You’ve probably heard that juniper berries are edible. Or at least… you’ve heard the fruits from some species are?
Or maybe they’re only palatable at certain times of the year? But you’ve also heard that maybe some species are toxic? Or was it just if you ate too many berries?
Yep, it can be confusing.
Most people know those little blue wonders as a flavoring for gin, and some adventurous eaters may have even used them as a seasoning for meat.
Obviously, some juniper berries are edible or we wouldn’t have gin. We also wouldn’t see them dried and sold in spice jars at the grocery store. But not at all species are palatable, and some are quite poisonous.
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In this guide, we’ll set the record straight on which juniper species are edible, when the fruits are perfect for you to gnaw on them, and everything else you need to know.
Here’s what you can expect in this article:
These tangy little treats are absolutely fabulous in a massive range of recipes, so if you’re ready to get cooking, read on!
A Brief IntroductionFirst of all, let’s set the record straight. Juniper berries aren’t berries at all. They’re modified cones.
I know, bonkers, right? Instead of having scales like the cones most of us are familiar with on conifers, they have such small scales that this ends up looking like a thick, almost leathery skin.
Despite the misnomer, we’ll keep calling them berries because that’s how they’re best known. Each one of the fruits contains several seeds, usually six, but sometimes as few as one seed per berry.
These are far more commonly used in cuisine in Scandinavian countries, other parts of
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