Fresh juniper berries--question

Gin :) and more gin

A common use for juniper berries in a sauce for game. You can add them to a bordalais, for instance, when serving venison. Many find that it counters the "gamey" flavor that can cut through certain meats. I have tried juniper berries with venison and rabbit, and it worked well.

And as mentioned, there's always gin...

You should think of making gin (wink!)
Luc H.

Hi, my name is ObadiYah and I'm a Master Herbalist and I'm interested in some of those fresh Juniper Berries; if you you'd pick me a few pounds of them I'd pay you for them... if you're interested please PM me thanks.

Be advised that some species of Juniper Berries are toxic.

 

 

Please be advised:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_berry

 

Yeah I know I know it's Wikipedia.  Were I to offer them to other I'd want to verify their non-toxicity.

Germans use juniper berries in quite a few things. I put about a Tbsp. (just crushed with the side of a knife) in a 6lb batch of sauerkraut. I also use them (chopped coarsely) in a chicken salad I do with apples and horseradish. They're very good with duck, goose, any kind of game and relate well with rosemary or caraway.

I've never heard of toxic juniper berries, but I guess it could be. The kind I've always used are about the size of a small blueberry and about the same color. I live in AZ now and they're not exactly right out my back door so I get mine from an herb supplier, but anytime I've lived anywhere by a forest I've picked and used them.

Good Luck

Interesting post.

 

The last time we were in Athens, we had an absolutely spectacular Octopus dish which was combined with a very interesting red wine and juniper berry dipping salsa ( dip ). I believe this dip can work with Grilled Squid too.

 

Where are the Chefs this morning ?  I keep forgetting our time difference from Puglia to the USA ...

 

Here are the ingredients:

 

octopus 2 kilos or 4 1/2 pounds

cardamon green pods  16

juniper berries 16

black peppercorns 32

all spice berries 8

thyme swigs 8 

red wine 6 cups reduced to One and 2/3 cups 

star anise 8

coriander seed 64 seeds 

bay leaf 4 halved

 

Hope this shall assist.

 

Ciao.

Margaux Cintrano

Margcata.

Juniper berries are a lovely addition to a gamey stew be it hare, venison, elk, etc.  They are mostly associate with game.

 

I make a marinade for grilled quail with crushed juniper berries, garlic, thyme, vermouth, and olive oil.  Quarter or half the quails and marinate for a few hours before grilling to medium-well.

K.K. Vagia,

 

Your quail sounds lovely. Great idea. Pheasant and Partridge or woodcock are other forms of feathered game that would work.

 

Margaux.

Cedar Planked Quail, boneless whole quail stuffed with chantrelles and foie gras brushed with a thyme pumpkin seed oil, then grill roasted on a cedar plank over a hot cedar bough fire;  served with a pumpkin and juniper berry glace de viande sauce

Yeah, I really like Koukou's rendition of the feathered game!

I use juniper berries in lots of winter game dishes. It is a traditional ingredient here.

is foie gras even legal anymore in restaurants in your state, or is that ban a self imposed one?  anyway, your recipe sounds wonderfully fallish....time to start thinking that way again...soon the summer tomatoes, peaches and corn will just be a sweet memory, and root vegetables will take their place for a time. i look forward to roasted root vegetables of all kinds again.

however, gin cocktails never go out of season...negroni, gin fizz, bitter orange, black and white etc. etc

joey

 

I can be there in about 4.5 hours not counting the Ferry ride!

 

Dave

Make room on the bench Dave, I will bring the wine.

 

Petals.

Chef Layne,

 

Thank you for posting. Sounds wonderful.

 

Have a great August, and Labor Day.

Margaux.

Crushed finely with black pepper corns, rosemary & sea salt, Juniper berries make a great rub/crust for venison. I like to coat the loin before pan frying. 

Only time I ever used them was on venison, Myself I don't like taste  I prefer lingonberries.

Ed:

 

Lingonberries are wonderful, to be sure. But juniper and venison is good -- in all likelihood, if you remember clearly that you don't like the taste, there was far too much. To my mind, it's a lot like the various anise-type herbs, from chervil and tarragon to fennel to whatever. A whisper of chervil is magic; when tarragon becomes a fad and there's a pound of it on the fish, it's horrible. You know?

 

I think you shouldn't be able to identify the juniper in your venison without thinking about it. What is that flavor? Hmm... OH! Juniper, right. Like that.

 

I totally agree.  In fact, I hate the smell of juniper berries.  Every time I put some in my mortar and pestle and grind them I think "yuck!"  But in the right amount they add a wonderful earthy fruity musky flavor to the dish but shouldn't pack a punch.

 

Lingonberries, never had them fresh but a totally different animal than juniper.

It could be great but I just don't like the flavor, but thas only me.

some years back i had in my repertoire a salmon with 'martini' sauce. a twisted sister of beurre nantais with the addition of crushed juniper berries, green peppercorns and clam juice....after straining, gin, green olives and lemon juice were added...it was fun, playful and very, very good..not sure why i stopped making it but your thread has reminded me to dust it off.....my point here is that juniper berries are not only great for game sauces, but in sauces for seafood as well...i think with this sauce the seafood has to be substantial..seafood with substance like sea scallops or swordfish, not tilapia or catfish.

joey

Edited by durangojo - 8/29/12 at 6:55am