Herbalists LOVE for cider, and rightfully so- not only is it an affordable and accessible way to ward off illness and add zest to all sorts of dishes, it has a pretty rad history that defies ownership and puts the power back into the hands of the people, rather than large companies. To be honest though, it took me a few recipes to find one I would actually drink. I’m not the biggest fan of apple cider vinegar, so it was a bit of a struggle, but eventually I found a recipe that really did it for me. I’m sharing that recipe with you now - it’s an adaptation of Allison Nisbet’s “Thieves Fire Cider” from the book “Fire Cider!” By Rosemary Gladstar and Friends.
Fire cider is super adaptable and comes in countless recipe variations. If you can’t find or don’t have an ingredient, that’s okay! Use this as a starting point and make it your own. The only ingredients I find are really necessary (for me) are the cranberries, hibiscus, and some sort of citrus to obscure the ACV’s taste. Most recipes use horseradish, onion, and garlic, but if you’re allergic to alliums, leave them out and swap in some peppers for heat. This is an invitation to play and get creative with your medicine!
Use this as a way to ward off illness by drinking 1 TB in a glass of water (use a straw to protect your teeth while drinking) at the first hint of illness or fatigue & repeat every 3-4 hours until you feel better. You can also use fire cider in a salad dressing, in place of bitters for unique cocktails or mocktails, as a pickling brine for refrigerator pickles, or in savory recipes or sauces. I prefer to source organic ingredients for this recipe, since I use it as a medicine.
| Thieves Tangy Fire Cider |
| 1 TB / 10 g - Dried Black Peppercorns |
| 1 TB / 5 g - Dried Schisandra Berries |
| 1 TB / 8 g - Dried Juniper Berries |
| 1 TB / 3 g - Dried Rosemary - or - 6-8g Fresh |
| 2 TB / 13 g- Cayenne Pepper Powder |
| 2 - Whole Cloves |
| 2 piece - Whole Cinnamon Sticks |
| 3 g - Dried Thyme - or- 6g Fresh Thyme |
| ¼ cup / 10g - Dried Hibiscus (whole) |
| 2 oz - Fresh Ginger, sliced |
| 2 oz- Fresh Mandarin Peel |
| 1 piece - Fresh Turmeric, sliced (roughly .65oz - 1oz) |
| 1 oz - Fresh Horseradish, sliced |
| 1 oz - Dried Orange Peel |
| 1 - Fresh Lemon, sliced |
| 1 - Fresh Lime, sliced |
| 4.5 oz - Frozen Cranberries |
| ½ - Yellow Onion, sliced and quartered |
| Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (enough to cover the herbs and fill the jar) |
| 1/2 - 2 Cups Honey |
| Add all ingredients to a half gallon mason jar, cover with apple cider vinegar (adding a fermentation weight on top if necessary to make sure everything is fully submerged), and place lid on jar, using wax paper in between if your lid is metal, to prevent rust. I like to use a plastic lid for this just to streamline things. Shake the jar well and place in a dark cool space for 4-6 weeks, allowing it to infuse. Shake occasionally. |
| After infusing for 4-6 weeks strain out the vinegar (squeezing the herbs and fruits to extract all the goodness). I just use a fine mesh pasta strainer, but you can also use a jelly bag. |
| At this point you can choose to add .5-2 cups if you wish, though I personally prefer not to. I find it has more diversity of applications if not sweetened, and I don’t like sweet beverages. If adding the honey, mix well. |
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Transfer vinegar into clean glass jars and label. It will keep for several months if stored in a cool dark pantry, but it’s best to place in the refrigerator if you have the room. If refrigerated, it will last for 4-6 months. |