Homemade Fire Cider Recipe for an Immune System Boost

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Homemade Fire Cider is my must-have traditional folk remedy. If had to choose just one tincture, tonic, or syrup to keep in my home, this would be it hands down. 

Homemade Fire Cider Recipe

Making an immune-boosting fire cider isn’t a difficult process, but it does take a little time and effort. You will want to source quality ingredients, take care when cutting up the spicy peppers and roots, and give the cider plenty of time to fully infuse before straining.

Benefits of Fire Cider:

As soon as I feel a little tinge of sickness coming on, I down a spoonful of fire cider (or two) to give my immune system an extra boost in fighting off whatever is attacking my body. My kids weren’t sure about it at first because this spicy tonic can be a little intense, but the honey smoothed it out and they were able to recognize the benefits pretty quickly.

Fire Cider has many healing properties thanks to the mix of medicinal herbs, roots, fruits, and vegetables, that are used to make it. 

This herbal tonic is packed with ingredients that are known to:

  • Boost the Immune System
  • Help to Ward Off Cold + Flus
  • Soothe sore throat
  • Stimulate sinus drainage
  • Aid in Healthy Digestion
  • Have Antifungal, Antiviral, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antibacterial Properties
  • Be Antioxidant Rich
  • Reduce Pain
  • Improve Heart Health
  • Rich in Vitamin C

Plus it has such good burn going down!

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional or certified herbalist, this is not for diagnosis or treatment, and you should always consult the medical professional of your choice before using herbs medicinally.

Homemade Fire Cider in a quart sized mason jar

Where to Source Ingredients for this Fire Cider Recipe?

The first step to making this herbal remedy is to source quality ingredients. In some areas (like mine) it is difficult to find fresh horseradish roots so they have to be sourced online. 

Fresh ingredients are always best, but if you can’t access them, you can use root powders and dried herbs. Just be aware that dried and powdered ingredients may not be as potent as fresh.

Ingredients for fire cider

Fire Cider Ingredients:

  • 2 Jalapeño peppers (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup fresh horseradish root (chopped or grated)
  • 1/2 cup fresh ginger root (chopped or grated)
  • 2 TBSP turmeric root (grated)
  • 1 medium onion (rough chopped)
  • 1 orange 
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lime
  • 10 garlic cloves
  • 4-5 peppercorns
  • 2 Rosemary sprigs
  • Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother)
  • Raw honey to taste

Instructions

STEP 1: Grab Your Gloves & Glasses

Before you get started, I recommend putting on a pair of gloves and some safety glasses. Cutting up the horseradish can get intense and these precautions will protect your skin and eyes. 

woman wearing gloves and safety glasses while making fire cider

STEP 2: Prepare Ingredients

Rough chop the jalapeno peppers, horseradish root, ginger root, turmeric root, and onion. Slice the orange, lemon, and lime leaving the peels on. Peel the garlic cloves, then chop or crush them.

STEP 3: Add to Jar

Add all prepared homemade fire cider ingredients, peppercorns, and rosemary into two 1-quart jars or 1 half-gallon jar and pack it down. It is a good idea to use a fermentation packer for this.

STEP 4: Add Apple Cider Vinegar

Cover the packed ingredients with raw apple cider vinegar. Make sure they are completely covered. Pack them with the fermentation packer again at this step.

Fire cider steeping in mason jars

STEP 5: Cover the Jar

Put a plastic lid on the jar(s) or use a metal lid with a piece of natural parchment paper separating the lid from the vinegar. 

STEP 6: Let Sit

Let the herbal infusion steep in a cool dark place for 4 weeks. Be sure to shake the jar gently each day.

Covered jars of fire cider

STEP 7: Strain the Homemade Fire Cider

After sitting for a month, use a fine mesh strainer or a flour sack towel to strain the fire cider. You can use a potato masher to squeeze out every last bit of liquid possible.

Put the liquid into a new clean jar or swing-top bottle and save the solids to use in soups and salad dressings.

Straining solids out of fire cider with a fine mesh strainer

STEP 7: Sweeten

Finally, you are ready to add the honey. Add a Tablespoon at a time and continue adding until the taste is desirable for you. 

How to Store Homemade Fire Cider

The finished fire cider can be stored in air-tight containers like mason jars or swing-top bottles. Store the cider in the refrigerator or root cellar. It should stay good for 12-18 months! Just check it for an “off” smell or mold.

How to Use Homemade Fire Cider

It is a good idea to take one TBSP of fire cider daily during flu season. You can also take it when you feel cold or flu symptoms coming on. Take 1 TBSP every three hours when you feel yourself getting sick. Be sure to shake the jar first so all the good stuff gets mixed up into your shot of fire cider.

Fire cider in a tablespoon

Notes

  1. The peppercorns are important since we are using turmeric in this recipe. The black pepper increases the bioavailability of curcumin in turmeric. 
  2. You can change the ingredients to match your preferences. However, you will need to have the base of horseradish, peppers, onion, garlic, ginger, and apple cider vinegar.
  3. Fire cider will stimulate your digestive system so you may need to use the restroom pretty soon after taking it the first couple of times.
  4. If you are on any medications, research to be sure these ingredients will not interfere with them. 

Want more remedies for a sore throat? Check these out:

12 Simple & Effective Natural Sore Throat Remedies

3 Best Simple Sore Throat Tea Recipes

Pin “Homemade Fire Cider Recipe for an Immune System Boost” for later!

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