A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down but what if you don’t want to take the medicine? Being proactive during sick seasons and taking care of your physical health will taste much better! This simple to make immune-boosting honey fermented lemon and ginger recipe is one to start before the cold and flu season approach. Perhaps it’s not a bad idea to have some readily available all year long. This concoction not only boosts your immune system but it tastes great and works well in many dishes or on a spoon alone.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Jump to Recipe
PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. This is not medical advice. USE YOUR OWN DISCERNMENT.
What is fermenting foods?
I’m so glad you asked. Fermenting foods has been around since Creation. All kinds– fermenting grapes for wine, grains for beer, wheat for sourdough, etc. Ever heard of kombucha, sauerkraut, miso, kefir? All fermented foods.
Why would I want to ferment lemons and ginger?
Four words: cold and flu season. Honey, lemon, and ginger are fantastic for battling sicknesses and they also assist your body in defending itself. Honey and ginger both have antioxidant properties in them which help build the body’s immune system stronger. This ferment also helps with cough and sore throat. Before, during, and after cold and flu season, why wouldn’t you want to add a spoonful of this goodness into your diet?
Ginger and honey have also been proven to be great for cardiac health and preventing blood clots and reducing cholesterol.
Fermented foods also support digestive health by acting as a probiotic. So many benefits from each ingredient together and alone!
How do I make honey fermented lemon and ginger?
Making honey fermented lemon and ginger is so simple.
- Grab some organic lemons, organic ginger root, and local raw honey (this is an added bonus for seasonal allergy sufferers).
- Wash lemons and slice.
- Then peel your ginger (admittedly not the easiest task) and slice.
- Add honey to the bottom of your mason jar then layer the lemons and ginger and honey until you reach the top of the jar.
- Now it sits on your counter top for a few weeks, being burped daily. (KEEP READING!)
Burp the ferment? What the heck?!
Fermenting foods creates gases. Unless you like unsafe explosions of glass jars in your kitchen and a heck of a mess to clean up, you’ll want to burp your jar every day.
This simply means releasing the gases trapped in the jar by removing the lid then replacing it. It’s advised all fruit/foods be kept under the honey at all times but this can get tricky as the liquid makes it float to the top. The use of ferment weights is a great idea. Here are some ways to make ferments weights. I also like to flip my jar over on to its top every other day.
Put a piece of wax paper under it as even “leak-proof” jar lids will still leak with the gases a little. You can even use regular two piece lid and ring tops.
I’ve made it, I’ve burped it. What’s next?
After about 2 weeks, you can taste test your ferment to see if you like it. The longer it ferments, the better it’ll taste. I aim for at least 4 weeks of fermentation before using.
If you’re ready to start using it… or just stop having to burp it every day, place your jar in the fridge to use up within the next 6 months. The chill of the refrigerator will slow and even stop the fermentation process.
Remove the lemon and ginger as the liquid gets lower and cannot cover them any longer. I’ve used these pieces in my soda streamed carbonated water to make ginger ale. Just add 2 tablespoons of the liquid and some of the fruit slices.
How do I take honey fermented lemon and ginger?
- spoonful down the hatch
- stir it into a warm tea (not too hot! Hot water breaks down honey’s effectiveness)
- use in a crisp and refreshing citrus salad dressing with some vinegar
- spread it on sourdough toast (get crazy with it & enjoy two ferments in one!)
- **Children under 1 year of age should not consume honey.
Honey Fermented Lemon and Ginger
Equipment
- 1 quart mason jar wide mouth is best
- 1 ferment weight
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 4 organic lemons
- 1 ginger root
- 1 quart local raw honey not all will be used
Instructions
- Wash and slice lemons.
- Peel ginger root and slice in 1/4 inch slices.
- Layer mason jar with honey on the bottom, just a generous drizzle.
- Add slices of lemon and ginger all the way to the top of the jar, adding honey as you go.
- Take wooden spoon handle and use to get out the air pockets from the jar and to make sure the honey covers all of the fruit.
- Next, add ferment weight to the jar.
- Place the lid on and tighten.
- Sit jar on a piece of wax paper in case of any leaks.
- Burp the jar daily for a minimum of two weeks, up to 6 weeks if you desire that taste.
- Put in the refrigerator after 2-6 weeks of fermenting. Make sure fruits stay covered or remove fruits from liquid.
- Take daily as a preventative. You may take a spoonful every 2 hours as needed during a cold or flu. Use all within 6 months.
Notes
More fermented food ideas
My favorite is sourdough. I said it. It’s easy and so many awesome recipes can come of your sourdough starter. Purchase some to start for yourself here.
Be sure to save this for later… like cold and flu season
Friends help friends. You sharing this post or pinning it to Pinterest helps more than you know! Thank you for reading Johnson Home NC. Keep up to date on recent posts and sharings and more on Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram: @johnsonhomenc and sign up for my weekly newsletter HERE.
Comment what you think of this recipe. Rate the recipe too!
*Not medical advice but independently researched and tested myself for effectiveness. Use your discretion.
Leave a Reply