What the Heck Do I Do With Juniper Berries? (2024)
About a year ago I went a little crazy in a specialty spice store and picked up all kinds of exotic spices to try. Since then I’ve been slowly working through them, trying to figure what the heck to make with them. I’ve had better luck with some (galangal) than others (annatto). Since their freshness is probably slipping away, it was time to try one of the last remaining unopened packages on my shelf: juniper berries.
What are they?
Botanically speaking, the dark little berries of juniper trees—which are conifers—are female seed cones, not true berries. But we’re speaking culinarily, in which case the dark violet orbs look and taste enough like berries to deserve the name.Dried juniper berries (or fresh ones, when they are available) are used as a flavoring in Northern European cuisine, especially in Scandinavia, Germany and the Alsace region of France. Americans are most likely to have encountered juniper in gin, the liquor that gets its name from the Dutch or French word for juniper.
Where do they come from?
The juniper berries used in food and drink usually come from the speciesJuniperus communis, whichgrows throughout the Northern Hemisphere, as far north as the Arctic.
If you’ve ever tried gin you’ll have a fair idea of what juniper berries taste like, although the ones used for cooking are riper. They have a slightly piney flavor with a touch of both fruitiness and pepperiness.
What the heck do I do with them?
I tried them in a chicken dish where I added both too much juniper and too much thyme, and the flavor was a little overpowering. Consequently, I didn’t eat much, which was probably a good thing—it was only after the fact that I read that pregnant women (which I am) should avoid juniper because it can cause uterine contractions. Luckily, I already had a doctor appointment scheduled the next day.
But if you are not pregnant and you use them sparingly, you may want to try juniper in game dishes, one of the spice’s most common uses. Pairing them with prunes over roast duck, as in a recipe from Bon Appétit magazine, sounds like it would make for a nice balance. Jamie Oliver stews the berries with venison, as both the Navajo and British did in days of yore.
Juniper berries are a common ingredient in Germanic food. In Alsace, a French province bordering Germany, choucroute garnie is a hot sauerkraut dish with sausage and other meats that’s especially popular in winter. Jacques Pépin shared a simplified version using store-bought sauerkraut in Food & Wine magazine.
As for me, I’ll be keeping my remaining juniper berries on the shelf until I’m ready to have contractions.
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Lisa Bramen was a frequent contributor to Smithsonian.com's Food and Think blog. She is based in northern New York and is alsoan associate editor at Adirondack Life magazine.
Dried juniper berries (or fresh ones, when they are available) are used as a flavoring in Northern European cuisine, especially in Scandinavia, Germany and the Alsace region of France. Americans are most likely to have encountered juniper in gin, the liquor that gets its name from the Dutch or French word for juniper.
Juniper is commonly used with lamb (or mutton) and is particularly good with venison, wild boar, and even domestic pork. You could even add them to a pot of chili, to give a rustic flavor that complements ground smoked chile peppers. Juniper is also a good flavoring to use with roast duck.
Certain varieties of juniper berry contain safe, low amounts of Thujone, while other varieties contain high levels and can make you very sick. The common juniper, Juniperus communis, is the variety most often used to make gin, medicines, and food dishes, as it is considered safe for human consumption.
Stomach and intestinal disorders: Juniper berry might irritate the stomach and intestines, making disorders in these organs worse. High blood pressure, low blood pressure: Juniper berry might affect blood pressure and could make blood pressure control more difficult.
Juniper berries contain chemicals that might decrease inflammation and gas. It might also be effective in fighting bacteria and viruses. Juniper might also increase the need to urinate.
Dosing. Generally, 2 to 10 g/day of the whole, crushed, or powdered fruit (corresponding to 20 to 100 mg of essential oil) has been used for dyspepsia. Essential oil: 0.02 to 0.1 mL 3 times daily.
Juniper is used as a laxative that passes the stool easily and in constipation, this herb increases the bowel movements. This herb is used as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory that provides relief to the patient. It also avoids the straining that reduces the symptoms related to hemorrhoids.
The taste of the juniper berry is fresh with a fruity citrus flavor and an aromatic , piney spiciness. The berry is in no way sweet, instead it has a pungent, piney taste that can mimic sweetness. The juniper berry pairs well with other strong flavors such as caraway, garlic, rosemary and black pepper.
Juniper berries ripen for 2 to 3 years. The first year produces flowers, the second a hard green berry, and by the third, they are ripening to a deep blue. Pick berries in the fall once the plant has numerous blue berries.
To prepare: The berries need to be lightly crushed before using to release their flavour - do this using a pestle and mortar or press them with the back of a spoon in a small bowl.
Use Juniper berries as a tea for urinary tract problems by increasing urine flow (diuretic). This helps clear the kidneys, bladder, gallbladder, and prostate; helps with heartburn and can be used to calm an upset stomach. Juniper activates the digestive system and stimulates digestive processes.
They have a slightly bitter taste, but they are very versatile in the kitchen. I have used juniper berries on wild game such as venison, as well as a flavoring for vegetables and even desserts. The flavor is best described as mildly resinous with a tang of citrus and pine. The aroma is similar to gin!
All juniper species have seeds but not fruits or flowers, making them gymnosperms. However, the seeds grow in berry-like cones that are colorful and often called juniper berries. In many cases, juniper is a low-branching shrub with a rounded form, but some grow vertically into trees.
Gin is a beloved drink among many, and its unique flavour comes from juniper berries. Juniper berries are an essential part of London dry gins and other gin types, adding a distinctive taste and aroma to the spirit.
The taste of the juniper berry is fresh with a fruity citrus flavor and an aromatic , piney spiciness. The berry is in no way sweet, instead it has a pungent, piney taste that can mimic sweetness. The juniper berry pairs well with other strong flavors such as caraway, garlic, rosemary and black pepper.
Juniper sugar. The berries can be eaten dried, fresh, chopped, or powdered to impart a sharp, peppery flavor to balance the richness of winter game, meats, soups, and stews.
Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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