How to Make Elderberry Fire Cider (Homemade Recipe)
Elderberry fire cider is an age-old folk remedy with deep roots in traditional herbal medicine that helps boost the immune system.
This homemade fire cider recipe combines fresh elderberries, raw apple cider vinegar, raw honey, and immune-boosting herbal tonics like cayenne pepper and fresh ginger root to deliver natural anti-inflammatory effects that soothe sore throats and fight off the flu during the winter months.
The fire cider benefits extend far and wide, with its immune-supportive powers of elderberry and warming herbs helping you through flu season and those extra-chilly days.
We’re positive that whether you’re steeping your own batch of fire cider in a mason jar for the first time or have been making this traditional recipe for years, you’ll love its healthful zing.
Stir it into salad dressing, or take a small shot glass daily for overall health—this fire cider is a little bit of good stuff in every drop!
What is Fire Cider?
Fire cider is a traditional fire cider recipe that’s both a folk remedy and a popular immune-boosting tonic, originally shared by renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar.
This spicy, tangy elixir is crafted from raw apple cider vinegar, raw honey, and a blend of herbs and spices like fresh horseradish root, ginger root, cayenne pepper, black pepper, habanero peppers, and sometimes fresh elderberries.
Elderberry fire cider is known for its bold flavor and invigorating kick and is typically steeped for 4-6 weeks to extract maximum potency from each ingredient.
It’s usually brewed in a mason jar or half-gallon jar, with a metal lid or plastic lid lined with parchment paper to prevent vinegar from reacting with the metal.
Once ready, fire cider can be taken as a shot of fire cider, mixed with a little maple syrup or raw honey to mellow the heat, or used as a flavorful addition to recipes like salad dressing.
This homemade fire cider recipe has become a favorite in the herbal community and beyond, especially during the winter months.
Benefits of Fire Cider
The fire cider benefits are wide-ranging and deeply supportive of overall health.
Primarily valued for its immune-boosting properties, fire cider can help defend the immune system against common flu symptoms and sore throats that are common in flu season.
The mix of acetic acid in raw apple cider vinegar and anti-inflammatory properties from warming herbs like cayenne and ginger provide antifungal properties and stimulate circulation, which promotes good health.
In elderberry fire cider, the immune-supportive powers of elderberry add vitamin C and antioxidants that target sinus congestion and improve resilience against seasonal ailments.
By supporting body balance blood sugar levels and providing a natural source of immune-boosting ingredients, fire cider is a perfect folk tonic for those chilly, immune-challenging winter months.
The final product brings you the best results from these simple, everyday ingredients that offer ancient health benefits of fire cider.
Elderberry Fire Cider Recipe for Gut Healing and Immune Support
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
In a mason jar (like a quart jar or even a half-gallon jar for larger batches), add fresh elderberries, fresh ginger root, fresh horseradish root, chile peppers (such as jalapeño or habanero peppers), cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sliced lemon for a powerful boost.
For added variation, you can include turmeric root or even chili peppers for an extra warming herb effect, which is key for a strong immune system during the winter months.
Leave the raw honey and any maple syrup out for now.
Add Vinegar
Pour raw apple cider vinegar over the ingredients to the top of the jar. Use parchment paper under a metal lid (or opt for a plastic lid) to prevent the vinegar from reacting with the lid.
Acetic acid in the vinegar, a key component of fire cider, is known for its antifungal properties and immune-boosting properties, which help with good health and immune-supportive powers of elderberry.
Steep
Seal the jar and give it a good shake.
Store the mixture in a dark place at room temperature for 4-6 weeks to let all the flavors and immune-boosting ingredients infuse fully.
Shake the jar daily to keep the ingredients mixed for the best results.
This homemade fire cider recipe is a traditional recipe for colder seasons, helping with sore throats, sinus congestion, and flu-like symptoms.
Strain
After 4-6 weeks, strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a clean jar to create your final product.
Add a little bit of raw honey or maple syrup to taste for added sweetness and to enhance the immune-supportive properties of the elderberry fire cider.
Storing your elderberry fire cider
Store the elderberry fire cider in the refrigerator for up to six months, where you can store fire cider in small batches to use all season long.
How to use your elderberry fire cider
Take a small shot glass (1-2 tablespoons) of this tonic daily for immune system support, especially during flu season.
You can add a shot of fire cider to hot water or tea, mix it into salad dressing, or even drizzle it over foods for a touch of tartness.
The health benefits of fire cider help with overall health, making this an essential folk remedy in your herbal kitchen.
Final Thoughts
Making elderberry syrup or fire cider at home is a practical choice that can support your health.
By using fresh ingredients like jalapeño peppers, fresh turmeric root, and lemon juice, you can create your own herbal remedies tailored to your taste.
These traditional herbal tonics offer medicinal properties that can help during the colder months.
Try different variations of fire cider to find the blend that resonates with your taste buds.
Whether you enjoy it as a fire tonic on a cold day or as part of your everyday routine, it’s an easy way to incorporate herbal vinegars into your life without relying on the grocery store for solutions.
Embrace the wisdom of preparing these simple remedies, and enjoy the benefits they bring.
Elderberry Fire Cider
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh or dried elderberries
- 1/2 cup fresh grated ginger root
- 1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish root
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 10 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 organic lemon sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped turmeric root or 2 tbsp dried
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder adjust to taste
- 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp dried
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1-2 tbsp raw honey or to taste add at the end
- Raw apple cider vinegar enough to fill the jar
Instructions
Prep Ingredients:
- In a large glass jar (such as a quart mason jar), add all the solid ingredients except the honey.
Add Vinegar:
- Pour apple cider vinegar over the ingredients until the jar is full, covering everything completely. (Tip: place a piece of parchment paper under the lid if it’s metal to prevent vinegar from reacting with it.)
Steep:
- Seal the jar tightly, shake it well, and store in a cool, dark place. Let it infuse for 4-6 weeks, shaking the jar daily to ensure the ingredients stay mixed.
Strain:
- After 4-6 weeks, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a clean jar. Discard the solids.
Add Honey:
- Stir in raw honey to taste. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed.
Store:
- Store your elderberry fire cider in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Notes
Take a small shot glass (1-2 tablespoons) of this tonic daily for immune system support, especially during flu season. You can add a shot of fire cider to hot water or tea, mix it into salad dressing, or even drizzle it over foods for a touch of tartness. The health benefits of fire cider help with overall health, making this an essential folk remedy in your herbal kitchen.
About The Author
Kacie is a wife, homeschool mom of 4 boys, holistic esthetician, and a sixth-generation homesteader with a passion for natural and sustainable living, creating a home that educates the mind and nurtures the soul, and reclaiming our independence like our ancestors before us.
