make fire cider

This stuff will knock your socks off. Although the horseradish is a bit less prominent than I would have liked (next time I’ll be brave and grate it myself), this is still some strong stuff.

I decanted my first batch today, and got about 18 oz. of cloudy cider vinegar. Strained it, and then took handfuls of the leavings and SQUEEEEZED them out, getting every precious drop. Curious, I took a small shot of it (about a tablespoon). Yep, it’s powerful, though not as difficult to down as I would have expected. Pretty tasty. And now, I’ve actually got a little bit of full-body warmth going on. I think the ginger and cayenne are probably the source of that.

I tasted some of the left-behind material, too, and it’s very good! Less powerful than the vinegar, as it’s lost some of it’s potency. But still yummy to me. It seems it still has some character, though, so I’m saving that as well. Trying to think of good places to use it. It would be nice added to a homemade vinagrette, or mixed into egg salad (yum), or perhaps spread sparing on bread with a little butter or in a sandwich.

Very easy! I’m glad I did this!

It’s been almost 6 weeks. 3 and a half more days, and I can decant this stuff. Which is perfect, because cold season will be coming on with a vengeance.

I did chicken out on the horseradish, because I found prepared horseradish at an affordable price. Fresh horseradish is painful to grate by hand, and only comes in huge chunks (generally). No way did I need a whole root’s worth of horseradish!

Smells yummy to me, but as I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for onions and garlic.

Now all I have to do is wait for 6 weeks and let the stuff steep. It’s going to be POWERFUL once it’s done. Can’t wait.

Haven’t made this before, but it sounds like it’s right up my alley. Love vinegar, love onions and garlic, love horseradish, love hot stuff. Love not being sick.

For each one-pint jar:

1/4cup grated horseradish
1/4cup grated ginger root
1/8cup finely chopped garlic
1/2cup finely chopped onion
and a pinch of cayenne

Put in a pint glass jar, fill the jar with apple cider vinegar, put the lid on, label it, and WAIT for six weeks. Then strain out all the gratings.

I think I could just take this stuff by the shotglass :), but you can dilute it with water or use it on salad or anywhere else you might use a flavored vinegar, I think. Cold season has already begun, so I’m going to get started on this tomorrow. Already called Wegmans and they have fresh horseradish available. But I’m kinda debating – I might go with the prepared stuff in a jar b/c I don’t have a food processor and I think grating that much fresh horseradish might kill me. As long as it’s just plain horseradish in a jar, it should work fine.