Homemade Fire Cider Tonic with Turmeric and Ginger

How to Make Fire Cider

It might look fancy, but fire cider is simple to make. Making a fire cider will take about 10 minutes of hands-on time. You need to chop ingredients, add them to a jar, and top with raw vinegar.

Before we get started, I know I’ll get at least one question about why my fire cider looks so clear, and why it isn’t brown or golden like some people’s. It’s because I use homemade vinegar. I made my vinegar with lighter-colored apples, so the vinegar is very light in color.

Homemade Fire Cider

Homemade fire cider is far superior to store-bought because it is fresher, and you can control its ingredients. For instance, if you dislike horseradish, you can leave it out of the recipe. If you want to add red onion instead of white, try it!

The options are open when you make your fire cider tonic at home. Another fun way to customize the recipe is by changing the type of hot pepper you use. Serranos and cayenne peppers are great alternatives to jalapenos.

The components I suggest you do not alter in the recipe are the onion, garlic, and some hot peppers. Of course, raw vinegar is also not negotiable and is a necessary ingredient.

You can even add in two tablespoons of fermented vegetable brine, like sauerkraut brine, for more probiotics.

Ingredients and Supplies

Ingredients you need to make this fire tonic:

• Fresh turmeric root
• ginger root
• Rosemary
• jalapenos
• lemon
• onion
• garlic
• horseradish
• sea salt
• raw vinegar (I use homemade apple vinegar, but apple cider vinegar or any raw homemade vinegar will do. If you use homemade vinegar, you’ll need to store the fire cider in the fridge.)
• sauerkraut brine (optional)

Supplies You Need to Start Making Fermented Fire Cider:

• 32-ounce Wide Mouth Mason Jar
• Standard Metal Mason Jar Lid (this can rust in the presence of salt)
• OR Rust-Free Plastic Lid
• or you can use a Weck Jar
• Scale

How Long Does it Last?

How long the fire cider lasts depends on the vinegar’s acidity. Store-bought apple cider vinegar is 5% acidity, so if you use store-bought, it’s safe to store at room temperature.

Homemade vinegar can vary in acidity, so if you want to make this fire tonic with homemade vinegar as I do, I suggest storing it in the fridge long term.

Once you age it for a few weeks, then strain off the liquid, you can store it in the fridge in a sealed container for 2 years.

Fire Cider Uses

I use this as a natural cold and flu symptom remedy. While this tonic won’t cure any infections, it can support your body in clearing viral infections like the common cold and flu.

Fire cider helps relieve nasal congestion by promoting mucus production and helps to warm the body when you are sick. This tonic can also support digestion and your immune system with live beneficial bacteria from raw vinegar.

Fire Cider Recipe with Turmeric

I always add turmeric to my fire cider concoctions.

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory medicinal herb that contains curcumin, so it is a beneficial addition to the mixture. Curcumin is proven to help with body aches and joint inflammation, which is especially helpful when you are sick.

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Homemade Fire Cider Tonic with Turmeric and Ginger

Learn how I make my fire cider recipe with turmeric! Homemade fire cider is a natural health-promoting tonic that can help with congestion and cold symptoms.

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• Prep: 30 min 30 minutes
• Ferment: 24 h 24 hours

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Ingredients

• 25 grams turmeric root, chopped
• 50 grams ginger root, chopped
• 5 grams rosemary, fresh
• 70 grams jalapeno
• 70 grams lemon
• 150 grams white onion
• 70 grams garlic, fresh and crushed
• 10 grams horseradish
• 5 grams sea salt
• raw vinegar

Instructions

1. Wash all the ingredients in cool water and make sure your jar is clean. You need at least a 25-ounce jar for this recipe.
2. Place your kitchen scale on the counter. Turn it on and set it to weigh in grams.
3. Measure out all your ingredients,
4. Add the designated amounts of ingredients to the jar. Squish everything down into the jar if necessary.
5. Top off the jar with raw apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and secure it tightly. Gently shake the jar to dissolve the salt.
6. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24 hours then store the fire cider in your fridge indefinitely.
7. You should let it age in the fridge for about four weeks before using it.
8. To use fire cider strain off the liquid through a cheesecloth into a clean jar for storage. Combine 2 tablespoons of the fire cider liquid with 1 teaspoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon juice and drink it.
9. You can pour more raw vinegar over the ingredients and let it age in the fridge to use them again.

Notes

• Fire cider can be successfully stored at room temperature in most cases, but if you are using homemade vinegar as I do, it’s best to age it and store it in the fridge.
• Optional: you can add two tablespoons of sauerkraut brine to add more probiotics to the mix.

Kaitlynn Fenley Food Microbiologist and Fermentation Specialist

Kaitlynn is a Food Microbiologist and FSPCA-certified fermentation specialist. An alumna of the LSU College of Science, she combines her academic background in microbiology with her Cajun heritage to create safe and delicious recipes.

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