When I first smoked a Texas-style beef brisket, I almost fell off my chair when I discovered how much freshly ground black pepper was necessary.
I immediately understood that my table pepper grinder would not suffice.
Fortunately, there is a far better method to acquire lots of tasty, freshly ground pepper for your barbeque rubs without suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome!
Contents
- The best method for grinding black pepper in bulk
- What about regular spice grinders?
- Why you should always use fresh pepper for spice rubs
- If all else fails
- FAQs
- Can you grind black pepper in a food processor?
- What is the best way to grind long pepper?
- Can I use a pepper grinder to grind spices?
- Can I grind black pepper in a coffee grinder?
- Can you grind black pepper in a blender?
- Should you grind black pepper?
- Should black pepper be roasted before grinding?
- Can you put whole peppercorns in grinder?
- What is the best grinder material for pepper?
The best method for grinding black pepper in bulk
A burr coffee grinder is the ideal tool for swiftly and consistently grinding large amounts of black pepper.
Burr grinders include two spinning abrasive surfaces that may be adjusted closer or farther apart to give you the precise grind for your recipe.
You may use large chunks for your pepper-crusted steak or a delicate dusting in your chicken spice mix.
Burr coffee grinders, unlike many other kinds of grinders, are particularly intended to retain taste integrity. Burr grinders, as opposed to blade grinders, employ less friction and create less heat, making them an excellent option for spices.
They use an electric motor for accuracy and speed, sparing your wrist and allowing you to grind your pepper in record time.
If you already have a burr coffee grinder, we suggest getting a second one just for spice rubs. Morning coffee with a pepper kick, after all, could be a bit too much of a wake-up call!
High-end burr coffee grinders may cost more than $1,000, but happily, those are reserved for coffee connoisseurs. A low-cost model will suffice for grinding pepper.
A coffee grinder is also useful if you want to produce your own homemade coffee rub.
Cuisinart’s top-rated product comes highly recommended. It contains an 18-position grind selection that ranges from ultra-coarse to ultra-fine, allowing you to make freshly ground pepper just as you want it.
What about regular spice grinders?
You may be wondering, “Wait, can’t I just use a regular spice grinder?”
You can, but if you want a simple method to produce a consistently ground spice mix, a burr grinder is essential.
While a standard spice grinder or pestle and mortar will do the job, you will not obtain uniformly crushed peppercorns. Some may be chunky and have a decent bite to them, while others will have a barely-there flavor.
Finally, it all comes down to how fantastic you want your ultimate product to be. For a simple technique to evenly ground black peppercorns, we were completely won over by the effectiveness and convenience of use that only burr coffee grinders can provide, not to mention the flavor!
Why you should always use fresh pepper for spice rubs
If you’re wondering, sure, your homemade BBQ spice rubs will taste better with fresh pepper. There is absolutely no comparison between pre-ground pepper and ground black peppercorns in terms of flavor and texture.
You can customize the texture and taste of your spice rub by grinding pepper. You may adjust the grind setting to fit your recipe or personal taste. You’ll also notice that freshly ground peppercorns have a considerably superior flavor.
Ground black pepper, like other ground substances, including spices and coffee, loses its freshness and taste intensity with time. Still not convinced? Compare store-bought pre-ground pepper versus freshly ground pepper at home. We guarantee you’ll be blown away by the difference.
If you prefer the ease of ready-ground black pepper, just grind a bit more the next time you make a spice rub. You may use it up in your everyday meals over the next week or two before the taste starts to diminish.
If all else fails
If you’re in desperate need of black pepper grinding and just have a normal pepper mill on hand, don’t give up. There is a (slightly unusual) solution.
It includes an empty film canister and a power drill, and it is presented to you by none other than Alton Brown. Check out his boosted pepper grinder approach!
If you’re wondering, this was a prank, and we don’t encourage using this approach unless you’re desperate!
Wrapping it up
A burr coffee grinder is unquestionably the way to go when it comes to grinding a bunch of fresh pepper for your spice rubs.
Not only will your pepper be consistently ground in record speed, but it will also maintain the greatest amount of flavor for delectable results.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any queries or valuable hints to share? Please feel free to leave a remark below; we’d love to hear from you!
