Black Peppercorns: The Secret To Spice In Your Dish

Author: Joost Nusselder, author of The Essential Japanese meal planner cookbook Updated October 29, 2022

A peppercorn is a small, dried fruit that is used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is about 5 mm in diameter and contains a stone that encloses a single pepper seed.

Peppercorns and the whole pepper derived from them may be described simply as pepper, or more precisely as black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), green pepper (dried unripe fruit), or white pepper (ripe fruit seeds).

In the Philippines the whole black peppercorns are called pamintang buo.

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What does a peppercorn taste like?

A peppercorn tastes spicy and sharp. It is used to add flavor to food.

How do you use a peppercorn?

To use a peppercorn, you can either grind it into a powder or whole pepper form. You can also cook with it, fry it, bake it, or dry roast it.

When using ground peppercorn, the spice is absorbed in the dish completely. Cooking with whole peppercorns means they will infuse the dish with flavor, but are usually removed from the broth or sauce before eating.

What are the benefits of eating a peppercorn?

Peppercorns contain an antioxidant called Piperine. This substance helps to boost the immune system, increase circulation, and aids in digestion. Peppercorns are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K.

Best peppercorn to buy

The best whole peppercorns to cook with are these from Spice Lab. They’re of great quality and keep for a long time in your pantry:

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What’s the origin of the peppercorn?

A peppercorn is the dried fruit of the Piper nigrum plant. This vine is native to India and other parts of Asia. The plant produces small, green fruits that turn red when they mature. The fruits are then harvested, dried, and used as a spice.

What’s the difference between a peppercorn and black pepper?

A peppercorn is the dried fruit of the Piper nigrum plant. Black pepper is made from the dried, cooked, and ground fruits of the same plant. So, technically, all black pepper is a dried peppercorn, but not all peppercorns are black pepper.

What’s the difference between a peppercorn and a sichuan peppercorn?

A sichuan peppercorn is the dried fruit of the Zanthoxylum simulans plant. This plant is native to China and produces small, red fruits. The fruits are then harvested, dried, and used as a spice. Sichuan peppercorns have a citrusy flavor and are used in Chinese cuisine. Peppercorns, on the other hand, are the dried fruit of the Piper nigrum plant. This vine is native to India and other parts of Asia. The plant produces small, green fruits that turn red when they mature. The fruits are then harvested, dried, and used as a spice. Peppercorns have a sharp, spicy flavor and are used in Indian and international cuisine.

What’s the difference between a peppercorn and white pepper?

White pepper is made from the ripe, dried, and ground fruits of the Piper nigrum plant. The ripe fruits are harvested, cooked, and then dried. The outer layer of the fruit is removed, leaving only the inner seed. The seed is then ground into a powder. White pepper has a milder flavor than black pepper and is used in light-colored dishes or as a garnish.

Conclusion

Peppercorns are great to cook with, either ground into black pepper or as a whole corn to infuse your dish with flavor.

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Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.