Ready to add this popular home remedy to your apothecary? Find out what fire cider is used for, its benefits, how to take it, and how to make your own recipe!
What Is Fire Cider Used For?
This is one of those home remedies that, once you make it and start passing it around, people want it. Once you avert that first cold, you are hooked…
At the onset of any head cold, you reach for the fire cider and the cold never settles in.
Let me say that over and over again: “At the onset of any head cold, you reach for the fire cider and the cold never settles in.” And so it goes time after time.
How many colds I’ve dodged with the aid of this home remedy, I cannot say…
The Fire Cider Controversy
This herbal remedy has been making the news lately. Awhile back I got an email…
The subject line was all capital letters: FROM ROSEMARY IMPORTANT.
Now, when Rosemary Gladstar appears in all caps in your inbox, you open it right then.
“Hey Kami, isn’t the fire cider recipe included in your book, The Herbal Kitchen? If so, could you send it to me, if possible today…”
“Uh, sure Rosemary, I’ll send that over to you right now!”
It turns out that Rosemary wanted to use the recipe in a New York Times article about the fire cider lawsuit. Wow, that thing really heated up.
Fire Cider Recipe and Benefits
When I sent the recipe to Rosemary Gladstar, it reminded me that yes, indeed, the fire cider in my pantry was out of stock!
So, I decided to make a batch to share with you. It’s an old school recipe, one that I got from Rosemary and started making in the 1980s. It hasn’t changed it much, it has been so tried and true.
Fire cider benefits come from its warming and stimulating ingredients, including:
- Ginger: increases circulation, gets rid of mucus congestion, and reduces inflammation
- Horseradish: boosts circulation, dissolves accumulated mucus, clears the sinus, and warms the body
- Onion: contains antibacterial properties, promotes circulation, opens the sinus, and clears congestion
- Garlic: has antimicrobial compounds and boosts the production of white blood cells, helping to fight bacteria and viruses
- Cayenne: has antibacterial properties, clears out mucus and congestion, and stimulates blood circulation
People add all kinds of other ingredients now, but I just love this basic recipe. You don’t have to be exact with your measurements; the recipe is a general guideline.
Watch the video above and I’ll walk you step-by-step through how to make your own. You probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen. Well, you might not have the horseradish, but you’ll most likely be able to purchase that at the grocery store. Horseradish is also incredibly easy to grow.
How Long Does Homemade Fire Cider Last?
Store your homemade fire cider in a clean container in a dark cabinet out of heat, light, and temperature variation. It should be good for about a year.
Make sure that you store it in a container with a nonreactive lid because vinegar can eat any metal it comes into contact with. If your vinegar turns black or develops mold or a funny smell, throw it away.
How Often Should You Take It?
At the onset of a cold, take 1 tablespoon of fire cider. You can take this straight out of the spoon or add it to a cup of water.
Then, continue to take 3 to 4 tablespoons a day until symptoms subside.
Fire Cider Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar (raw, unpasteurized)
- 3 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
- 2 tbsp fresh grated horseradish
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder OR 1 fresh cayenne pepper, chopped
- 2 cups honey
Instructions
- Finely chop or grate all ingredients.
- Put into jar with apple cider vinegar.
- Put a non-metal lid on the jar or put two pieces of wax paper on top of the jar if using a metal lid.
- Shake.
- Let herbs infuse into vinegar for 1 month, shaking the mixture whenever you get a chance.
- After 1 month, decant ingredients from the vinegar.
- Add 1/2 part honey and shake well. For example, if you have 4 cups of the infused vinegar, add 2 cups of honey.
- Take 1 to 4 tablespoons a day at the onset of a cold.
why do you add honey after the infusion and not right away with all the other ingredients?
You are welcome to play with my recipes!
I make this every year. It is a go to when I feel a cold coming on. I give it to my kids ( even though they are in their 40’s) for when they start feeling badly. I keep mind in the refrigerator.
Can you use jarred horseradish from the store or is there a substitute?
Many grocery stores have horseradish root in the produce area now. Ask if you do not find it. Jarred is not a good substitute.
Without a doubt this is the only remedy that helps me beat the winter/spring colds.
I do add fresh grated tumeric root, 2 cinnamon stixs broken and 6 whole cloves and forego the honey! Always have this in my fridge and it is time to make it again!
Thank you Tami for this recipe! Yvonne
Hi Kami, I read your comment that this fire cider is too hot for use during pregnancy. Can I modify it for safe use? I could leave out the chilly and horseradish and use turmeric in stead. I crave everything spicy this pregnancy, so a bit hot won’t be too bad, right?
Many thanks for your recipe!
Pregnancy is not the time to switch things up and try new things. I can’t make pregnancy recommendations over the internet. Please work with your midwife, so that you can find what is the best for your particular constitution and situation.
I just decanted my fire cider last night–a few days early because I’m starting to feel that fall itchy sore throat coming on. Started taking it this morning, just a teaspoon to start and within 10min I was feeling really warm all over! Going to keep on with it until my throat is better. Thank you, Kami, for sharing Rosemary’s recipe!
The fresh horseradish I have been able to find are really big. Can I use horseradish that has been grated & then jarred? Thank you
I dont like to use the jarred horseradish, it is not as strong. I know, the roots are large. You can also make horseradish sauce with the leftover horseradish
I am allergic to the mustard family and cannot have nightshades due to my RA. These knock out the horseradish and the cayenne.
Are there any substitutions for those two ingredients or will it still work without those two if no substitutions?
Fire cider is really a folk remedy that people add dozens of different herbs to. You can do it without those two ingredients, people also add turmeric, elderberry, thyme
Hi, I’ve just recently discovered this treasure trove. But I have a question about cayenne. How important is it to use “cayenne”? Can I use other chili’s instead? I live in Belgium, Europe. The only “cayenne” I can get is powder. But I can get fresh “chili” – what here is called “chili” is what-ever-is-available in a mix-box of hot peppers, and I can get dried peri-peri. And other pepper powders.
I use either cayenne pepper or jalapeno. You can also use powdered cayenne pepper. You want a pepper that is hot and not too juicy
Thanks, Kami, for the video.
What do you think about using powdered cayenne pepper from the grocery store?
I have your book and hadn’t realized the fire cider recipe is in there. I’ve heard of it before but have never made it.
We’ve been dosing ourselves with oregano oil regularly so we haven’t had a cold this year. But I’d like to have it handy, just in case.
Hi Tina,
Cayenne pepper from grocery store is fine, just always use your senses to make sure it has good color and smell.
I am allergic to nightshades, would it be good or worth it without the cayenne?
If I blend the ingredients in my blender, will it be ready in less time, with more surface area of ingredients contacting the vinegar? (I assume it’s infusing, not fermenting, if the concoction has antibacterial/antiviral/antifungal properties, right?) How do you know it’s finished infusing and ready?
no, it still takes the same amount of time. It is ready within 30 dayts
Is it possible to speed up the infusion process with a sous vide? I just learned about fire cider on the 13th (made it that day) and I think I need it NOW.
I don’t use a sous vide for herbal vinegars, nothing like good old fashioned steeping time. YOu could make the fire cider and after a few days start taking some, and let the rest steep for the regular length of time. SOme of the constituents begin extracting right away.
My husband is a diabetic and can’t use honey. Can I replace the honey with stevia?
Yes, you can add a little stevia, make sure to taste it as you go, because too much stevia ruins everything
For someone who cannot have honey (it would make me more ill than whatever I was trying to avoid) can I make it up without it and then when giving it to people add the honey, or dilute with water to that strength at the time?
Yes, you can just omit the honey. People can add honey when they take it and for you, just don’t use the honey.
The way I like to take it is 1 cup of warm water with a tablespoon of fire cider in it. SO taking it that way will be easier for you when there is no honey
I have a couple questions about the fire cider:
1. We live in the tropics (super humid and 90+ temperatures most days) would it still be recommended to let it sit out for that month to infuse or should it be refrigerated?
2. Is fire cider safe to take in pregnancy?
3. How long can you store the infusion before it goes bad?
Hmmm, with that temperature, i would probably always keep it in the fridge, but don’t have personal experience with that
Fire cider is too hot for pregnancy
I keep fire cider in the fridge for up to 1 year
Thanks for the measurements, Kami. Love this Stuff! I’ve added and orange and a lemon in the past for flavor. Do you see any problem with that?
Yes, you can add orange or lemon peel, i like adding lemon peel also
Kami – you don’t indicate how to store the cider after the honey has been added or how long it will keep.
Hi Tina,
You can store it in the fridge and it is good for one year
Sounds good I am about to make some. I don’t understand about half part honey. What amount or measurement does that mean?
> Hi Bev!
> So great you are going to make fire cider!
> Half part honey is this
>
> Once you strain the herbs from the vinegar Measure out the vinegar And
> then half part of that of honey
>
> So,
> If you have end up with 2 cups vinegar, add 1 cup honey If you make a
> batch and have 4 cups of vinegar, add 2 cups honey
>
> Have fun!
> Kami
Hi Kami – How long can fire cider be stored, and where is best to store it?
To tell you the truth it never lasts very long around here. You can store it in the fridge for one year.
Kami, should the Fire Vinegar be refrigerated during the month of infusing all ingredients and after adding the honey?
Hi Laura,
No need to keep it in the fridge while the herbs are infusing into the vinegar. I leave it out where I can see it to make sure I shake it. If you can, shake it every day…
When decanting, since it has fresh ingredients, we should NOT squeeze it , correct? Just let the vinegar drip?
Yep!
Thank you Kami for the fire cider recipe. I used to have it but lost it. So happy you have made this available.