and give it another week to steep.
Either way, once you do strain it, you can save or discard the solids/pulp - see below “Use Case” for recommendations.
Pour the liquid into a glass container such as a jar or grolsch top bottle that has a secure, non-metal lid.
To the finished liquid, add honey (or maple syrup for vegan), starting with a 1/4 cup and increasing in small increments, stirring and tasting, until desired sweetness is achieved. Conversely, you can leave out the honey and add it at the time of serving, to your liking. This is my personal preference since I sometimes use the potion for recipes and may not wish to have the added sweetness in that instance.
Store in a consistently cool place or refrigerate, especially if using maple syrup. Shake well before using. Keeps well for up to a year.
USE CASE
For the Liquid:
This remedy is made just like a medicinal tincture is, but with apple cider vinegar instead of alcohol, so that this can be used in foods too!
Take 1/2 - 1 ounce once a day to bolster immunity.
Take 1/2 - 1 ounce undiluted, 3-4 times a day, at the onset of a cold or the flu.
Gargle (with our without raw honey mixed in) to tackle that tickle or sore throat.
Add 2-3 Tablespoons to 6-8 oz. hot tea/hot water. Breathe in vapors while sipping. A wedge of fresh lemon or orange and some extra raw honey add a nice and healthful touch.
For little ones, add a dash to juice such as orange, pineapple, or lemonade.
Add 2-3 Tablespoons to a serving of tomato juice for your own special V-8; add vodka for a sensational cocktail!
Use in place of vinegar such as when making pickles, in a vinaigrette, or a marinade.
Soak a clean, flannel cloth and use as a compress on sore muscles or on the chest to relieve congestion. Warming it first makes it extra soothing.
For the Solids, if using:
Once you’ve bottled the liquid, you can use the solids (everything, or pick out what you don’t want) as is or following one of these suggestions:
Further chopped, adding them to soups, slaws, stir fry, fried rice or as a base ingredient for salsa or chutney.
Dehydrated, the remains of which can be added to recipes that use dried vegetables or ground up to use as a seasoning. Depending on their status, you may wish to leave out certain flavors and cut up certain pieces or even run everything that you like through a food processor to create more uniform bits. Be careful when drying not to do so on too high of a setting as you do not want to incur case hardening, especially on any (relatively) larger pieces.
Pulsed in a blender or food processor until the consistency of horseradish. Mix in a little salt to taste. Put in jar and stir in white vinegar until it is very moist but not sopping wet. Store in the refrigerator.
Take one teaspoon mixed with honey to help relieve cough and congestion.
Use this as you would a condiment. It can be mixed with other ingredients such as sour cream or mayonnaise, to make it creamy, or ketchup to make cocktail sauce.
Pureed then:
Scoop/pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, pop out the fire-ice cubes and store them in a Ziploc bag or other appropriate container and keep them in the freezer.
Add 1-2 cubes to 8 ounces of boiling water. Dissolve and drink as a tea. Honey or sugar makes a wonderful compliment, as does a cinnamon stick. This tea will certainly warm you up and help loosen any congestion.
Add a few cubes to water, juice, or seltzer water for a refreshing beverage with a bit of zing! (Hint: Fresh pineapple juice will give added anti-inflammatory support - helpful when combating aches, pains, or soreness).
Feeling sassy? Use cubes in place of ice in your next vodka martini. It will certainly get your attention!
NOTES/VARIATIONS
This recipe easily doubles - just make sure that your container has enough room for the vinegar to circulate (don’t pack everything in).
I highly recommend organic ingredients when available. If you can’t find organic lemons, try to scrub them well or peel them first but try to keep the pith.
Traditional Fire Cider calls for raw, organic, local honey. I have included the choice of maple syrup as an option for vegans.
The heat can be dialed up or down depending on how much spice you like by how many and what kind of peppers you select. Remember, the recommended serving size is very small and you will have the option of adding honey and/or diluting it later so, unless you really, really don’t like things hot, try to have at least a little bit of pepper for their beneficial properties.
If working with fresh turmeric, know that it will temporarily stain your hands and nails a light orange color. It may also stain any linens or surfaces that come in contact with the root. I have found bleach takes out the stains in anything I launder.
It’s important to include black pepper whenever you enjoy turmeric - whether dried or fresh - as there is strong evidence that it “unlocks” the advantages of that interesting root.
If you want to keep the solids but will not be using them right away, freeze them for future use.
You will find, with some research and experimenting of your own, that variations are common (e.g.: red onion instead of white, oranges instead of lemons, or adding elderberries, a cinnamon stick or two, Echinacea, or other healing herbs) and ratios are often adjusted to availability of ingredients and taste. Keep in mind, when making adaptations, that every ingredient serves a medicinal purpose and works together synergistically to provide the maximum value so try to keep to the core principles of the recipe. As well, headspace and liquid may need to be accounted for with any modifications in the line up.
Always steep and store in glass. Finished Fire Cider can be kept in clear glass but it will be important to place it away from light (such as a pantry or cupboard). An empty Apple Cider Vinegar bottle works well. If you wish to keep it out, use a colored bottle such as a blue bottle or an up-cycled, tinted wine bottle with a screw cap to protect it from the light. Make sure the display space is one that remains cool.
As articulated in the What’s for Dinner article, always aim for the highest quality ingredients.
CREDITS/REFERENCES
Thumbnail photo credit: Martha Stewart’s Test Kitchen
Fire Cider isn’t a new invention but it is gaining popularity and is most often prepared in anticipation of the changing of warmer weather to colder temperatures. The two primary reasons people don’t make it is because they learn about it too late in the winter season and/or they forget to put up a batch it in the late summer. There are a number of herbal authorities and even amateur mixologists that have imparted their own preferences based off of ingredient availability and taste. This version is from my kitchen and the result of experimenting, incorporating my functional nutrition education, research (that includes, but isn’t limited to: The Hippy Homemaker, The Herbal Academy, and Rosemary’s Remedies), ingredient availability in my area, and preferences.