Homemade Fire Cider with Rosemary and Citrus
My homemade fire cider steeps fresh horseradish, ginger, turmeric, garlic, onion, dried cayenne peppers, rosemary, lemon, lime, and mandarin in raw apple cider vinegar for 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Spicy, tangy, and bright with citrus, it's easy to take by the spoonful or stir into tea and salad dressings.
Servings: 32 servings
Calories: 21kcal
Cost: $20
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Equipment
- 1-liter glass jar with a vinegar-safe, nonreactive lid
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Glass bottle or jar for storage
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh ginger thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup fresh horseradish thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh turmeric thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves lightly crushed
- 1 small mandarin orange thinly sliced
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 lime thinly sliced
- 3 dried cayenne peppers
- 3 small sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 to 3 cups raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar (5% acidity), or enough to completely cover the ingredients
- Raw honey optional, to taste after straining
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and scrub the fresh roots and citrus. There's no need to peel them. Thinly slice the ginger, horseradish, turmeric, onion, mandarin, lemon, and lime. Remove any citrus seeds. Lightly crush the garlic cloves.
- Add the ginger, horseradish, turmeric, onion, garlic, and dried cayenne peppers to a clean, dry 1-liter glass jar. Arrange the mandarin, lemon, and lime slices along the inside of the jar, then tuck in the rosemary sprigs, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. Avoid packing the ingredients too tightly.
- Slowly pour the apple cider vinegar over the ingredients until everything is completely submerged, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Gently tap the jar or use a clean utensil to release any trapped air bubbles. Remove a few solids if needed to ensure complete coverage.
- Close the jar with a clean, vinegar-safe, nonreactive lid and refrigerate it. If using a Weck jar, ensure the rubber seal is in good condition and the jar is securely closed.
- Allow the mixture to infuse in the refrigerator for 3 weeks (or up to 5 weeks), gently shaking or turning the securely sealed jar every day or two. Keep all solids submerged beneath the vinegar.
- After 3 weeks, strain the fire cider through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass bowl or measuring jug. Gently press the solids to extract the flavorful liquid, then discard them.
- Sweeten, if desired. Stir in honey to taste, starting with approximately 1 tablespoon per cup of strained fire cider. Adjust according to your preference.
- Transfer the finished fire cider to a clean glass bottle or jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Fresh horseradish is essential for fire cider's characteristic pungency. Thinly slicing it also makes straining easier.
- Fresh turmeric stains cutting boards, countertops, towels, and hands. Use a board you don't mind staining, or wear gloves.
- I prefer dried cayenne peppers over fresh in fire cider because I find they pack a better punch! Having said, you absolutely could use a few fresh chiles instead.
- Use apple cider vinegar labeled 5% acidity. Add enough to keep all ingredients fully submerged throughout infusion.
- For a vegan variation, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- If using a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper or an upside-down muffin liner between the jar and the lid.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
