Salamander Fire Cider Recipe

orange salamander

The Practical Herbalist’s take on the traditional Fire Cider Recipe.

Salamander Fire Cider is a spicy winter blend that tones the digestive system and clears the blood. It’s a carminative blend, which works on the smooth involuntary muscles in the stomach, esophagus, and arteries. This recipe is based on a traditional formula that has been passed down through generations and cultures for untold centuries.

Fire Salamander can sit in the door of the refrigerator or by the sink–-anywhere that’s out of the light and not too hot. Apple cider vinegar has its own shelf life. The herbs, when strained, can make the mixture look cloudy, but it’ll be safe for months. This recipe has rosehips in it for flavor and vitamin C. Rose hips contain pectin, which is also healing for digestive tract though it adds cloudiness to the finished product.

Some people add honey right away. Some people add honey as needed. I don’t add honey unless I’m feeding it to someone with a delicate palate. Without the honey, it’s fantastic when mixed with oil on salad or bread. Tastes vary.

Use the Practical Herbalist’s basic procedure for making an herbal vinegar.

Some people make their own apple cider vinegar. It’s easier than you think. Check out our recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup minced horseradish root
  • 2 cayenne peppers (take out the seeds if you want it milder)
  • 1/4 cup grated ginger root
  • 1 bulb garlic peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup rose hips (dried)
  • 3 cups cider vinegar, preferably raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized
  • honey to taste (optional)

Equipment

  • Quart canning jar with a lid or another resealable glass jar
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Measuring cups
  • Fine mesh bag or sieve for straining the infused vinegar
  • Bowl for straining the infused vinegar

Procedure

  1. Prepare the herbs.
  2. Add all the prepared herbs to the canning jar.
  3. Add enough cider vinegar to fill the canning jar.
  4. Seal the canning jar, and set it in a dark, cool to room temperature place for 1 to 2 weeks.
  5. Strain the vinegar into a bowl, using a fine mesh bag or sieve.
  6. Compost the left-over herbs. (Try tasting them. They will be pickled and probably yummy.)
  7. Pour the vinegar into a resealable glass jar and label it.

Storage and Use

Vinegar can be stored at room temperature in a dark location or it can be stored in the refrigerator. It will keep on the shelf or in the refrigerator for a year or more. I keep mine in the refrigerator throughout the year. It usually doesn’t last more than a few months as it’s such good medicine.

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