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Black peppercorns

Spices & seasonings · Chillies & peppers

Black peppercorns

Whole dried black pepper berries, ground fresh or used whole in stocks, pickles and tempering.

Also called: whole black pepper, peppercorns

A kind of black pepper

35 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Misterneedlemouse, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Black peppercorns are the whole dried berries of the pepper vine: small, round, wrinkled and black. Ground just before use they give a much brighter, more aromatic pepper than pre-ground pepper. Whole, they are simmered in stocks and brines or fried in ghee with other whole spices for pulao and biryani.

Piper nigrum

How it’s used

  • Filling a pepper mill
  • Whole spices fried in ghee for pulao and biryani
  • Stocks, brines and pickles
  • Crushed coarsely for steak and pepper chicken
  • Dry-roasted and ground into masalas

Characteristics

Taste
Hot, woody, citrusy.
Texture
Hard; crack or grind before eating.
When cooked
Whole corns infuse slowly; crushing releases heat and aroma immediately.
Sold as
whole, ground
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Used for tempering (tadka)

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in an airtight jar; whole peppercorns hold their aroma far longer than ground pepper.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
251 kcal
Protein
10.39 g
Carbohydrate
63.95 g
Fat
3.26 g
Fibre
25.3 g
Sugars
0.64 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, pepper, black.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Black pepper — Pre-ground pepper for ground uses; about ¾ of the volume. Not suitable where whole corns are strained out.

Related ingredients

Recipes with black peppercorns

See all 35

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