Fire Cider - Make Your Own

I purchased my first 16 ounce bottle of Fire Cider over the internet for $26.00 plus shipping - then I made my own.

Each Winter my mother would mix up some homemade salsa with tomatoes, garlic and hot peppers from her garden.  At the first sign of a sore throat, she would take a tablespoon full and chew it down. 

I never tried her recipe, but perhaps it might have saved my hearing as most winters I contacted bronchitis and additional damage to the nerves in my ears. 

Now I am trying my best to prevent a bad cold or the flu by brewing FIRE CIDER and drinking small amounts.  Sometimes I mix the Fire Cider in a bit of Kefir Lemon Water or to the last gulp of  my Kombucha tea.


Here for your enjoyment is the Recipe I use to make a batch of Home Made Fire Cider

Fire Cider: Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy for Colds and Flu

 Ingredients

1 Glass Gallon Jar with tight fitting lid.

• 1 large horseradish root, about 7 inches long (scrubbed very well)  OR - - -
• ( I could not find horseradish, so I bought a 6 ounce jar horseradish in the refrigeration section at the Food Market. (Or two 4 ounce jars)
• 1 large ginger root, about 7 inches long
• 1 large onion, root and stem end removed and peeled and chopped
• 2 large oranges peeled and cut in pieces
• 2 lemons peeled and cut in pieces
• 16 cloves of garlic, peeled  (I minced the garlic in my garlic press)
• 4 habanero peppers, stems removed
• 2 jalapeno peppers remove seeds and chop
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 2 quarts Heinz or Bragg’s apple cider vinegar  (save the glass jars)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne Pepper
• Raw honey to taste  (begin with ½ cup and add more if not sweet enough.)

Instructions
 

Grate the horseradish and ginger roots. Roughly chop the onions, orange, lemon, garlic, and habanero and Jalapeno peppers. Stuff them into a gallon glass jar with a tight fitting lid or divide evenly between two half gallon sized canning jars. Sprinkle the turmeric on top (dividing evenly between the jars if using more than one jar). Pour the raw apple cider vinegar in over the contents, allowing it to settle in through the crevices and adding more so that the contents are submerged. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the rim of the jar, then screw the lid tightly in place. Let the mixture sit in a dark, cool place, allowing it to marry and infuse for 4 weeks, shaking once daily.

After 4 to 6  weeks, pour the contents into a muslin or cheesecloth lined colander positioned over a stable pot. Let it drain for 30 minutes, then gather the corners of the cloth, twisting and squeezing until you cannot release any more liquid. When it's fully strained, add honey to the liquid to taste and pour into a sterilized wine bottle or canning jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year, shaking well before using.   (I reuse the glass vinegar bottles for the Fire Cider. I store the jar I am using in the refrigerator. And keep the other Fire Cider bottles in the dark room where I am brewing my Kombucha.

·                           When you grate your horseradish, make sure you do it in a well-ventilated area or you will regret it. That stuff packs some serious oomph and will empty your sinuses in 30 seconds flat.

·                           When it’s time to strain your Fire Cider Health Tonic & Homeopathic Remedy, line a colander with butter muslin, a muslin tea towel, or a double layer of super fine cheesecloth, and set it over a large, stable pot. Pour the contents of your jar into the lined colander and let it drain for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, pull the corners of the cloth together and twist to squeeze the contents until you cannot squeeze any more liquid from it. You may reserve the solids for tossing in stir-fries or discard them.

·                           You’ll notice there is not an actual quantity of honey listed in the recipe. You should add this to taste. We tend to like ours less sweet, you may prefer yours more so. Start with 1/4 cup and whisk it well, then add 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until you reach your desired sweetness.

          - - - - - - --

Instant Fire Cider  (I made some of this to get me by while my mixture is still brewing)  It is okay, but not as good as the real brew.

·                    1/3 cup raw apple cider vinegar

·                    1/3 cup lemon juice or the juice of 2 lemons

·                    1 teaspoon ground cayenne

·                    1 teaspoon ground ginger

·                    1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

·                    Pinch of cracked black pepper

·                    1/3 cup of raw honey

Directions

·                    Add lemon juice, vinegar, and spices to your jar

·                    Add honey to bring up to 8 ounces

·                    all ingredients in a small jar (like a mason jar)

·                    Shake well to mix

·                    Store in the refrigerator