As the seasons change and the air grows crisp, our thoughts naturally turn to keeping well. Nature has provided us with a bounty of ingredients that have been used for centuries to support our health, and few are as potent—or as fascinating—as the ‘Honey Bomb’.
You may have heard whispers of this remedy in wellness circles or seen jars of golden, bubbling garlic lining the shelves of community apothecaries. It is a simple, humble preparation, yet it carries a rich history of healing. Making your own Honey Bomb is a wonderful way to reconnect with traditional methods of preservation and take an active role in your family’s wellbeing during the colder months.
What exactly is a Honey Bomb?
At its simplest, a Honey Bomb is a fermentation of raw garlic cloves submerged in raw honey. While the name sounds explosive, it refers to the potent burst of flavour and health properties packed into every spoonful.
When raw garlic is combined with raw honey, a natural chemical reaction occurs. The honey draws moisture from the garlic, and the natural yeasts present in the raw ingredients begin to ferment. Over a few weeks, the honey becomes thinner and runnier, while the garlic cloves lose their sharp, biting heat and soften into something akin to candied garlic.
It is often mentioned in the same breath as Fire Cider, another traditional folk remedy. While a Honey Bomb is specifically a garlic-honey ferment, Fire Cider is typically a vinegar-based infusion packed with horseradish, onions, ginger, citrus, and chillies. Both belong to a family of remedies known as oxymels (acid and honey preparations) or simple herbal infusions designed to warm the body and kickstart the immune system.
A history of heritage healing
These remedies are not new inventions. In fact, by making a Honey Bomb, you are participating in a tradition that stretches back thousands of years.
The combination of alliums (the garlic and onion family) and honey appears in medical texts from ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. Hippocrates, often called the father of medicine, prescribed garlic for a variety of ailments, and honey has been revered globally as a natural preservative and wound healer.
In traditional rural communities, nothing was wasted. The autumn harvest of garlic needed to be preserved for the long winter ahead. Fermenting it in honey was not just a way to keep the garlic from spoiling; it was a way to create a medicine chest from the pantry. Today, we revive these practices not out of necessity, but out of a desire to understand the natural world and harness its gentle power.
Why make Fire Cider or Honey Bombs?
In an era of synthetic supplements, there is something deeply grounding about returning to whole ingredients. Creating these remedies invites us to slow down and observe the transformation of nature.
Supporting the body naturally
The primary reason many turn to these infusions is for immune support. Both garlic and honey are renowned for their antimicrobial and antiviral properties. When fermented, the nutrients become more bioavailable, meaning your body can absorb them more easily.
Reducing waste
Making these remedies is an excellent exercise in sustainability. You can use garlic heads that are starting to sprout or honey that has crystallized in the back of the cupboard. It is a celebration of resourcefulness.
The joy of flavour
Beyond the health benefits, a Honey Bomb is a culinary delight. The fermented honey takes on a savoury, garlicky depth that is incredible drizzled over roasted vegetables, glazed onto salmon, or used in salad dressings. The mellowed garlic cloves can be chopped into stir-fries or eaten whole if you are feeling brave.
Does it actually work?
It is natural to wonder if simple kitchen ingredients can truly make a difference to our health. While no remedy is a magic cure-all, the science behind the ingredients is robust.
Garlic contains a compound called alliin. When crushed or chopped, this converts into allicin, which has been shown to boost the disease-fighting response of some types of white blood cells when they encounter viruses, such as the viruses that cause the common cold or flu.
Raw Honey is a powerhouse of antioxidants. It also possesses natural antibacterial properties due to an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. It is widely used to soothe sore throats and suppress coughs.
When you combine the two, you create a synergistic effect. The fermentation process introduces beneficial probiotics, which support gut health—a crucial factor in overall immunity. While it might not stop every sniffle, it is a formidable layer of defence.
How to make your own Honey Bomb
Creating a Honey Bomb is an accessible project for anyone, regardless of their experience in the kitchen. It requires patience, but very little active time.
What you will need
- Fresh Garlic: Enough to fill your chosen jar about halfway. Organic is best to ensure there are no pesticides interfering with the fermentation.
- Raw Honey: This is crucial. Pasteurised honey from the supermarket has been heated, which kills the natural yeasts and enzymes needed for fermentation. Look for local, raw honey from a farm shop or apiary.
- A glass jar: A clean jam jar or mason jar works perfectly.
- Optional: A splash of apple cider vinegar (to manage pH levels).
The Method
- Prepare the garlic: Peel your garlic cloves. You can lightly crush them with the flat of a knife or pierce them with a cocktail stick. This helps release the juices and allows the honey to penetrate the clove.
- Fill the jar: Place your prepared garlic cloves into the clean glass jar. Do not pack them too tightly; they need room to move.
- Pour the honey: Pour the raw honey over the garlic until the cloves are completely submerged. Leave a little headspace at the top of the jar, as the mixture will bubble and expand.
- Seal and wait: Put the lid on the jar and place it in a dark cupboard at room temperature.
- The daily “burp”: This is the most important step. Every day for the first two weeks, you must open the lid to release the built-up carbon dioxide. You will see small bubbles forming—this is a sign that fermentation is happily happening. You can also turn the jar upside down (with the lid on) to ensure all garlic stays coated.
- Time is the ingredient: After about a month, the fermentation will slow down, and the garlic will darken. It is now ready to use, though the flavour will continue to develop over time.
How to store your remedy
Once the fermentation has slowed significantly (usually after 4–6 weeks), you can move your Honey Bomb to the refrigerator for long-term storage.
A note on safety: Because garlic is a low-acid vegetable, there is a very small risk of botulism in anaerobic environments. However, honey is acidic, and the fermentation process creates more acidity. To be absolutely safe, you can add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar to the mixture at the start, or use pH strips to ensure the acidity is below 4.6.
Store your jar in a cool, dark place or the fridge, and it can last for a year or even longer. Always use a clean spoon when serving to prevent contamination.
Embracing natural wellness
Making a Honey Bomb is more than just following a recipe; it is an act of preservation and care. It connects us to the seasons and the simple, potent gifts of the earth. Whether you take a spoonful of the honey at the first sign of a scratchy throat, or use the garlic to add depth to your winter stews, you are participating in a timeless tradition of natural wellness.
We invite you to try this simple method and discover the satisfaction of creating your own apothecary jar. It is a small step towards a more natural, sustainable lifestyle—one garlic clove at a time.
Further Reading: Discover Nature’s Bounty Foraging for Food and Fun, Foraging in January: A Winter’s Treasure Hunt, The Art of Foraging: Unlocking Nature’s Bounty Sustainably, Eat Weeds!
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