The use of juniper berries goes back to ancient Greek and Arabic medicine. Juniper berries are very healthy and a delicious seasoning for sauce that you can serve with any piece of game.
Juniper berries
The blue-black juniper berries are too bitter to eat raw, so they are dried for use in cooking.
Dried juniper berries have a spicy and bittersweet flavor. They are usually crushed before use to release that flavor as much as possible. Because juniper berries have a very strong flavor, they should be used sparingly.
Juniper berries are also used to flavor certain beers, gin and gin.
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Throughout the ages
Through archaeological excavations we know that juniper played a role in prehistory. Juniper pollen has been found in soil layers from the late glacial and early Holocene (13.500-12.100 BC).
Berries and seeds have been found in medieval cesspits, indicating the use of juniper berries as a spice. In addition to the needles and berries, a carved wooden bead has also been found.
In 2015, archaeologists conducted experiments to extract juniper oil by “cracking” the wood. Evidence for the use of this oil was found on prehistoric pottery.
Celts and Germans
The Celts dedicated the juniper to Balder, god of innocence and light, the Greeks to Hermes, the messenger of the gods. The reason was probably that the juniper is always green and because of the special shapes of the bush, and the special smell of wood, needles and berries.
The Germans used the wood for cremation of the dead and for sacrificial rituals. We know this from the discovery of juniper charcoal on a Germanic urn field near Vlodrop (South Limburg).
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Ancient Greeks and Romans
Juniper berries were also used in mummifying bodies. In the time of the Ancient Greeks (including Hippocrates) and the ancient Romans, juniper was used as a remedy for uterine cramps. Phytotherapists still prescribe it today for menstrual pain.
Around 1500 BC, the juniper berry is described in medicinal recipes in a papyrus roll.
In ancient times, juniper wood was burned to drive away evil spirits and diseases. This was also done in the Middle Ages to banish diseases. If a plague epidemic had taken place in a city or village, people would purify the houses by burning juniper wood.
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Good spirits
In ancient times, a good spirit lived in the juniper tree. That is why it was not allowed to be cut down.
In the 16th century, juniper was seen as the remedy for all kinds of ailments; good for digestion, liver, against stomach ache, cramps and flatulence, good for the lungs, kidneys and as a painkiller against muscle strains.
In the 19th century, juniper was prescribed as a 'stomach tonic'. Juniper wood was used to make wardrobes (moths don't like the smell), churning rods were made from juniper wood so that the butter wouldn't spoil quickly. In the past, juniper gum mixed with linseed oil was used to make varnish for paintings. Chewing juniper berries improves your breath.
Healthy but still in moderation
Today, juniper is still used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, digestive problems, gout and rheumatic disorders.
Juniper berries are very healthy. They are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and have a beneficial effect on the metabolism. However, they should be taken in moderation. Not only are they intense in taste, they can also have a stimulating effect on the kidneys.
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Juniper berry sauce
Below is the recipe for a delicious sauce that you can serve with any piece of game, whether it is a medallion or a roast.
- Peel 1 onion and 1 carrot and cut both into large cubes.
- Melt 30g of butter and brown the onion, carrot and 250 to 300g of game offal over high heat.
- Flambé with a shot glass of gin.
- Add 1 crushed clove of garlic and half a tablespoon of tomato puree.
- Sprinkle 20g of flour over it and mix well (= singeren).
- Add 8 crushed juniper berries.
- Add a shot glass of vinegar, half a litre of water, 25cl of good red wine, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme, half a teaspoon of salt and 5 crushed black peppercorns.
- Let the stock simmer gently for 45 minutes with the lid closed.
- Strain the stock and finish with 50g of butter or a dash of cream.
