Juniper Berries

Nature Boy

Cat's Ribs are a killer recipe, and we have done the recipe with spare ribs 3 times now. Anyway, I was looking at my spice book, and saw some interesting facts about them.[p]They create the main flavor in Gin.[p]Used in Scandanavia for pickled beef/elk, and in a red wine marinade for roast pork (now that sounds good)[p]Used in France in venison dishes and pates.[p]Used in Germany with sauerkraut.[p]Sweet with a hint of pine. Produce slight burning sensation in the mouth.[p]Blends well with garlic (as cat's ribs prove), and marjaram and rosemary...and with wine, beer, brandy, gin[p]Use in marinades, sauces for pork and game. Brines. Goes well with veal and braised beef. Natural affinity with cabbage.[p]Used as a diuretic and an anti-inflammatory. Used to treat snakebites in the past.[p]And check this out: CAUTION: Avoid juniper in pregnancy and if you have kidney disorder.[p]Anyway, maybe more than you wanted to know, but some interesting facts, and possiblities for uses. Afterall, we need to be creative to achieve the perfect Q. Thanks again for that recipe Cat.

thetrim

Great facts about Juniper berries. 

Just as interesting today as they were nineteen years ago.

fishlessman

cats ribs is a great recipe if you enjoy juniper

SonVolt

Sometimes I go into people's spice cabinets when they're not looking and swap the juniper and allspice berries. 

thetrim

Sometimes I sneak a couple oxys

fishlessman

SonVolt said:

Sometimes I got into people's spice cabinets when they're not looking and swap the juniper and allspice berries. 

that might still work with cats ribs

SonVolt

thetrim said:

Sometimes I sneak a couple oxys

That's why I fill my medicine cabinet with marbles before dinner parties. Snooping guests get quite the surprise/panic. 

SonVolt

thetrim said:

Sometimes I sneak a couple oxys

That's why I fill my medicine cabinet with marbles before dinner parties. Snooping guests get quite the surprise/panic. 

SonVolt

This forum is rock solid.

Nature Boy

When I saw Cat cook them at the first non-Eggtoberfest Eggfest ever in Waldorf (1999?) I was fascinated. Not only did she cook the ribs direct, but she worked a low controlled fire the whole time with the top vent totally open. No daisy wheel (as we called it then). The bottom vent was open a slit, and she stood there and worked it...no wrapping...all direct slowly building up the crust. That was an eye opening experience watching her go. You guys and this old stuff. What fun

Nature Boy

fishlessman said:

cats ribs is a great recipe if you enjoy juniper

Even if you don't think you enjoy them, it's different raw versus cooked. She browned, toasted and caramelized those spices over a direct fire for so long on the ribs....such a beautiful brown crust...so the Juniper lost all of its edge. Just a subtle mysterious flavor balanced against all the other stuff she had going on...brown mustard, black pepper, garlic, and the magic of a direct fire

fishlessman

Nature Boy said:

fishlessman said:

cats ribs is a great recipe if you enjoy juniper

Even if you don't think you enjoy them, it's different raw versus cooked. She browned, toasted and caramelized those spices over a direct fire for so long on the ribs....such a beautiful brown crust...so the Juniper lost all of its edge. Just a subtle mysterious flavor balanced against all the other stuff she had going on...brown mustard, black pepper, garlic, and the magic of a direct fire

do this recipe a couple times a year ever since she first posted it. almost always cook ribs direct as well, its a great recipe

nolaegghead

The German version of prosciutto is juniper spiced.  and delicious. 

fishlessman

also good with tonic, limes, and gin

Eggcelsior

Juniper is the "secret" ingredient in Chipotle's version of carnitas.

JohnInCarolina

Eggcelsior said:

Juniper is the "secret" ingredient in Chipotle's version of carnitas.

Well, not anymore.  

Carolina Q

fishlessman said:

Nature Boy said:

fishlessman said:

cats ribs is a great recipe if you enjoy juniper

Even if you don't think you enjoy them, it's different raw versus cooked. She browned, toasted and caramelized those spices over a direct fire for so long on the ribs....such a beautiful brown crust...so the Juniper lost all of its edge. Just a subtle mysterious flavor balanced against all the other stuff she had going on...brown mustard, black pepper, garlic, and the magic of a direct fire

do this recipe a couple times a year ever since she first posted it. almost always cook ribs direct as well, its a great recipe

@fishlessman (or @Nature Boy or @Theophan - So where's the recipe for Cat's ribs? Found a couple of old threads with links, but they're 404.

I saw a couple of pics by Theophan and they looked awesome! Thanks!

fishlessman

Cat's Ribs

Number Of Servings:		Source:	John Thorne's 'Serious Pig' (wonderful
Vegetarian:	No	Time To Prepare:
Date:	Wed 02 Mar 2005 22:33:48 UTC	Viewed:	10150 times
Author:	14102	Email:	celoup@ix.netcom.com
Rating:	3,73 (11 votes)

Description:	The best thing that ever happened to a baby back.
Ingredients:	• 3 fat garlic cloves, peeled • 3 Tbscider vinegar • 1 Tbs kosher salt • 3 Tbspeanut oil • 1 Tbs black mustard seeds* • 2 tspground hot pepper (I use chipotle*) - this will make the ribs spicy; add more or less to taste • 12 juniper berries* • 3 slabs baby back ribs (1.5 to 2 lbs. each), membrane removed • 1 Tbs coarsely ground black peppercorns • 3 Tbs brown sugar
Instructions:	The rub is best made with a stone mortar & pestle, but a small food processor can be used. Mash the garlic and salt into a paste in the mortar. (The salt helps the garlic break down.) Add the juniper berries and mustard seeds, crushing them as thoroughly as possible with the pestle. Add remaining ingredients and stir well to blend. *Available through spice catalogs such as Penzeys. Work the rub into the ribs at least an hour before cooking. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. These don't need to sit overnight, but can be rubbed 3-4 hours in advance. About 45 minutes before you plan to start cooking, place the ribs in the freezer (for maximum smoke penetration). Cook according to your desired method. I do them over direct heat (with hickory and apple for smoke), dome temp of around 250, in a rib rack. They usually take 3 to 3.5 hours. Midway through I rotate the rack, and flip the ribs if the end toward the coals is getting brown. Let them sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes:

JohnInCarolina

Hmmm.  I might just have to do ribs this weekend...

thetrim

So one please make These 4 BB

fishlessman

the black mustard is the harder to find, brown works but the yellow doesnt pack the same punch. also, a bag of juniper is a lifetime investment

Carolina Q

Thanks, Mike! Appreciate the recipe.

Re black vs brown, found an old post where Cat says...

"Several people interested in "my" (actually John Thorne's) rub/paste for ribs have had trouble finding black mustard seed. They've recently disappeared from my local markets as well, and catalogs that used to carry them no longer do - although some have brown mustard seeds. I recently bought some browns at Adriana's Caravan, a wonderful spice shop here, and was told they were 'the same' as the black seeds. I've read otherwise, so I e-mailed Rochelle Zabarkas, the store's owner, to ask about the difference. Here's her reply: "We used to carry black, brown, and yellow mustard seeds. However, over the past year and a half I have been unable to get the black seeds. For some unknown reason they are not being imported into the country. Although black and brown seeds are botanically different, the flavor is so similar that no one would be able to discern the difference." Penzey's carries the brown seeds."

My local Indian market carries the brown (maybe black too, dunno). Hope they carry juniper because their spices are all affordable.

Carolina Q

No juniper berries at Patel's Indian market, but they did have 7 oz of black mustard seeds for $2.49.

Nature Boy

Carolina Q said:

No juniper berries at Patel's Indian market, but they did have 7 oz of black mustard seeds for $2.49.

Score!!!!!

caliking

Carolina Q said:

No juniper berries at Patel's Indian market, but they did have 7 oz of black mustard seeds for $2.49.

I was just about to say that any Indian store should have black mustard seeds. It's a common ingredient.

Carolina Q

caliking said:

I was just about to say that any Indian store should have black mustard seeds. It's a common ingredient.

This is a small section of what's available at my store. From black peppercorns to garam masala to black mustard seeds to fenugreek. No Herbes de Provence though, or juniper berries.


Pretty decent selection of fresh veggies too. 

caliking

Carolina Q said:

caliking said:

I was just about to say that any Indian store should have black mustard seeds. It's a common ingredient.

This is a small section of what's available at my store. From black peppercorns to garam masala to black mustard seeds to fenugreek. No Herbes de Provence though, or juniper berries.


Pretty decent selection of fresh veggies too. 

I dare you to find an Indian recipe calling for herbes de Provence or juniper berries! Which is why Indian grocers don't stock either

And I'll bet they have more varieties of rice than you've seen before.  But you won't find any wild rice or sushi rice.

Legume

caliking said:

Carolina Q said:

caliking said:

I was just about to say that any Indian store should have black mustard seeds. It's a common ingredient.

This is a small section of what's available at my store. From black peppercorns to garam masala to black mustard seeds to fenugreek. No Herbes de Provence though, or juniper berries.


Pretty decent selection of fresh veggies too. 

I dare you to find an Indian recipe calling for herbes de Provence or juniper berries! Which is why Indian grocers don't stock either

And I'll bet they have more varieties of rice than you've seen before.  But you won't find any wild rice or sushi rice.

Waaaaay too many kinds of lentils.

fishlessman

Carolina Q said:

No juniper berries at Patel's Indian market, but they did have 7 oz of black mustard seeds for $2.49.

the micro mustard seeds i found were maybe 4 to 5 times smaller, i would not of even guessed they were whole seeds