Readers ask: How To Cook With Juniper Berries?

How do you use juniper berries?

The most common culinary use of the juniper berry is as a spice used to flavor gin. It’s used for its medicinal purposes as an essential oil, made by steam distillation of the crushed, dried, or fermented berries. Other ways the juniper berry is used is as dried fruit.

Are juniper berries safe to eat?

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.

What do juniper berries taste like?

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.

Are any juniper berries poisonous?

A. Possibly never. Of the roughly 40 species of juniper, a small number are poisonous and a majority have bitter fruits. Only a few yield edible berries (actually modified cones) and only one is routinely used for flavoring.

What are the benefits of juniper berry?

5 Emerging Benefits of Juniper Berries High in nutrients and powerful plant compounds. Provide anti -inflammatory and antioxidant effects. May have antidiabetic properties. Could promote heart health. Antibacterial and antifungal activity.

Is Juniper berries same as allspice?

Allspice does not have the strong pine characteristic that you would get from the juniper berries. Unlike allspice berries, they are not usually used in desserts. To tone down the pine notes and get a closer match to allspice’s flavor profile, combine the juniper berries with black peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves.

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Are junipers poisonous to dogs?

ANSWER: The University of California – Davis list Juniperus ( Junipers ) in their Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants list as having a minor toxicity (class 2) for pets and children. This rating means ingestion of these plants may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea.

How can you tell if a juniper is edible?

Look for a plant with berries that appear blue on it in this open sunny area. The berries are a little smaller than regular blueberries and grown at the ends of the branches. You will smell a pine aroma that is very strong as you come closer to the juniper plant.

Can juniper berries kill you?

They will cause vomiting, seizures, and eventually death. Chinaberries – These yellow berries grow in bundles. Eating the leaves will make you mighty sick and eating the root could kill you. Juniper berries – Also known as a cedar tree, junipers are evergreens that produce a blue or purple berry.

Where do you get juniper berries?

Check the spice section. Nicer grocery stores will sometimes sell juniper berries with the other less common overpriced spices. Spice Island Morton & Bassett is the brand name I usually see. Whole Foods and Fresh Market will often have them – check the bulk spice section as well as the regular spices.

What can I substitute juniper berries with?

Rosemary is the closest herbal flavor to juniper berries and is best used as a substitute in meat and venison dishes. One fresh sprig of rosemary may be used as a substitute for every 4 berries.

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Why does gin have juniper berries?

Because gin utilizes juniper berries to infuse the alcohol with flavor, some of the health benefits that come from this super berry actually make their way into the gin as well. Juniper berries have the potential to fight off infections as they are actually disinfecting.

What animals eat juniper berries?

Juniper berries are one of the top winter foods for many birds and mammals. Rabbits, foxes and most birds – turkeys, bluebirds, robins, chickadees and waxwings to name a few – covet the deep blue berries. I’ve watched a flock of cedar waxwings descend upon a patch of juniper and strip them in just a few hours.

What does Juniper mean?

Juniper has historically been used as both a boys’ name and a girls’ name. The Juniper tree’s name is derived from the Latin word juniperus. In Latin, juniperus is combination of the word junio, which means young, and parere, to produce, hence youth producing, or evergreen.

Can I grow juniper berries?

You can grow junipers in a large plant pot or in your garden. Make sure the area is free of weeds and other plants. 4. Dig a hole about double the size of the rootball and surrounding compost, and gently tease out the roots.