Apple Cider Vinegar Fire Tonic Recipe

By
Jen Hoy
Jen Hoy
Jenny Hoy is an author, chef, and holistic nutritionist, with more than two decades of experience in the fields of food and healing.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/1/22
Apple cider vinegar

Maxmilian Stock Ltd / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 1 quart

This apple cider vinegar fire tonic is a high potency concoction that needs to sit for at least 14 days to develop before you start using it. Vinegar is the bath in which ginger, turmeric, horseradish, habanero peppers, garlic, and a few other ingredients macerate into a flavorful, pungent, spicy and very active tonic. It's also great in salad dressings, stirred into soups, stir-fries, or whisked into mayonnaise to give it a kick.

Apple cider vinegar is very high in acetic acid, so it should always be diluted in water or some other carrier. Look for organic apple cider vinegar with a cloudy bloom in it—this is the "mother" fermentation in the vinegar and is a sign of quality.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced

  • 1/2 cup horseradish root, peeled and grated

  • 1 medium onion, sliced

  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and gently crushed

  • 2 habanero, Scotch bonnet, jalapeño, or Serrano peppers, sliced

  • 1 lemon, sliced

  • 1 (3-inch piece) turmeric root, peeled and grated or sliced very thin

  • 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced on the diagonal

  • 1 quart apple cider vinegar, organic, unfiltered

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Layer the ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, habanero peppers, lemon, turmeric, and lemongrass in a clean glass jar. (Alternatively, place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse to rough chop.)

  3. Pour the vinegar over the roots and vegetables and fill the jar to the top.

  4. Cover the jar with plastic or waxed paper before screwing on the lid, as the acid from the vinegar can cause rust to form. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for at least 14 and up to 60 days (it will keep getting stronger) and shake the mixture once a day.

  5. After aging the mixture, strain thoroughly through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth and squeeze all liquid out of the solids. Discard the plant matter and decant the tonic in clean jars.

Tips

  • The tonic can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature and lasts for months.
  • You can mix it in hot water with a bit of honey to taste, but leave it unsweetened if you're using it in cooking.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
26 Calories
0g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 19mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 17mg 84%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 121mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: