However, peppercorns that are black, green, white, and red are all from the same vine. Even though all peppercorns excluding pink grow on the same vine they each have their own distinct flavor profile. Black peppercorns — The black peppercorn is the most popular type of peppercorn. It is the sun-dried version of the green peppercorn berry. Green peppercorns — The green peppercorn is the same unripe green peppercorn which is used when making black peppercorns.
However, instead of laying out the green peppercorns to dry in the sun, the green peppercorns are either pickled in a vinegar brine, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. White peppercorns — White peppercorns come from the same plant and berry as the black and green peppercorns. However, the berry is given time to fully ripen on the vine and turn red. When the red berry is harvested, the flesh of the berry is removed leaving just the seed.
The remaining seed is then dried out leaving a dry, white appearance which is what we know as white pepper. Red peppercorns — Red peppercorns are the fully ripened form of the same berry used for white peppercorns. This kind of peppercorn is rare because most fully ripened peppercorns are used to create white peppercorns as they are more popular.
Pink peppercorns grow on a pepper tree native to Peru and Brazil. They are from the same plant family as the cashew nut but up close they look like tiny red berries, instead of a nut. They are harvested when ripe and then dried. Peppercorns are used to enhance and complement the flavor of foods, either in their ground form or as whole peppercorns in broth making and brines.
The most common form of peppercorn is the ground form. You can buy ground pepper at the local supermarket. But I recommend buying whole peppercorns and then grinding them yourself with a peppermill or a mortar and pestle.
Whole peppercorns stay fresh longer and have a bolder flavor than the pre-ground form. Ground pepper is used to add a bit of complexity and spice to almost everything from steaks and chicken to eggs and potatoes. Almost any food can be enhanced with a few cracks of fresh pepper.
The flavor profile you are trying to create will dictate at which point in the cooking process you should add the pepper. If you have never seen a peppercorn before you may be wondering what the difference is between a peppercorn and pepper.
Almost everyone knows pepper as the fine granular stuff that is in a table shaker. The most common item referred to as pepper is ground black pepper, which you will see next to the salt in almost every diner, restaurant, and household.
The difference between ground black pepper and black peppercorn is its form. Ground black pepper is a black peppercorn which has been ground into a fine particle, dust-like consistency. The ground form of pepper is easier to uniformly apply to food when compared to the cracked form, which are often bigger chunks of whole peppercorn.
Black peppercorns — Black peppercorn is known for its robust pungent flavor and aroma. Many describe it as a bit woody and piney in flavor. Green peppercorns — Green peppercorn is much milder than its black peppercorn counterpart. They are one of the ingredients in Chinese five-spice blend.
The pepper produces a tingling, numbing sensation on the tongue. Watch our Kitchen Conundrums expert Thomas Joseph delve into the many varieties of peppercorns:. Save Pin More. Peppers numbered design. Try Our Mapo Tofu Recipe. Comments Add Comment. Back to story Comment on this project. Tell us what you think And, be warned: testing for quality also assumes all the peppercorns are fresh.
While the flavor of peppercorns survives far longer than many other spices, you still want to be cooking with freshly harvested pepper; usually not an issue for high-demand grades like Tellicherry, which sell quickly, but something to look out for in lower-quality peppercorns.
Like other fruits, young peppercorns start out green and grow darker as they age. Once picked, green peppercorns continue to ripen just like bananas. In the past, green peppercorns were pickled in a brine, but that method is less common today, as drying technology has improved. Green peppercorns lack the rich complexity of older, black peppercorns. Green peppercorns offer a zesty brightness that black peppercorns lack, and add a fruity vitality to dishes.
Green pepper can be used in place of black pepper for a milder, brighter flavor. You can replace green peppercorns in pepper sauce recipes like steak au poivre for an interesting twist or mix green pepper with black pepper to coat a pork tenderloin or pork chops. Its mellow zest lends itself well to fish and other seafood, chicken, and in sauces of a delicate disposition, like cream sauces and vinaigrettes.
This is also why white peppercorns are smaller than black peppercorns. White peppercorns have quite a different flavor from black peppercorns. Its bite comes through in Chinese soups, like hot and sour soup , or in stir-fry dishes like Cashew Chicken Ding where it adds complex floral notes.
Sarawak white pepper, from Malaysia, is left under running water until the outer husk dissolves, which produces a brighter-tasting white peppercorn. Sarawak is potent, has a nice heat, and is generally stronger in flavor than the other main varietal, Muntok white pepper. This white pepper hails from Indonesia and the ripened berries are left sitting in water, which makes the end product a grayish color.
Muntok is milder in flavor than Sarawak, but it is still a quality option that can be bought for cheaper. The most interesting of the white pepper options, though, is Penja white pepper. This expensive, hard-to-find white pepper has a more robust flavor profile than its fellow whites, with a hot, dazzlingly intense initial burst of fragrance. Penja grows in Cameroon and was granted PGI protected geographical indication status after counterfeiters tried to take advantage of its popularity and price.
But there are two more members of the Piper family: cubeb pepper and long pepper. Both, however, are very tasty additions to your spice rack, especially if your love for black pepper runs deep. Cubeb pepper also called Java pepper, Benin pepper, and tailed pepper has a sharp, astringent flavor, with a strain of nutmeg-like warmth. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.
Sichuan peppercorn: A Chinese spice so hot it cools. Share using Email. By Megan Zhang 11th November Despite not feeling hungry at first, my stomach became a bottomless pit as I continued eating. The level of fragrance that you get in Sichuan food is unlike anything in the world. The importation of Sichuan peppercorn to the United States was banned between and Around the BBC.
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