Pink Peppercorns, Schinus terebinthifolius, also called red peppercorns, rose peppers, or rose-poivre. Pink peppercorns are not actually related to green, black, or white peppercorns, but get their name from the similarities in look and their peppery flavor.

Pink Peppercorns have an essential oil content of up to 4% that is made up of mostly monoterpene hydrocarbons.
 

What are Pink Peppercorns

Pink peppercorns are prized for their spectacular pinkish-red color and the burst of peppery flavor that they add to almost any dish. Pink Peppercorns are a dried berry of the Peruvian pepper tree (which in this country is also called the California pepper tree) or the Brazilian pepper tree. These are most popular in French cuisine, where they are known as rose-poivre. These peppercorns are almost hollow and have a fragile exterior shell that gives way to a tiny interior nut. In this country Pink peppercorns are frequently used in peppercorn blends such as our Gourmet Peppercorn Mixer.
 

History of Pink Peppercorns

Pink peppercorns are native to Peru where they still grow prolifically. The exportation of pink peppercorns from Brazil and Peru has only been happening since the late 1800's or early 1900's but can now be found around the world. The Wariʼ, an indigenous people of Brazil, used the berries to make chiche, which is like a Pink Peppercorn beer. These peppercorns came to culinary fame with the dawn of nouvelle cuisine in the 1960s and '70s where they were often paired with Green Peppercorns for ornamental effect.

The plant prefers hot and wet climates, though where they do grow is not always in line with their ideal climates. They have been naturalized throughout Western and Southern North America and the Pacific Islands. Pink peppercorn shrubs were introduced into Florida in the 19th century as decorative plants. Peruvian pepper trees can be found thriving in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and Texas. The plants have grown so abundantly that they have become labeled as an invasive species in most of these regions.
 

Pink Peppercorn Cultivation

Peruvian pepper is an evergreen tree with a weeping canopy of branches, native to Northern Peru in the high desert of the Andes. The trees typically reach a height of 22 to 32 feet. The leaves are oval, 1-2 inches long and .75 to 1.25 inches wide. In spring and summer, tiny, delicate white flowers emerge and give way to the immature green berries. The fruit is a drupe with hundreds of berries clustered together. The berries mature to a reddish-pink when they are ready for harvest. The plants grow wild in Brazil’s coastal regions.
 

Where are Our Pink Peppercorns From

Brazil.
 

Do Pink Peppercorns Taste Different

Pink Peppercorns have a delightful spicy-sweet flavor with citrus undertones. This gives them a different flavor profile than the more familiar Black Peppercorns.
 

What do You do with Pink Peppercorns

The light, sweet flavor of Pink Peppercorns is ideal for accentuating light cream sauces for chicken and fish. Their sweet-and-citrus flavors are an excellent accent for salmon. These are very popular in French dishes such as côte de boeuf with Pink Peppercorn sauce. Pink peppercorns work well with fruit and love pomegranates, so try a pomegranate/pink peppercorn panna cotta. They add an unexpected fruit flavor to caramel sauces and ice cream. They also work ground together with sea salt, so try it on the rim of a margarita, or muddle the peppercorns into gin for a new twist on a classic gimlet.

Works well in combination with other spices especially basil, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, juniper berries, lavender, mint, rosemary, saffron, and vanilla.

Pink Peppercorns are good with bacon, beef, bergamot, butter, chicken, citrus fruits, cream, garlic, onions, lemongrass, pineapple, pomegranate, dried rosebuds, strawberries, and white-fleshed fish.
 

Pink Peppercorn Substitution

Substituting for Pink Peppercorns can be challenging. While the flavor won’t be exact, you can certainly use other peppercorns in a pinch. We prefer Green or Black Peppercorns over White Peppercorns.


 

Hungry for More Information

Spice Cabinet 101: Peppercorns
Craft Brewers Favorite Spices
How to Grind Spices
Volatile Oils of Spices