Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in a dry, cool place.

Ingredients

Pepper, Smoke flavor

Our Smoked Black Peppercorns have a smooth, robust, smoky flavor and mouthwatering aroma that complements many dishes. From BBQ rubs and marinades to seasoning blends and dressings, these smoked peppercorns give warm, deep flavor to a wide variety of foods.

Black peppercorns come from the common pepper plant (Piper nigrum), a flowering tropical plant that produces tiny berries. These berries can be harvested and processed at various stages of maturity to achieve different flavors and colors. Black peppercorns are harvested at full maturity, but before they ripen. When picked, they are greenish yellow in color. The peppercorns are then briefly boiled and allowed to dry and ferment until they become wrinkled, black and very aromatic, with a moderately hot, warming flavor.

Peppercorns have far-reaching cultural and historical significance. Europeans sought them as far back as ancient times, and as a result they drove exploration and commerce. The lure of pepper and other spices brought explorers from all over Europe to India during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Peppercorns were sometimes accepted in lieu of money in dowries, taxes and rent.

India is currently the world's largest producer of peppercorns, and it's also the site of the first documented peppercorn use, in the 4th century B.C. Experts believe the pepper plant originated in the Southern Indian state of Kerala.