Is It Better To Buy Whole Peppercorns Rather Than Ground Black Pepper?

It's a staple in every pantry, both restaurant and home. You'll find it on every tabletop at restaurants, every drive-thru window, and every kitchen playset. It's even been animated as a character on a popular 90s children's show. That's right, we're talking about pepper, that beloved condiment known for adding depth to meals and making fathers sneeze since the beginning of time. Pepper is one of the most commonly used spices across the globe, adorning recipes from Popeye's honey lemon pepper wings to Chipotle's recipe for honey vinaigrette dressing. But for an upgraded flavor the next time you cook with pepper, try switching to whole peppercorns instead of typical ground pepper.

Whether you throw in the whole peppercorn or take the time to grind it to powder on your own, using it in this form will introduce a whole new depth of flavor and fragrance to your meal. Whole peppercorns look like pea-sized black seeds and are harvested from the Piper nigrum plant. There are three kinds of peppercorn which come from this same plant – black, white, and green — and the only difference is the way they're harvested and processed. This is why white pepper is more expensive than black, because the processing takes longer. But black peppercorns have a stronger taste, and are well-known for their slightly sweet, hot flavor. And using whole peppercorns as opposed to pre-ground pepper from a shaker produces a wildly different flavor profile to elevate your cooking.

Black peppercorns actually start out green before they're ripe. Once they are harvested, they immediately undergo a drying process. This is why they end up all black and wrinkled compared to their lighter counterparts. But even though the peppercorns are dried, they still contain a powerhouse of flavor. 

We most commonly see and use black pepper as a ground spice, found in jars and shakers in the spice aisle. When the peppercorns are ground into that powder, they lose their potency faster, and can begin to taste dusty. Ground pepper doesn't hold its fragrance or taste for nearly as long as a whole peppercorn would. If you grind your own black peppercorns right as you're about to use them, you'll experience a fuller flavor that you just won't find in pre-packaged ground pepper.

You can typically find whole peppercorns in the same spice aisle where you buy your ground black pepper. A jar of peppercorns will last a lot longer than ground pepper flavor-wise, so no need to worry about only using a few at a time. Whole black peppercorns not only make a fantastic garnish, but can also add a pleasing crunch to the meal. Grinding peppercorns on your own is relatively easy, too. Just throw them in a coffee grinder or spice mill and let the machine do all the work. In restaurants, too, remember that salt and pepper shakers are pointless because they show that the black pepper is pre-ground. Whether dining out or at home, it's time for a fresher, fuller experience with whole peppercorns.