Horehound is one of the first medicinal herbs that I grew for myself. At the time, I thought that I was growing the herb for one of my favorite candies. Boy was I in for a shock. This beautiful herb from my garden made one of the most bitter teas that I had ever had. It was nothing like the candy that I loved.
I went back to my research and discovered the many healing properties of horehound and how to make the candy and other ways to use it. The use that I settled on at the time was to make a horehound syrup that I use at the first sign of a sore throat. The first recipe is mine. The others I have not tried.
For anyone who is interested in growing their own herbs, horehound is a staple. It is easy to grow in zones 4 - 8. It prefers sandy and slightly dry conditions and tolerates poor soil and drought. Here are some of the recipes that I found for using horehound. Always, before using medicinal herbs, consult a medical provider. Horehound is not recommended during pregnancy or nursing.
Manitu's Horehound Syrup
Place one generous handful of horehound in a pot and cover with a cup or so of water. This ends up being about 1/2 cup of dried herb or 3/4 cup of fresh give or take. I make sure the herb is covered with water. Bring the herb and water to a boil. The old school method would use a copper pot for this process. Remove it from the heat and let it sit to cool down to luke warm. strain out the herb and return the infusion to the pot. (You should measure your liquid at this point). For every cup of infusion add 2 cups of sugar. Bring this back to a boil and stir at a simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. This makes a medicinal syrup. Cool and jar. I usually store this in the refrigerator.
I take one shot glass of this syrup 2 - 3 times a day at the first sign of a sore throat. One gulp. Well - maybe two. Wash it down with something pleasant.
Hildegard von Bingen Herbal Remedy
1 TBS dry horehound
1/8 liter of water
Boil for about 5 minutes, then cool to luke warm and strain.
Add 1/4 liter of red wine and 1 TBS butter or cream
I will leave it to you to figure out how to use it.
Basic Tea
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of dried horehound or 1 sprig of fresh. Steep for about 5 minutes.
This is the first method that I tried. It is incredibly bitter. That is why I went to the syrup.
Basic Tincture
Place 1 part dried herb in a jar, cover with 5 parts of 40% vodka (80 proof). Let steep for 6 weeks or so. Strain, jar, and store in a cool and dark place.
Take a couple of drops at a time, several times a day.
Horehound Candy
1 and 1/4 cup water
1 cup horehound
Bring the water and horehound to a boil (preferably in a copper kettle) then remove from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes or so. Strain out the herb and return the infusion to the pot.
2 and 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cups corn syrup
Add the sugar and corn syrup to the infusion and bring to a boil. Boil over medium heat until the mixture reaches hard crackle stage.
Pour into greased candy molds or in a thin layer in a baking sheet lined with greased parchment paper.
Cool completely. and store in an air tight container.
Enjoy experimenting with your horehound.
Here is my sister article on my website: