History of Green Peppercorns

Without Green Peppercorns, we wouldn't have black peppercorns! This is because black peppercorns are made from green peppercorns, and so their history is very much intertwined. Peppercorns were once in such high demand and so valuable that a pound of peppercorns could purchase a serf's freedom.

Today, they are much more common and easily found, but this wasn't always the case. Pepper has been used for thousands of years as a way to pay off debts and in some cultures, like Ancient Egypt, it was used to help embalm bodies. During the 19th century in New England, people used peppercorns to keep moths away. They would cover their furs and flannels with peppercorns to discourage pests from eating at them while they were in storage for the summer months.

In 408 ACE when the invading king of the Visigoths held Rome for ransom, he demanded 3,000 pounds of pepper for part of his ransom. Romans believed peppercorns signaled wealth and would lavish their dinners with huge amounts of pepper. Only the wealthiest could afford the luxury of eating a mouthful of black pepper with every bite. Roman recipe books, including one of the first entitled Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius, has more recipes that call for pepper than don't.

Eventually the less affluent were searching for substitutes to taste what the wealthy were tasting and eventually found cubeb berries, long pepper, and grains of paradise to all be relatively similar substitutes. Over time, pepper's appeal lessened and there became more supply to adequately match the demand. Prices fell and pepper lost its place as a status symbol, though it never truly lost its place at tables across the world.

Green Peppercorn Cultivation

Green Peppercorns are the unripe, tender berries plucked from the peppercorn vine and then boiled, washed with potassium sulphite to halt the oxidization process that would cause the green peppercorn to turn black, and then freeze dried or dehydrated. In countries where the peppercorns are grown, they are also used fresh. In some large cities in the United States, you may be able to find imported fresh peppercorns, but mostly they are suspended in a brine, dried, or canned before they are sold here because they have a very short shelf life when fresh.

Green Peppercorns are grown on a vine that is started by either the cuttings of another plant or seeds. Cuttings tend to be the easiest to work with, and new vines will take about 3 years before they begin to produce drupes. After their first drupes appear, they will continue to be prosperous for about 20 years, and sometimes even longer if cared for exceptionally. Vines are typically wrapped up around poles to encourage them to grow upward. They can reach 25 feet in length, as long as they are protected from too much sun or too much water. Typically, plants are covered with leaves of some sort during the day when the sun is directly on the plants.

Where are Green Peppercorns from?

Our Green Peppercorns come from India.

Are Green Peppercorns and Capers the Same Thing?

No, Green Peppercorns and Capers are not the same thing. While they are often used as a substitute for one another, they come from different plants. Green Peppercorns are from the peppercorn vine, Piper nigrum, while capers are from the caper bush or Capparis spinosa.

Types of Peppercorns

Green, red, white, and black peppercorns all come from the same plant. Pink peppercorns or Sichuan peppercorns are called peppercorns but actually do not come from the same plant, and are neither technically peppercorns at all. Black peppercorns are probably the most familiar to an American consumer, but white is more popular in European and Indian cuisine. Green peppercorns are harder to find and are less frequently occurring in any cuisine. Red peppercorns are typically the most difficult to find as the fewest crops are dedicated to growing them and they are the hardest to grow. Red peppercorns are very attractive to animals and birds and tend to be eaten up. They need a lot of attention and care while they are growing so they can reach full maturity.

What Can You Make with Green Peppercorns?

Green Peppercorns can be used exactly like black peppercorns. Grind them up and use them in vegetable soup, on pasta dishes, or in stews. Leave them whole and incorporate them into chhonk. We like to grind some up for apricots, artichokes, and even pineapple.

These peppercorns can be made into a delicious sauce for steak. You only need peppercorns, a medium to medium large shallot, ½ stick of unsalted butter, and ¾ cups of your favorite dry red wine. Simply rehydrate 3 tablespoons of Green Peppercorns in one cup of warm, salted water for an hour. After about 45 minutes into the hour required to rehydrate the peppercorns, chop your shallot and add it with 1 tablespoon of the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the shallot is soft, but not yet browned, add wine. Crush your rehydrated peppercorns with the flat side of a knife and add to the saucepan. Once the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 of a cup, whisk in the remaining butter. Season with salt to taste, if desired, and then drizzle over your steak. A different variation of a similar sauce can be found in our recipe for Green Peppercorn Steak.

The delicate, peppery flavor of Green Peppercorns tastes great with chicken, eggs, salmon, duck, pork, salads, strawberries, and tomatoes. When used in combination with other spices, try it with onion, garlic, allspice, basil, caraway, cardamom, oregano, paprika, salt, and parsley.

What Do Green Peppercorns Taste Like?

Green Peppercorns have a milder pepper flavor than black pepper, as they haven't oxidized and their flavor profile is more akin to the flavor you would have if you plucked a fresh underripe peppercorn off the vine and popped it into your mouth.

Can You Rehydrate Dried Green Peppercorns?

Yes, you can rehydrate Green Peppercorns. Simply add them to your liquid of choice, whether it be water, wine, cooking stock, etc. and let them sit for about an hour. They should puff up a bit and their surface will be smoother. After they've been rehydrated, they can be used in a variety of recipes.

How Do I Store Green Peppercorns?

Green Peppercorns can maintain their flavor for 1 to 2 years when stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Ground pepper will lose flavor much more quickly, so you should only grind these on an as-needed basis.

What's a Good Green Peppercorn Substitute?

Substituting for Green Peppercorns can be challenging. Your best bet is to reach for white peppercorns, as they have a similarly mild peppercorn flavor. If you are using fresh green peppercorns packed in a brine and you are looking for a substitute for that, capers are an okay substitute as they have similar flavor notes.

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