See also ground pepper.
White pepper is a slightly milder version of the common black pod or grind. They both originate from the same berries, which are called peppercorns.
The plant, pepper nigrum, is propagated in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. To reach the white pepper stage, berries are allowed to ripen and then soaked in water to remove the hulls. Black pepper, on the other hand, is harvested before the berries are ripe.
European cooks particularly favor white pepper for soups and sauces and prefer it as a table condiment.
White pepper can be purchased whole, cracked, or ground. Gourmet shops may carry the Indonesian variety called muntok.
Whole peppercorns are always preferred over ground or cracked.
Try one of our favorite white pepper recipes:
View BigOven's white-pepper recipes