White pepper

White pepper is processed from the same pepper berry (Piper nigrum) as black and green pepper.  The pepper berry is allowed to ripen completely, the skin removed then allowed to dry.  Although this pepper is less pungent than black  it is hotter and has a distinctive flavor that quickly becomes overpowering if too much is used.

You can purchase whole white peppercorns or ground white pepper.  The latter can be found in most well-stocked grocery stores. We've found very good prices for whole white peppercorns in Asian markets.

Uses For White Pepper

Use white pepper in light color sauces or dishes where you don't want the flecks of pepper to show. We like to use white pepper in cheese fondue recipes and light color cream soups.

If you don't have white pepper you can substitute black pepper as long as you don't mind seeing the flecks. See the equivalents below comparing whole vs ground weights. If you want to use white pepper to replace black pepper you may want to use a little less. CooksIllustrated, after doing several taste tests does not recommend using black pepper to replace white pepper IF the recipes uses a lot of white pepper and is reliant on the flavor and heat.

1 teaspoon peppercorns = 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground pepper