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Lemon Ginger and Honey in a Jar (Cold Buster!)
The seasons are changing around here. Although the days are still warm, it is chilly in the morning and at night.
The leaves are starting to change color. Fall is definitely around the corner (but don’t tell my tomatoes that!).
It seems like during these season changes, the kids tend to catch more colds. Nothing major, just a slight sore throat or cough. When I see any signs of an oncoming cold, I give them this lemon-ginger-honey tea. It soothes their throat and the ginger helps them fight any nasty stuff going around.
I like to make this concoction and keep it in my refrigerator. Spoon a bit in some hot water for some soothing tea. It keeps for months.
Lemon Ginger and Honey in a Jar
makes about 2 cups
- 2 lemons thoroughly cleaned and sliced
- 2 piece of ginger about the size of your pointer and middle finger together sliced into coin size pieces
- Honey (about 1 cup-maybe more)
1. In a clean 12 oz mason jar (2 cup size) distribute lemon slices and ginger.
2. Pour honey over it slowly. This may take a few tries to let the honey sink down and around the lemon and ginger slices. Make sure when the honey has filled in all the voids, there is enough to cover the top of the lemon slices by a smidge.
3. Close jar and keep refrigerated. The mixture will form sort of a loose honey. Add a spoonful with some hot water and drink as a tea. (I updated recipe to clear up confusion. If you have juicy lemons the mixture may turn runny but this is OK!).
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56 Comments
I am flagging this for Holly. She drinks only tea now and many many variations. I love this and know she will too. The visuals are phenominal.
How long does this last in fridge?
We have had it for a few months but it gets used before it goes much longer than that.
Honey is a natural preservative.
How long ought it to sit before it’s “ready”? And the corollary, does it need to sit at room temp for any amount of time before refreidgeration?
Hi Mary,
You can use it the next morning.
I just make it and put it in the refrigerator right away.
Great recipe to make ahead of being sick! I’m making one for my husband to bring in to work too. Thanks for all the info in the comments about how long it stores/when it’s ready, etc.
[...] his pockets to warm them through, he liked the idea. When we got home I made another soup and this lemon and ginger cold buster, tasty. We enjoyed a bit more park time in the afternoon where we bumped into lots of friendly [...]
Has anyone made these and processed it via a canner like you would preserves (jelly?) If yes, does the lemon remain yellow or will it brown?
I have not tried to can it. since it is immersed in honey you may not need to process them.
Heat would destroy the good stuff in the honey
.
I just made this last night… mine is still thin, not gel-like at all… did I use too many lemon slices?!
Hi Erica,
The lemon juice will thin it out, but as it sets in the frigde, it gets a bit thicker. it is not like jelly, gel and more like a honey consistency.
Also, are we supposed to leave the lemons & ginger in the jar the whole time, or are we supposed to remove them at some point??
I leave mine in the whole time.
Was doubtful, but love Hot Lemon and Honey…so gave it a try! I love it, and it does soothe the throat and helps the tummy….thank you for sharing. My Son and Husband are enjoying too!
great to hear Sheila!
I too am interested in canning this, so that it will be shelf stable and could be mailed for holiday gifts. Anyone try this?
Also – mine did not turn like gel or jelly, the lemon slices are still solid, did I cut them too thick? thanks everyone. lovely and delicious.
I mixed it up a few nights ago because the weather is getting cooler and wanted to get prepared. I decided to check it out with some tea today and it was great!
I used a jelly jar and cut the recipe in half … 1 lemon thinly sliced, and ginger capsules (4) because I didn’t have any fresh ginger and I layered the lemon, ginger and honey then topped it off with extra honey. My hubby was feeling nauseated today so I made him a cup of “tea” with it and he said that he felt better and hasn’t complained about nausea anymore!
I just made some as well because I was feeling a little nauseous and it helped right away. I bet because of all the ginger.
Also, I read on another blog about adding a little pectin to thicken it up works well but I have tried it yet. Any idea how that would work?
I am sure you can add some pectin to firm it up a bit. Lemon peel naturally has pectin in it as well.
Don’t worry about making it thick. Everyone seems very concerned about the thickness because the recipe states the honey will turn into a loose jelly. The honey will turn watery and when it does, it’s ready to use.
Hi Kate,
thank you so much for commenting! Kate is right, the consistency does not really matter…it is all of the goodness from the lemon, honey and ginger.
Hi Tammy,
Thank you commenting too. I just made jars 11 & 12 last night and they are in my frig for when I need them. I just recently started adding 2 cloves of garlic to this concoction as well. Garlic is a natural antibiotic. It doesn’t change the flavor too much at all and even if it did, I love garlic. This stuff is amazing!!
If you have a already semi used jar of Honey could you slide in the lemon and ginger? or would your honey measurment need to be more precise
I usually just add more of any of the ingredients. It really does not need to be precise at all.
Hi, I don’t have any fresh ginger, so is it alright to use ground ginger instead, and if so how much?
I have never tried to make it with ground ginger and not sure if I would.
It woks fine with ground ginger – provided it is a decent brand. The “cheap stuff” is not as potent.
I made some and put up in jars a couple of months ago for gifts for Christmas…
I looked in the fridge today, and it seems like the lemons are in water, not thick like honey.
Has any one else had this problem, or is this what happens???
I hate that I have messed up good honey.
that is exactly what mine is doing … anyone know why or what we can do to “fix”
This is not a problem. I’ve been using this mixture since the Fall of 2012 and I’m getting ready to make jar# 9 & 10 to store in the frig. The honey will not turn into a loose jelly like the recipe states. It turns watery like you’ve said. When it does, it’s ready to use. I’ve had nothing but Magical results with this home remedy and my frig is never without a jar or two in it.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I had seen it on other site, but they gave no amounts to use of the three ingredients. I asked a lady at a health food store and she had made it, but said she peeled the ginger root and grated it. It looks like yours is just sliced with the skin on, so do you just slice it? Also, when you use it, do you just take the clear jelly, and leave all the lemon and ginger in the jar? So excited to try this!!!
BTW….did 2 batches….and added cinnamon sticks to the second one just to try…:0)
I gave this to a friend- I had made a batch “just in case” – it helped her out a lot. Thanks!
[...] One of my favorite teas to soothe soar throat and congestion is Ginger Lemon Honey Tea. [...]
Mine will not gel at all. What can I do to make it gel? Can it sit on the counter? How long does it have to sit together before you can see it working?
It can not sit out on the counter. Because of the lemon and the ginger it needs to be in the frig. I’ve been using this since the Fall and the honey does not turn into a loose jelly. It turns watery. When it does, it’s ready to use. It usually takes a day.
My aunt gave this to me at christmas. Wow i am ever so thankful, as i am sick. She sd she adds shredded apple to hers, for the pectin. It wasnt jelly like, maybe a little thinner than syrup. I then added cinnamon and cayenne, i like it that way, plus all the healing props of those two…
I first came upon this recipe from this site back in the fall. Well, I’m getting ready to make jar 9 & 10 to put in my frig. It’s Incredible, amazing and I’m calling it my Magic Potion. At the 1st sign of anything, I drink a big mug of this with several tbps of the elixir. It has chased away a soar throat, runny nose, sneezing and an ear ache. All symptoms were gone with the first cup and those symptoms never returned again within 24 – 48 hours. I’ve shared this recipe with countless people. I’m only sorry that I did not know about this years ago. My husband has a cup of this every morning as a precaution. I can proudly say that I Have Not Been Sick All Season because of this Home Remedy. It has been 100% SATISFACTORY for me. “THANK YOU!!”
Hi Kate, thank you so much for taking the time to post. I am so happy it has helped you ward away sore throats, etc.
P.S. The honey does not turn into a loose jelly. It turns watery. When it does, it’s ready to use. <3
How much do you use when you add it to hot water?
Hi Nikki, I use 3 big spoons to a mug.
I use 2 Tbps to a regular size coffee mug and 4 Tbps to a large size coffee mug. I really don’t think you can over do it.
I woke up with the sniffles thinking that it was just my morning allergies but it past lunch time and I haven’t stopped sneezing and a runny nose. Thanks to this site, I was able to make myself this concoction. Soothing and sinuses have cleared up. Yay! Be well.
how long is it “food safe to keep” seems like everyone had success but before i ‘bust open’ this jar of $$ honey just need to know…thanks
[...] was certain they would spoil before getting used. But not to worry. First I made a double batch of lemon-ginger-honey tea. Four or five lemons went into making lemon curd–a simple but tasty lemony cream that can be [...]
I have had mine in a jar for about a week or 2 & just noticed today that there is some white fuzzy looking stuff in the middle of the liquid – is it possible that it is going bad? I wouldn’t think with the honey that it was possible.
Christina, I just opened a jar I put up 9/3/2012. Everything was still good and it worked like a charm on my sore throat. I would throw away the contents of the fuzzy jar and start over. Be sure your jar is very clean and the lemon is submerged in the honey. That should solve the problem.
We’re on our 2nd jar since January. My husband’s jobs require lots of talking and this is great for soothing sore/irritated throats and that “I feel a cold coming on” feeling. As we get down into the jar, I started adding the lemon and ginger slices to my cup. My husband isn’t a major lemon fan so sometimes, I add a little extra honey to his cup.
Like others have said, it doesn’t really gel but works fantastic!! My husband was skeptical at first but now requests it.
Still have some in the fridge since the fall, added buckwheat honey a month or so ago because I was running low and now the mixture is cloudy, thick almost solidified. I’m going to start over but I think I’ll stick with clover or wildflower honeys. Buckwheat tasted too strong for me. Other than that, it was great as a tea, a sweetener for tea and straight from a spoon kind of like a liquid caugh drop without all the strong menthol. Yum…
[...] http://www.marinhomestead.com/recipes/fruit-veggie/lemon-ginger-and-honey-in-a-jar-cold-buster/ [...]
Just made it 3 days back as the hubby was comming down with a cold…. He loved it and the cold also went away within 2 days…. Now I have it
and its really helped with the heavy congestion… 2nd day and no painful cough… Just a runny nose, but that’s a good sign
Hi, I had tried this morning and leave it in refrigerator. I don’t know am I doing the wrong way cause I removed the lemon peel only put in the jar. Is it ok? Is it ok if didn’t remove the lemon peel? Because I worry about the Chemical fertilizers on the lemon peel.
Hi Elyn, I have only used lemons from our tree. I know there is a little pectin in lemon skin but I do not think it make a significant amount of difference if you peel the lemons. The zest of the lemon does add some more lemon flavor though.
Me again. I’m glad to see that you updated the recipe as so many people were hung up on the consistency of the honey. Yes, it will not be sort of loose honey but it will be very, very watery because of the lemon juice. This stuff has been nicknamed “The Cure,” by a friend of mine. I still have not sick all season and I just passed the recipe on to another person today who is suffering with a chest cold. 100% satisfaction might as well be guaranteed!!!
Kate, Thanks so much for popping back in to visit and share the recipe. We love it here. Cold season is over but it has been so helpful with allergies since we use local honey.
Hi, I read about this before, Apparently an old Chinese recipe, and the Chinese lady said what she does is just pops more ginger lemon and honey in with the existing jar as and when she needs to. I have just made my first jar, a bit late for this horrible cold I have, but ready for the rest of the South African Thanks for the directions.
I think you are our first comment from South Africa. Thanks so much for visiting!