Homemade Fire Cider
Fire cider, or master tonic, is a traditional remedy made by infusing apple cider vinegar with alliums, roots, peppers, and herbs. I’ve made it every year for at least the past 10 years, and I swear it can ward off just about anything, from colds to flus and at least shorten the duration of symptoms.
In the past, I painstakingly chopped everything teeny tiny or pulled out the food processor. I’ve even worn goggles to get through the onions and horseradish. Then it dawned on me: why was I doing all that? I could leave everything in bigger pieces, cover it with vinegar, and let a few weeks of steeping do the work.
This year’s giant jar has the usual onion, garlic, horseradish, ginger, and hot peppers, plus turmeric, orange, lemon, rosemary, and star anise. It smells incredible before the vinegar even goes in. The finished fire cider is tart and spicy, and you can add a little sweetness if you like by adding honey after straining.
What is fire cider?
Fire cider is an apple cider vinegar infusion made with pungent roots, alliums, herbs, and peppers. Every batch is a little different, which is part of the fun. You can make it fiery or fairly mild, add the herbs you have on hand, and sweeten it to taste once it’s strained.
It’s been part of my fall routine for years. I love it and reach for it several times per season, especially since having kids.
My 64-ounce fire cider recipe
Prep time: About 20 minutes
Infusion time: 3–4 weeks
Equipment: One clean 64-ounce glass jar
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 whole head garlic, cloves peeled and smashed or halved
½ cup fresh horseradish, peeled and chopped
½ cup fresh ginger, sliced
¼ cup fresh turmeric, sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2–3 hot peppers, such as jalapeños or serranos, sliced
3–4 whole star anise
2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano or all 3
Raw apple cider vinegar, enough to completely cover the ingredients, approximately 4–5 cups
Raw honey to taste, added after straining
Instructions
Prep your ingredients. Wash the produce well. Roughly chop the onion and horseradish, smash or halve the garlic cloves, and slice the ginger, turmeric, citrus, and peppers. There’s no need to dice everything finely.
Fill the jar. Add the prepared ingredients, star anise, and herbs to a clean 64-ounce glass jar.
Cover with vinegar. Pour in enough apple cider vinegar to completely submerge the ingredients. The exact amount depends on how tightly you’ve packed your jar. Leave a little room at the top.
Cover the jar. Use a nonreactive lid, or place parchment or wax paper between the jar and a metal lid so the vinegar doesn’t touch the metal.
Let it steep. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks. Give it a gentle shake now and then, and check that the ingredients stay under the vinegar.
Strain and sweeten. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to get the liquid out.
Refrigerate. Transfer the finished fire cider to a clean glass jar or bottle and keep it in the refrigerator. Take a shot as needed and feel free to add honey as desired or to get kids to take this!
A few tips
Adjust the heat. Leave the pepper seeds in if you like it spicy, or remove them for a milder batch. You can also start with two peppers and use jalapeños rather than serranos.
Watch out for turmeric stains. Fresh turmeric turns everything yellow, including hands and cutting boards.
Keep everything submerged. The vinegar needs to cover the solids while they steep. If pieces float up, you can use a clean glass weight or check and shake the jar regularly. Discard the batch if you see mold or notice an off smell.
Add honey after straining. That way, you can taste the finished infusion first and decide how sweet you want it.
How I use it
I’ll take a small shot on its own, but it’s also delicious whisked with olive oil and Dijon mustard for a punchy salad dressing. Try it in a marinade or stir a little into a savory sauce.
Start with a small amount if you’ve never had it. It’s acidic and spicy, so it may bother you if you deal with reflux or a sensitive stomach. Chase it with water or your favorite beverage afterward.
Hi, I’m Becki Yoo, MS, RD, LD
I’m a functional medicine dietitian, mom of three, and author of Naturally Nourished Kids. I help women and families use real food and root-cause nutrition to support fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, hormones, gut health, and raising well-nourished kids.
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