Homemade Oxymel: Delicious remedy and tonic from honey and vinegar

For years, we have repeatedly encountered the recipe "Oxymel" in virtual space. This time, the arrow of the oxymel amor hit us. To be precise, it was a rosehip oxymel whose bright red-orange coloring made us want to experiment on our own. Finally! Because oxymels not only have tradition as a healing and tonic, but they taste simply delicious.

Before we share the basic recipe and rosehip oxymel recipe, let's briefly introduce what an oxymel is, what it's made of in its basic ingredients, and why it's supposed to be so healthy. And of course, you will learn how to make an oxymel yourself, which medicinal herbs or spices are suitable as additives and how you can shorten the time of preparation with the help of a high speed blender, especially when making the rosehip oxymel.

Oxymel recipes: Topics at a glance

• What is an oxymel and how does it taste?
• Why is Oxymel healthy?
• How can I make Oxymel myself?
• What is the shelf life of an Oxymel?
• How do I use the Oxymel?
• Oxymel recipes
  • Oxymel Simplix - the basic recipe
  • Rosehip Oxymel with cinnamon

What is an Oxymel and how does it taste?

An oxymel is a mixture of honey and vinegar. It is also called sour honey, which corresponds to the translation of oxymel from Greek: sour in Greek means "oxy" and honey is translated as "mel". And this already describes the taste: Oxymel tastes sweet and sour. Depending on the type of honey and vinegar used, the taste can be varied. Thus, an Oxymel with white wine or rice vinegar tastes somewhat milder than with apple vinegar. The same is true for the honey selection: An acacia honey is significantly less strong than a forest or chestnut honey.

Because both main ingredients have extracting and preserving properties, the honey-vinegar mixture is wonderfully suited to the preparation of medicinal plant extracts - e. G. from wild herbs such as dandelion, nettle or goutweed, from lavender and chamomile blossoms, from ginger and lemon, from roots, spices or even from rose hips. In this way, you can adapt the Oxymel to your own needs in terms of effect, but also in taste.

And since it is an alcohol-free extraction process, even children, pregnant women or people with alcohol intolerance can enjoy the healing benefits of the golden tincture.

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Why is Oxymel healthy?

The use of Oxymel as a healing and tonic has a long tradition. Already in ancient times - more than 2000 years ago - the famous Greek physician Hippocrates of Kos is said to have used it in the treatment of his patients. Later, in our latitudes in the 12th century, quite a few recipes and recommendations for use can be found in the natural and medical science of Hildegard von Bingen.

Beneficial properties of honey and vinegar

No wonder, because both main ingredients are blessed with many beneficial properties. Honey is probably the oldest known medicine in history and a wonderful gift from the bees. It is said to contain over 180 valuable ingredients - including a great many antioxidants. But it is best known for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound-healing and antibacterial properties. Honey is considered warming and is for small and large simply a delicious energy supplier. Anyone who has ever fasted and supported himself daily with a 1 tablespoon of honey, knows only too well how strengthening honey is.

Vinegar is in no way inferior to honey in its importance as a natural remedy: Antibacterial and, depending on the type of vinegar, probably also antifungal, disinfectant, fever-reducing, metabolism-stimulating, etc. We appreciate vinegar - if unfiltered and unheated - especially as a probiotic food. The lactic acid bacteria, yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria contained are a boon for our intestinal flora. They are not only beneficial for digestion, but they also strengthen the intestines - one of the most important organs of our immune system. In addition to the probiotic bacteria, raw fermented vinegar contains many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, trace elements or enzymes that make it valuable for a healthy diet.

Golden superfood syrup for the medicine cabinet

An oxymel could also be called a golden superfood syrup. Its field of application as a gentle remedy should be huge - whether for fever and cough, immune deficiency or digestive disorders. Already in the pharmacopoeia from the 15th/16th century - the Antidotarium Mesue - is said to say:

"There is a power in honey and vinegar, arising from their mixture, such as exists in neither of these alone..."

In any case, Oxymel can no longer be missing from our medicine cabinet. We follow the advice of the great Hippocrates and use the sour honey, among other things, to strengthen the body and the immune system. At the beginning of the cold season we carry out a 3-6 week Oxymel cure to prevent colds - preferably with a homemade rosehip Oxymel. You can find the recipe here.

But because an Oxymel is also rich in electrolytes, we've discovered it as a refreshing drink after exercise, in hot weather, or even for diarrhea.

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How can I make Oxymel myself?

An Oxymel is not only delicious and healthy, but it is so easy and quick to make. The basic recipe for Oxymel Simplix simply mixes honey and vinegar together in a specific ratio. We started with 3 parts honey to 1 part vinegar. If you like the taste of vinegar, you can also use 2 parts vinegar. There are even recipes where the ratio of honey to vinegar is reversed - that is, you use 2 parts vinegar and 1 part honey, etc. Since we not only value the effect, but also want to look forward to the Oxymel every morning, we use more honey than vinegar. You can find our Oxymel Simplix here

When choosing the type of honey, you can go by your taste preferences. But make sure that the honey you choose is raw, unfiltered and cold extracted. Only then can you be sure that the honey can develop its healthy potential. All types of vinegar are suitable - whether apple cider vinegar or other fruit vinegars, white or red wine vinegar: The most important selection criterion is that the vinegar is unfiltered and has not been heated. Only then is it a high-quality vinegar that contains probiotic cultures. We prefer both ingredients in organic quality.

Enrich Oxymel with medicinal and wild herbs, fruits or spices

Once the basic oxymel is ready, you can enrich it with the effects and properties of medicinal and wild herbs, fruits or spices and also add new flavor nuances. There are no limits to your imagination - almost all medicinal and useful plants can be extracted in Oxymel. Just let your culinary preferences be your guide.

In addition to our rosehip oxymel for cold prophylaxis, other extracts are in the works: a calming oxymel with lemon balm, lavender and chamomile, for example, and an anti-cough oxymel with ribwort, thyme or sage. And of course a spring oxymel with the first wild herbs to boost metabolism - e. G. goutweed, lesser celandine and dandelion

Different extraction methods: slow vs. fast

In the traditional extraction method, the plant ingredients are chopped and placed in the honey-vinegar mixture for up to 2-3 weeks in a sterilized canning jar in an airtight container. The place of storage should be cool and dark; the mixture should be shaken daily to better distribute the dissolved ingredients.

If you use a metal canning lid be sure to put a piece of parchment paper under it as the vinegar can react to the metal.

After the ripening period, the plant ingredients are filtered out with a fine mesh strainer and the oxymel is collected in a sterilized jar. Done!

To shorten the ripening time of our rosehip oxymel, we decided to use the blender in its preparation. We mix vinegar, honey and the rosehips to a fine mass. This is also put into a sterilized canning jar and sealed airtight. After just a few days, the mixture can be strained through a fine sieve. Why so quickly? By mixing, the ingredients are dissolved faster - so to speak, a turbo-extraction takes place. Of course, you can also let the Oxymel extract longer, but it does not have to be.

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What is the shelf life of Oxymel?

If the Oxymel has been carefully prepared and filled into sufficiently sterilized jars, it can be kept unopened for up to one year. From the time of opening, Oxymel should be used within about 6 months.

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How do I use the Oxymel?

We prefer to drink our Oxymel first thing in the morning.
To do this, we mix 1 tablespoon of Oxymel with about 100 ml of lukewarm water in a glass. However, you can also use cold water or simply take the sour honey straight

An intensive application can be an Oxymel cure: You take an Oxymel with some effect every day for 3-6 weeks. This is what we do with our rosehip oxymel as a prophylaxis against colds during the fall/winter season. Or with a spring Oxymel to stimulate the metabolism.

Other possible applications for Oxymel can be marinades, salad dressings or sauces. Or you can make a refreshing sports drink in no time at all. We add about 2-3 tablespoons of Oxymel to 300 ml of water. It is best to orientate yourself according to your taste.

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Oxymel recipes to make yourself

Oxymel Simplix - the basic recipe

The Oxymel Simplix without additives is so easy to make in a few minutes. If you like the combination of honey and vinegar, then you should definitely try it. Of course, you can adjust the ratio of honey to vinegar to your personal taste - maybe experiment with 2:1 or even 1:1. Likewise, the basic blend is a good way to get to know the culinary differences between the various types of honey and vinegar. We chose the incredibly aromatic thyme honey from Crete, which can easily stand up to a strong apple vinegar. Nice added bonus: Cretan thyme honey is said to help against coughs, among other things. The Cretans therefore also call it Crete's liquid gold.

Oxymel Simplix - the basic recipe

With Thyme Honey and Apple Vinegar

Prep Time 0 Min

Perform Time 2 Min

Total Time 2 Min

Amount 400 g

Calories 937 kcal

Cuisine Syrup

Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com

3.51 from 91 Reviews

 

Ingredients

• 300 g Thyme Honey raw, unfiltered and cold extracted
• 100 g Apple Vinegar unfiltered and unheated

 

Instruction

1. First, put the vinegar in a sterilized storage jar. Then add the honey and mix the two together well.
2. The Oxymel is ready!
3. It is best to enjoy daily about 1 tablespoon of Oxymel diluted with 100 ml of water.
4. Unopened Oxymel has a shelf life of at least 1 year. Once opened, it should be consumed within 6 months. It does not need to be kept in the refrigerator when opened.
5. Enjoy and have fun with the Oxymel Simplix!

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Rosehip oxymel with cinnamon

Rosehips are among the most vitamin C-rich fruits in the world, and we love their taste. For the rosehip oxymel you can use still firm rose hips, but of course also the soft wild rose fruits. They are processed whole, give a wonderful aroma and give the sour honey even more power to prevent colds.
In order to taste the maximum of the rosehip aroma, we have chosen a mild type of honey and vinegar: Acacia honey and white wine vinegar. A pinch of cinnamon not only goes well with this for taste, but Ceylon cinnamon is also said to have antibacterial properties. Since we prepare the rosehip oxymel with a blender, it goes through a turbo extraction and can be filtered off after just a few days. Ingenious!

Rosehip oxymel with cinnamon

With acacia honey and white wine vinegar

Prep Time 10 Min

Perform Time 20 Min

Total Time 30 Min

Amount 470 g

Calories 1099 kcal

Cuisine Dressing

Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com

3.76 from 109 Reviews

 

Ingredients

• 300 g Acacia honey raw, unfiltered and cold extracted
• 100 g White wine vinegar unfiltered and unheated
• 100 g Rosehips
• 1 pinch of Ceylon cinnamon optional

 

Instruction

1. Wash rose hips, remove stems and brown caps.
2. Put all ingredients in the blender jar and blend well on high speed.
3. Then pour the mixture into a sterilized canning jar and seal airtight.
4. Let sit for about 2-3 days.
5. Now strain the rosehip mixture through a fine sieve. To do this, squeeze the mixture against the sieve with a tablespoon. Collect the finished oxymel in a sterilized jar.
6. It is best to take about 1 tablespoon daily diluted with 100 ml of water.
7. Unopened, the rosehip oxymel can be stored in a cool and dark place for about 1 year. After opening, it should be consumed within 6 months. When opened, it does not need to be kept in the refrigerator.
8. Enjoy and have fun with our rosehip oxymel!

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Have you ever tried Oxymel or made it yourself?

We look forward to your feedback here!