Explore the Recipes
You probably know from experience that spicy, pungent flavors can help break up congestion. Think eating at your favorite sushi restaurant and getting a big hit of wasabi: Your eyes water and your nose starts to run, and afterward you might feel a little clearer and more invigorated.
You may get a similar feeling after a shot of fire cider — a term coined in the 1970s by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar to describe the spicy, vinegar-based herbal tonic she created at the California School of Herbal Studies.
Gladstar’s method was based on other centuries-old folk remedies made by steeping herbs in vinegar. One such concoction, Four Thieves Vinegar, dates back to the Middle Ages; graverobbers supposedly used it to protect themselves from catching the plague from corpses.
Fire cider won’t protect you from the plague, but its individual ingredients do offer health benefits. The primary ingredient is apple-cider vinegar, itself a longtime folk remedy that may provide some antimicrobial benefits and support blood-sugar management. (Learn more about the health benefits of apple-cider vinegar at “20 Genius Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar.”)
The recipes here are packed with antioxidants, thanks to ingredients like garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress in the body and support immune function. Warming spices, like cayenne, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise — an extract of which is used in the popular antiviral medication Tamiflu — are good for circulation and digestion.
Fire cider is potent, so it isn’t a great fit for everyone. If you have a history of acid reflux or heartburn, you may want to dilute this spicy tonic or avoid it altogether. (If you struggle with heartburn and acid reflux, see “Natural Ways to Treat Heartburn” for help.) Some people also report nausea after consuming apple-cider vinegar. If you’re concerned about side effects, start with a small amount and see how you feel afterward.
Fire cider can be a fun template for experimenting with different herbs and spices, especially in late summer and early fall when gardens are abundant. Once made, a fire cider can last in the refrigerator for about a year. Try adding it to salad dressings or marinades, drizzle some over cooked vegetables, or simply sip it like a shrub.
You could also add fire cider as a finishing touch to soups, stews, or braises. Just avoid cooking it over high heat, which can ruin the delicate flavors.
Five-Spice Fire Cider
Makes about 4 cups • Prep time 20 minutes + four weeks for infusion
- 5 star-anise pods
- 2 tbs. five-spice powder
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (remove the seeds for less heat)
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, minced
- 1 2-inch piece fresh turmeric root, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 head garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 cup grated fresh horseradish root
- 32 oz. apple-cider vinegar
- Raw honey to taste (optional)
- Add all the ingredients except for the apple-cider vinegar and honey to a 64-oz. canning jar. Pour the vinegar over the ingredients to cover by about two to three inches.
- Cut a square of parchment paper to cover the mouth of the jar (don’t use a metal lid, which would react with the acidic vinegar). Secure the parchment paper with a metal rim. (You could also use a plastic lid.)
- Label the jar with the date and store it in a cool, dark place for four weeks. Check it and give the jar a good shake every day.
- After four weeks, strain the fire cider through a fine strainer into a clean jar or bottle. Add honey to taste. Store the fire cider in the refrigerator and consume within one year.
Cranberry-Orange Fire Cider
Makes about 3½ cups • Prep time 2 hours + overnight to infuse
- 16 oz. 100 percent pomegranate, tart cherry, cranberry, or elderberry juice
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
- 2 tsp. whole cloves
- 1 tbs. lightly crushed cardamom pods
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
- 2 oranges
- 2 lemons
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped ginger root
- 2 tsp. wasabi powder or mustard powder
- 16 oz. apple-cider vinegar
- Raw honey to taste (optional)
- Add the fruit juice, cranberries, hibiscus, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer gently until the liquid is reduced by half, about one hour. Let sit until completely cool.
- Zest and juice the oranges and lemons, then add the zest and juice to a blender along with the ginger, wasabi, and apple-cider vinegar. Blend until smooth, then pour into a 64-oz. canning jar.
- Strain the spice-infused juice into the jar of blended citrus, ginger, wasabi, and vinegar. Cut a square of parchment paper to cover the mouth of the jar (don’t use a metal lid, which would react with the acidic vinegar). Secure the parchment paper with a metal rim. (You could also use a plastic lid.)
- Place the jar in the refrigerator to infuse overnight. In the morning, strain the fire cider through a fine strainer into a clean jar or bottle. Add honey to taste. Store the fire cider in the refrigerator and consume within one year.
Comments (0)