Buy whole peppercorns and grind pepper as needed
Use whole black peppercorns and grind them when you cook because pre-ground pepper loses flavour quickly.
Purchase whole pepper and an inexpensive pepper mill. Grind only what you need at the moment; pre-ground pepper can taste dull after a few months. Fresh grinding means you can use less pepper while getting more flavour.
The short version
- Pre-ground pepper keeps its punch only for a few months.
- Fresh-ground pepper tastes stronger, so you often need less.
What you need
- pepper millAny inexpensive mill works for grinding as needed
What goes wrong
Buying pre-ground pepper and expecting strong flavour
Buy whole peppercorns and grind right before using.
Why it works
Grinding exposes aromatic compounds; once ground, those aromas dissipate quickly, so freshness dramatically affects flavour intensity.
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