Fire Cider: call it a folk remedy, health tonic, or homeopathic remedy, but one thing is certain, and that is that it’s delicious.
Raw apple cider vinegar is infused with the health promoting ingredients ginger, garlic, onions, citrus fruit, horseradish, turmeric, and hot pepper, then mixed with raw honey to balance the tart spiciness of the vinegar.
Fire Cider
This Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy recipe stands as one of the most popular on my blog. The beauty of this, beyond its all-star cast of healthy ingredients, is that it just plain tastes wonderful.
Well, okay, we MAINLY drink it because we like it, but the health benefits are nice.
Important Note: I am NOT under any circumstances claiming this will cure anything. I’m laying out a recipe that is both delicious and nutritious. I am also explaining some of the purported health benefits of the ingredients that go INTO the recipe.
This post is no substitute for professional medical advice, but is a classic folk tonic/remedy. I trust you all to use your own best judgment in the manner.
What is fire cider?
I have a little true story to explain to you how a girl who makes Kielbasa in Air Fryer and Dubai Chocolate Brownies also makes Fire Cider Health Tonic.
It all began with me hopping in my car and driving eight and a half hours to Maine to spend four days with my friends. We spent our days wandering Portland, Maine eating donuts, duck fat french fries, ice cream, bubble tea, cookies, more duck fat fries, fried cheese curds, fried chicken skin banh mi, bacon dusted french fries, and washing it down with beer.
It was great stuff, but oy. We were overstuffed.
We wandered into the a shop where the clerk enthusiastically offered a sample of something called Fire Cider to us. Given that I have been known to drink pickle juice and/or a shot of raw apple cider vinegar each morning (more on the health benefits of that in a moment), it didn’t take much to convince me to try it.
It was a SHAZAAM moment. It was exactly what we all needed to de-sluggify all of us after our rich food benders. One of my girlfriends gasped and exclaimed that it instantly cured her heartburn.
My friends each grabbed a bottle. I grabbed two.
When I got home, my husband looked at me sideways when I told him what it was, but he drank the sip I gave him and his eyes grew huge as he declared, “THIS IS GREAT! We’re going to need to keep this around!”
Fire Cider Controversy
I went online to order a larger quantity and discovered that the manufacturer had a bit of fire cider controversy surrounding them because fire cider was an old folk remedy and health tonic made by many herbalists and the company had trademarked the name. Okay, well, knowing me, you’ll probably have realized at this point that when I read I could make my own, that was a foregone conclusion.
The controversy has since been settled and the courts have decided that the company can no longer own the trademark for Fire Cider. And you may have noticed fire cider is sold just about everywhere now. But you can make a gallon or so for the same price you’d pay for a tiny bottle in stores.
Fire Cider Benefits
How is fire cider good for you? It’s full of vitamins and minerals, is anti-fungal and anti-viral. And it makes a great, non-narcotic cough suppressant and throat soother!
What is this magic? It’s all about the ingredients.
Fresh horseradish is known to be effective against the flu and common cold, tonsilitis, respiratory disorders, urinary tract infections, and pathenogenic fungus.
Ginger is used to treat arthritis, muscle pain, upset stomach (motion and morning sickness and general nausea), gas, upper respiratory tract infections, and cough.
Onions are used to boost cardiovascular health, bone and connective tissue benefits, and as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Garlic is used to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack, atherosclerosis, asthma, building the immune system, help level blood sugar, and is used topically to treat fungal infections.
Habanero peppers boost your metabolism, and offer headache, sinus, and arthritis relief as well as releasing endorphins.
Benefits of Fire Cider
Oranges are great for heart health. A part of a best-case-scenario-anti-cancer-diet, fighting cholesterol, to help in weight loss, and to break up or prevent kidney stones, oranges are invaluable.
Lemons are known to aid in digestion, alleviate Meniere’s Disease, kidney stones, and ringing of the ears. They’re also a cure for scurvy (chronic lack of Vitamin C) and treat colds and flu. Lemons also improve the function of blood vessels, and reduce inflammation and retention of water.
Turmeric is pretty much a cancer fighting beast. It’s known to delay liver damage and reduce carcinogenic compounds in other foods. It’s been shown to make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiation and inhibit the growth of malignant melanoma and breast cancer. As a bonus, it can alleviate arthritis symptoms and skin conditions.
Maybe I should let the experts describe what the main compound in turmeric -cucurmin- does. Advanced Experimental Medical Biology in 2007 states: “Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic illnesses.”
Raw apple cider vinegar is known to be a good source of acetic and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), mineral salts, amino acids, and other key components of good nutrition. But it is also a well-loved folk remedy thought to ease digestion, fight obesity and diabetes, kill lice, and reverse some signs of aging.
Does it do all of that? I doubt it. But it surely tastes good and its nutritional value is undisputed.
Raw honey (locally produced) is a fantastic, all-natural fighter of seasonal allergies. It’s best to choose raw, locally produced honey for the benefits listed above. Because bees collect pollen from flowers in your area and then convert it to honey to feed their hives, eating raw, local honey is like a tasty allergy shot.
The second choice is raw honey from anywhere. The third choice would be pasteurized commercial honey.
Fire Cider Recipe
There’s not too much to this, just grate or chop everything up and put it in a jar. But I do want to caution you about a couple of things.
If you cannot or will not use a plastic lid, do lay a piece of parchment paper on the rim of the jar before fixing your lid in place. Raw apple cider vinegar is quite likely to rust or discolour a canning jar lid.
You’d hate to have all your waiting and work ruined by a rusted lid. Replace that parchment sheet every week or so.
I prefer to use Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar for my Fire Cider. I always keep it on hand because I love the flavour.
Because it still has the ‘mother’ in it, it packs a higher nutritional punch. Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods also have in-house brand versions that are great.
I’d advise you to use organic produce if at all possible. This way you won’t be infusing your lovely health tonic with anything you wouldn’t want to have in it.
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.
You may reserve the solids, dehydrate and grind them to use a spice blend or discard them. Either is fine!
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 and tasting after each addition, until you reach your desired sweetness.
Store your finished Fire Cider Health Tonic & Homeopathic Remedy in a sterilized wine bottle or canning jar. It keeps well in a cool, dark cabinet for up to a year.
What Is Fire Cider Good for?
Oh! I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that the finished Fire Cider is fabulous as a dressing for cooked greens or in salad dressings. Boost your health while enjoying your dinner!
Guys. Gals. Friends, Romans, Countrymen… I have put Fire Cider IN A COCKTAIL. It was magical. Please experiment and report back.
How much Fire Cider to Take Daily?
We drink a tablespoon (or more!) every morning to maintain health. When we feel ill, we take a slightly larger dose of Fire Cider to help boost our immune system. Word has it on the street that it’s an extremely effective hangover cure.
So, I want to know… are you curious enough to try it? What do you think?
Fire Cider: Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 large horseradish root scrubbed very well, about 7 inches long
- 1 large ginger root about 7 inches long
- 1 large onion root and stem end removed and peeled
- 1 large orange do NOT peel. Use the whole fruit.
- 1 lemon do NOT peel. Use the whole fruit.
- 16 cloves of garlic peeled
- 2-4 habanero peppers stems removed
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- raw apple cider vinegar
- raw honey
Instructions
- Grate the horseradish and ginger roots. Roughly chop the onions, orange, lemon, garlic, and habanero peppers. Stuff them into a half-gallon glass jar with a tight fitting lid or divide evenly between two quart sized canning jars. Sprinkle the turmeric in on top (dividing evenly between the two jars if using quart jars). 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 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
Originally published August 8, 2014. Updated August 2016 and January 2019.
Reader's Thoughts...
Colleen Spada says
Rebecca, You mention storing in a cool, dark place. I have a pantry that would be dark enough, but I live in Baltimore and I don’t think it would be cool enough in the warmer months. Would the fridge be okay, or should I try the basement instead? (I just worry that it will get forgotten and not used if in the basement.)
Thanks for all your posts. Love your stuff!
Rebecca says
Hi Colleen! I would vote for the basement, personally! Thank you, too!
Rebecca says
Actually, let me edit my response a smidge. I would say to have a smaller bottle that you get into each day in the refrigerator with the bulk of it stored in the basement. Decant a little into the smaller bottle as needed.
Kim says
My dad swears by this to help with his allergies, can’t wait for my 4 weeks to be up. Question – can the solids be reused, like a tea bag, or is all the goodness Sucked right out of them?
Rebecca says
I’ve met folks who use the solids in stir fries to bulk them up. I’d recommend trying a nibble or two and seeing what you think of it from there!
Tony DeMilia says
Was just curious about trying to make this. Have you ever tried to ” Juice ” the fruits and root’s , then divide the pulp, and juice equally?
Rebecca says
I have not, Tony! Let me know the results if you give it a go!
Tony DeMilia says
okay, will do. Going to try a few new things. I have purchased a pre-made Fire Cider, just to get a feel as to what it tastes like. I think I can have a few positive adjustments, Meyer Lemons being my #1. Would you suggest a 4,6 or 8 week process?
Rebecca says
Hi Tony- As with most infusions, I recommend tasting it along the way to see how you like it at various stages. Good luck!
Jordan Eveland says
Hi Rebecca,
This recipe sounds great! I have a huge horseradish root waiting to made into something amazing! Can you please tell me how many oz. of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar you used?
Thanks!
Jordan
Rebecca says
Hey Jordan! I have a non-answer answer for you. Once you get all your shredded/sliced goodies stuffed into those jars, you use as much Bragg’s ACV as it takes to cover it well. In my case, I think I used one and a half 32 ounce bottles, but it varies every time I make fire cider. Best of luck! I think you’ll love it!
Kflo says
Hi–I cannot find horseradish root to save my life. It’s sold out everywhere online. My local farm doesn’t have it. I just want to make this cider. Any ideas?
Rebecca says
Hi there! It looks like there’s fresh horseradish available on eBay and Etsy right now! I have asked my local grocery store produce manager order some for me (and they have!) and I’ve also asked local farmers at farm stands to good results.
Rob says
Hey! Thanks for this!
Have you ever tried re-using the same veg after straining the cider out for a second batch of cider?
I’m in the midst of steeping and was considering giving this a go.
Mindy W says
I have made one batch of this and can say that this packs a punch and I like it. I’m gearing up for another batch and will maybe muster up enough bravery to tell a few close friends about it.
Rebecca says
I hear ya, Mindy! Some people give you the side eye when you tell them what’s in it. I’ve just moved onto offering a sip to friends and THEN telling them what’s in it. 😀
Yvonne R. says
Hello Rebecca,
To my delight, our local Whole Foods in Reno, NV carries fresh Turmeric Root which was my only substitution in the recipe. I have been using the finished product for about a month now and it seems to help my sinus problems. I have sagebrush and so many other allergens around my house and am miserable with allergies, constant sinus drip, sinus infections and tons of fluid in my ears. The Fire Cider seems to be helping my annoying nasal allergies. I only take a Claritin-D tablet once every couple of months. I am hoping to eliminate it all together if the Fire Cider works. It does create a Zing on my Palate and a Fire in my Belly! I am hoping the acidic nature of the Fire Cider helps the PH in my stomach. Thank you for your time!
Rebecca says
You are very welcome, Yvonne! I am glad it seems to be helping and super glad you like it. Have you tried using it in salad dressing yet? SO GOOD.
randy says
I went to six different stores today and could not find horseradish. I couldn’t even find pickled or bottled kind. I live in central Florida so is there something else I could do or any suggestions would help.
Thanks so much in advance!
Rebecca says
Hi Randy- I know this might sound weird, but I would ask your best stocked local grocery if they would be willing to order some in for you. If that doesn’t work, maybe get some dried horseradish root powder from amazon. I haven’t tried that, so you’d want to start small on it, I imagine. If you would like, you can use fresh turmeric root, too.
Kim says
I found it at Publix. They’re also really good about ordering things in by customer request, so I’d give their produce department a try.
Rebecca says
Great advice, Kim!
Ms BeachLizard says
I know this is way late but he can get it at Publix in season!
Tommy says
I only heard about Fire Cider a couple of days ago for the first time and was very interested. I have been taking a tbsp of raw apple cider vinegar with water daily for some time already and this really seemed like all that I was looking for and more. I saw where I could purchase it online and it looked good but expensive. I thought homemade might be the way to go and your recipe seems great. At some point I might try this recipe… however… although I found the pre made cider expensive, it appears it would be just as, if not more, expensive to make it at home. Apple cider vinegar alone costs me $4 for 16 oz typically. Habanero peppers at my supermarket have to be purchased in packages in the fruit and vegetable section (you can’t buy single peppers) and are over $4 per pkg. Ginger root also is a few dollars per root not to mention the other ingredients. Well, you get the idea. I think this would cost more than the pre-made. I’m still willing to give it a go at some point as it seems really good. I’m sure I could just buy powdered ingredients which could be stored for longer thus be used for future batches. But I prefer fresh organic ingredients. I’ll have to loo into this a bit deeper. Thanks for the recipe!
Rebecca says
I understand your concerns, and I don’t know where you shop, but it is far, far less expensive for me to make it here. I make two gallons for roughly $30. That is a significant savings over the unit price for pre-made fire cider. I get my raw apple cider vinegar via iHerb or Vitacost by the gallon (sometimes Amazon even has it at a deep discount) and that is a great savings to begin with. I also find local honey to be a less costly way to procure honey than the stuff at the store. Our ginger root is sold per pound and runs about $2.99/lb. I grab habaneros from the bulk produce section, grabbing 3 or 4 (or more if we want a seriously exciting batch.) When you’re looking at $15/8 ounces at a minimum for premade Fire Cider, mine ends up saving me quite a lot of money in the long run. I know produce prices aren’t equal across the country, though!
Tommy says
Thanks for the response. I was at Wegmans (my local supermarket) today and was sort of pricing. All the peppers are sold loose per pound except for habenero for some reason. 4 bucks per bag. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar is $6 per qt. But I guess with a bit of legwork I may be able to find ingredients cheap. I’ll have to look at this a bit deeper. I guess it can be done a bit cheaper with some legwork and tweaking. I’ll have to look into it a bit more. Thanks.
Rebecca says
That’s bizarre! I get mine from a bulk bin from Wegman’s in Buffalo and Hornell. Maybe it depends on the store! I agree that Bragg’s is pricey at Weggie’s, though. I definitely order it online or get from an Amish store here for significantly less money than the unit price at Wegman’s.
Tommy says
Ok, just one last question …I promise. I have asked this in a couple of other places but with no response. I have made one or two things in the past that required what may be called canning….or at least “sort of” canning….and the jars had to be sterilized. I haven’t seen it mentioned in any but (I think) one recipe. Do the jars, or at least the final jar need to be sterilized? Or is the vinegar enough?
Thanks
Tommy
Rebecca says
Okay. I’m going to give you a quasi-answer. Official recommendations will tell you to sterilize it since it isn’t going through a canner for stability. Personally, as I don’t have any compromised immunities, I am okay with the nearly pure vinegar being enough to kill about anything. That being said, caution says sterilize!
Patrick says
Hiya,
thanks for the recipe, just at the end of a long cold, I wish I had known about this earlier. I’m certainly going to try that.
However, living in Germany, I wonder what exactly ‘raw apple cidre vinegar’ is. I get it, that it’s vinegar from apples, but why cidre? Is that just an additional name thing or something special? Raw, I reckon, is representing/similar to ‘organic’ / ‘bio…’ and non-filtered? Then I won’t have problems getting a hold of the major ingredient, all the rest are easily available.
Thanks,
Patrick
Rebecca says
Hi Patrick! When I say “raw” apple cider vinegar, that’s how raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple vinegar that still contains the mother of vinegar and is made from raw, unfiltered juice is marketed here in the US. One of the most common brands here is Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. I’m not certain what the equivalent is in Germany. I expect you probably do from my description, though. Would you please share how it’s sold in Germany in case anyone else has the question? 😀
Yvonne R. says
I printed this recipe last year and decided this is a good week to get the process started. Good on you Rebecca for not caving in to Blog Bullies.
Renee says
I’m just straining my fourth batch of this. I’ve found that I don’t want to start the day without it.
Rebecca says
It really is habit forming in a good way, isn’t it, Renee??
Alexandria says
I accident put the honey in with everything else. Is this safe? I would hate to have to throw all of this away.
Laura says
Read through the entire comment section to see if anyone else mentioned burying the Fire Cider during the 4 week infusion period. My fire cider recipe comes from an older source and they say to create and bury it on the full moon. Then the earth’s gravitational pull and the tides gently stir it for 4 weeks until the next full moon when you dig it up and strain. This year I used fresh grated turmeric and it was very good and very much more orange than every before. Glad you brought up the idea of adding the honey to taste. We keep one jar sweet and one jar savory for whatever flavor profile is desired. I tend to like the savory. Somehow I’m never in the mood for sweet and sour garlic and onion flavor. lol:)
Rebecca says
Wow! So did you bury yours? I’d love to do a control experiment and see whether it made an appreciable difference in the outcome of the Fire Cider. I’ve wanted to try making it with turmeric as much for the brilliant orange as the health benefits of the turmeric (which are numerous!)
Sarah says
I love fire cider — thanks for the recipe and walk-through on your process. I am writing up an article on remedies and comfort measures to get through the cold n flu season. Is that your fire cider ingredients photo? If so, I’d like to request permission to reprint it. You can email me directly if you want more info – it’s a small local press, our local food co-op’s magazine here in Washington state. I’d much appreciate being able to run that gorgeous photo, with photo credit listed of course.
Rebecca says
Thanks for posting your recipe! I made two half-gallon mason jar batches today. Weirdly, I couldn’t find horseradish at any supermarkets in town so I made it with wasabi powder! 1 TBSP per half gallon. Hehe. Well I’ll have to see how this turns out.
Rebecca says
Please do check back in when it’s done. I’m fascinated to hear how it turns out.
Rebecca says
Will do.
Rebecca says
It turned out great! I now use wasabi powder almost regularly when the natural food store horseradish supply is out. However, the wasabi kick helps when habaneros are also out of supply and I have to use jalapeños.
I’ve experimented with other aspects too… for some batches I’ve added extra citrus items, like 3-4 mandarins instead of one orange, for a more citrus-accented flavor. And every batch has about two whole garlic bulbs… hehe…I love garlic.
I love this recipe! I share the cider with people and anyone who likes spicy loves it. If they love it enough and want to make it I encourage them to get started with your recipe. Thank you for teaching and sharing it, Rebecca!!
Stacy says
Rebecca – How much wasabi powder do you substitute for horseradish root.
Rebecca says
Hi Stacy-
I have not personally substituted wasabi for fresh horseradish. I see from the comments that a few other people have, but I can’t speak to the results myself. 😀
Michael says
while it’s true this isn’t “homeopathic” per se, I wonder if you’d try substituting the Braggs ( which is great and folks should ask for locally before resorting to Amazon) with unpasteurized apple cider, and brine so that this infusion ferments. THAT would potentially develop a genuinely biodynamic brew that is lactic acid based, rather than ascetic acid which will never be live. Alternately, one might take filtered brine from a batch of fermented pickles and use that.
Rebecca says
Good questions, Michael. I don’t think that I would personally sub the raw vinegar with cider because I am not trying to make this probiotic, but rather harness the goodness that is raw cider vinegar! It might be an interesting experiment, though, so I would love to hear what happens if you give it a shot!
Cissy Vaughn says
What about the lemon and orange and ginger and tumeric– cut it up with the skin on it and put it all into the jar, or peel them all first?
Rebecca says
Skin and all!!!! It’s good for you! (Just be sure to scrub them all well, first!)
Lauren kuta says
I immediately thought salad dressing. I wonder if it would good on salad