A Rosebud's Real Food guide
7 Ways to Cook with Juniper Berries at Home
Use juniper berries in rubs, brines, braised cabbage, sauerkraut, beans, syrups and a seasoning salt. Here is how to prepare and store them.
You can cook with juniper berries in rubs for pork and game, in brines, in braised cabbage and sauerkraut, in pots of beans, in syrups for drinks and in a homemade seasoning salt. Crush them first, use a light hand, and pair them with fatty or rich foods, where their pine and citrus edge works well. Below are seven ways to use them, with the Rosebud’s Real Food staples that go alongside. You can find the current code on our Rosebud’s Real Food discount code page.
What juniper berries are and how they taste
Juniper berries are not true berries. They are the small, fleshy cones of the juniper shrub, and they are the flavor that defines gin. Dried, they taste piney and resinous with a citrus note and a slight bitterness.
The Rosebud’s Real Food Juniper Berries list one ingredient, organic juniper (Juniperus communis), in a 0.7 oz (19 g) packet. They come whole, which keeps their aroma until you crush them.
Seven ways to cook with juniper berries
1. A rub for pork, venison, duck or lamb
Crush juniper with black pepper, garlic and salt, then press the mix onto the meat before searing or roasting. Rich, fatty meats balance the berry’s bitterness. Rosebud’s Real Food sells organic garlic and peppercorns to build the rub.
2. A brine for chicken or pork
Add lightly crushed berries to a salt brine with bay leaves and peppercorns. Warm the brine to release the flavor, then cool it fully before the meat goes in.
3. Braised red cabbage
Juniper is a natural partner for cabbage cooked slowly with onion, apple and vinegar. Add a few crushed berries with the vinegar and let them cook down with the cabbage.
4. Sauerkraut and other ferments
A few whole berries in a jar of sauerkraut add a gentle resin note. Leave them whole here so they are easy to spot and pick out.
5. A pot of beans
Simmer dried beans with onion, garlic, a bay leaf and a few crushed berries for a savory, woodsy pot. Rosebud’s Real Food sells great northern beans and organic adzuki beans for this.
6. A syrup for drinks or desserts
Simmer crushed berries in sugar and water, then strain. Use the syrup in sparkling water, an alcohol-free spritz or over fruit. Coconut palm sugar from the same store gives the syrup a darker, caramel tone.
7. A juniper seasoning salt
Grind dried juniper with a coarse salt such as Baja Gold Sea Salt and keep it in a jar for roast potatoes and steak. Make a small batch so it stays fragrant.
How to prepare and measure juniper
- Crush before cooking. Press the berries under the flat of a knife or in a mortar. Crushing opens them so the flavor can get out, and it spares anyone from biting into a hard whole berry.
- Start with a few. Juniper is strong. The product page does not suggest an amount, so begin with a small number of berries, taste, and add more next time.
- Remove or strain. In brines, syrups and stocks, strain the berries out before serving.
- Pair with the right partners. Bay leaves, black pepper, garlic, cloves, thyme and orange zest sit well with juniper. Rosebud’s Real Food stocks organic bay leaves and cloves.
Rosebud’s Real Food sells juniper as a cooking spice. If you have a health condition or take medication and are unsure whether it suits you, ask a doctor or pharmacist before using it.
Storing juniper berries
Keep the berries whole until you need them, in a sealed jar away from heat, light and moisture. Crush only what a recipe calls for. The product page does not give a shelf life, so we do not state one. A simple check works: crush one berry between your fingers. If it smells strongly of pine, it is ready to use. If the smell is faint, the flavor has faded too.
Questions
What do juniper berries taste like?
Dried juniper berries taste piney and resinous with a citrus note and a slight bitterness. They are the main flavor in gin.
Do you crush juniper berries before cooking?
Yes, for rubs, brines, braises and syrups. Crushing releases the flavor and avoids biting into a hard whole berry. In sauerkraut you can leave them whole so they are easy to remove.
What foods go well with juniper berries?
Rich and fatty meats such as pork, venison, duck and lamb, plus cabbage, sauerkraut and slow-cooked beans. Bay leaves, garlic, black pepper and cloves pair well with it.
What is in Rosebud's Real Food Juniper Berries?
The label lists organic juniper (Juniperus communis). The packet holds 0.7 oz (19 g) of whole berries.
How do I know if my juniper berries are still good?
Crush one between your fingers. A strong pine smell means it still has its flavor. A faint smell means it has faded.
Products in this guide
Shopping at Rosebud's Real Food? See the discount code
10% OFF Sitewide
