# White vs black pepper: what's the difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127 "2011-03-27T07:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/21 "2011-03-28T17:58:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Pink peppercorns are indeed a bit sweet and fruity. They are not from the same plant or genus that true peppercorns (_Piper_) are. I think they go very nicely mixed with some black and/or white peppercorns on a steak or roast. I’m guessing if I wanted pink pepper, I really would have to mail-order it. The largest supermarket within a 40-minute drive of me doesn’t even stock bottled _fish sauce_, for heaven’s sake! They _may_ have white pepper, it seems fairly commonplace, but I sincerely doubt they have pink pepper! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/22 "2011-03-28T18:10:45Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > Maybe it’s just me, but I do taste kind of a big difference in the peppers. To me, white pepper is a steady heat in the background, and absolutely imperative in clam chowder. Black pepper kind of stands alone, doesn’t really ‘blend’. To me, white pepper actually seems stronger, and not something I’d really want to grind on top of something; I should try that sometime. But that might be just me. > [@Spoons](#): > > That’s my experience also: white pepper blends with other ingredients to create an elusive, yet steady, heat; black pepper stands out. The heat that is present in hot and sour soup, for example, comes partly from white pepper–the soup is definitely hot, but why it is hot is difficult to explain unless you know that white pepper is one of the ingredients. [chef hat] White pepper is generally ground finer than black pepper as well, so that by itself will make its flavor blend more evenly into food. You’re not going to that individual grain sitting on your tongue like you might with black pepper. [/chef hat] ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/23 "2011-03-28T18:29:16Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Pink peppercorns are indeed a bit sweet and fruity. They are not from the same plant or genus that true peppercorns (_Piper_) are. I think they go very nicely mixed with some black and/or white peppercorns on a steak or roast. Groovy! I’ve only seen pink pepper in a medley with black & white, I’ll have to try it now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/24 "2011-03-28T18:49:43Z")
Usually I like the canned green peppercorns in brine for a steak sauce, but the greek corner store near my house sells jars of pink peppercorns in brine here - made a wonderful sauce for steak by crushing the pink peppercorns and adding them and a large splash of brandy to the pan after cooking the steaks then once the alcohol was burnt off adding some heavy cream. They were milder and sweeter than the green peppercorns in the same sauce, and although I still would have the green peppercorns any time, pink peppercorns are delightful too. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/25 "2011-03-28T19:57:52Z")
It has been my understanding that white pepper corn has less flavor and more heat than the black. So it adds more kick with less pepper taste. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127/26 "2011-03-28T20:22:11Z")
White pepper is used extensively in Chinese cooking and in SE Asian cooking. It’s a different taste. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-vs-black-pepper-whats-the-difference/576127.md?page=1)