Woodsy and bold, Ground White Pepper offers the unmistakable sting that peppercorns deliver with a straightforward, no-nonsense burn. Ground White Pepper, with its resinous aroma full of prickly top notes, offers the pine-forward, piperine heat of peppercorns that fades into a gently bitter finish. White pepper is composed of about 2% piperine by weight, which is the volatile oil that drives the flavor of peppercorns. In order to preserve that volatile oil we grind our white pepper in small batches in our facility, and because white pepper is often selected to disappear into a creamy or light-colored dish, we grind it at a 40-mesh, very fine grind.

White peppercorns are a product of the exact same vine that gives us black and green peppercorns; it is their specialized processing which creates their unique characteristics. While still on the vine, the peppercorns that will become white are allowed to begin the ripening process, and their hulls will start to turn red. Once that happens the whole corns are picked from the vine and soaked in water for ten days. When the exterior husk sloughs off the interior nut, smooth and creamy white, remains. This nut is the white peppercorn, which is then allowed to dry so it is ready for use. White pepper should be thoroughly dried after processing to prevent the musty odor with which it is commonly associated; it should smell clean, brisk, and piney.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Ground White Pepper puts the “hot” in traditional Chinese hot-and-sour soup, but it should be added at the end of cooking time to convey its full heat and flavor. White pepper can become bitter if it’s cooked too long, so use it at the end of cooking times. Mix it into mashed potatoes—double-bonus if they’re rosemary mashed potatoes, where the pepper and rosemary will play off each other’s piney qualities—or sprinkle on top of pasta. It’s a classic in creamy hollandaise sauce, and can also add a surprising lift to rich Alfredo sauce. Use it to finish white chicken chili or corn chowder for a fresh bit of heat right over the top. White pepper loves strawberries, so add to a summer salad, or make an invigorating strawberry shrub with a surprisingly peppery bite. We also have whole White Peppercorns available.

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Ingredients: Ground white peppercorns

Country of Origin: USA