Fire Cider Recipe

Every fall our family makes this cold/flu season remedy, adapted from one of the recipes by the incredible herbalist – Rosemary Gladstar. I had the pleasure of being present for one of her herbal talks while my wife was a student of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University several years ago and met her.

There are many variations to this famous Fire Cider recipe, and we’ve modified the original to add additional healing qualities.

Ingredients (all amounts are approximate):

• ½ cup or more fresh organic chopped onions

• ¼ cup or more chopped organic garlic

• 2-3 diced fresh organic jalapenos or cayenne pepper

• 4-6 chopped organic turmeric tubers

• ½ cup grated fresh organic horseradish root

• ¼ cup or more grated organic ginger

• 32 oz organic apple cider vinegar with mother

• Organic honey (to taste) *Not for children under 1 year of age.

Chopped fresh or dried cayenne pepper ‘to taste’ - can be whole or powdered. ‘To Taste’ means should be hot, but not so hot you can’t tolerate it. Better to make it a little milder than too hot; you can always add more pepper later if necessary.

Optional ingredients:

• Lemon (sliced rind and all; make sure its organic)

• Echinacea

• Cinnamon

• Elderberries

To Make:

1. Place herbs in a half gallon canning jar and cover with enough raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to cover the herbs by at least three to four inches.

2. Cover tightly with a tight-fitting lid. Add a piece of wax paper to protect a rubber seal from the vinegar (the vinegar will cause it to disintegrate).

3. Place jar in a warm place and out of the sun and let sit for three to four weeks. It is best to shake the jar every day to help in the maceration process.

4. After three to four weeks, strain out the herbs, and reserve the liquid.

5. Add honey ‘to taste’. Warm the honey first so it mixes in well.

6. Transfer liquid to smaller jars or bottles and enjoy!

7. Fire Cider will keep unrefrigerated for several months if stored in a cool pantry, but it’s better to store in the refrigerator if you’ve got the room.

To Use (change the frequency of the dose based on your situation):

• Take 1-2 tablespoons per day to help stave off cold and flu viruses

• Take 1-2 tablespoons every hour or two if you feel an illness coming on.

• Take it more frequently if necessary to help your immune system do what it does best.

At Blue Earth Medicine we focus on helping our patients achieve optimal health, provide them the tools to take charge of their health, and guide them to vitality. Book an appointment today with Dr. Jill.