It's A Mistake To Pick Up Pre-Ground Peppercorns
Black pepper is a quintessential spice that you should be reaching for just as often as you reach for salt. While black pepper is used mostly in savory dishes, like to crust meat or to enhance the flavor of sauces, it can also be used in sweet applications. Like many spices, you can purchase pre-ground peppercorns, but just because you can buy something doesn't mean you should. Pre-ground pepper is just peppercorns that have been crushed up and packaged. While it may be easier to pour and measure, the benefits pretty much stop there.
The real reason you should be using fresh ground peppercorns is the flavor. When pepper is freshly ground, either in a pepper mill or mortar and pestle, the pepper's natural fruitiness and spicy, sharp taste become more pronounced. Its sharp flavor actually helps us taste other food more strongly, due to the pepper's ability to stimulate our salivary glands. Pre-ground pepper also loses its flavor strength over time, while whole peppercorns can stay fresh anywhere from one to three years if stored correctly. The only thing you'll need for fresh peppercorns is a pepper grinder, which you probably already have in your pantry.
Try a variety of peppercorns
When you use fresh peppercorns, not only do you get a boost of flavor, but you also have control over the consistency. Most pepper grinders have a setting that allows you to choose how coarse or fine you want your ground pepper to be. This can be very helpful depending on what the pepper is being used for. If pepper is going to be used as a table-side seasoning, you'll want to go for a fine or extra fine grind to ensure it doesn't overtake the food. If you're making steak au poivre, aka peppercorn-crusted steak, you'll want larger, coarse ground that'll stick to the beef.
If you purchase pre-ground peppercorns, it's likely you'll only get ground black peppercorns. While black peppercorns are great for everyday use, there are other, lesser-known types of peppercorns that can also be ground and utilized for their unique flavors. Green peppercorns have an herbier, milder flavor and pair well with seafood. White peppercorns are mild and are great mixed into light-colored sauces where you don't want to see color. Pink peppercorns are the most mild, almost sweet, and pair well with desserts. By purchasing and grinding your own peppercorns, you'll get to experiment with new flavors and textures.