I am about to give away one of my secrets… I use Tellicherry Black Pepper in my BBQ rubs. Tellicherry has a more balanced flavor versus the heat. Fresh ground tellicherry pepper also hits the nose in a pleasant way. Using tellicherry black pepper is a good way to up a level in your BBQ rubs. I discovered tellicherry pepper at Penzeys Spices and now I see that this pepper is readily available on Amazon.
It’s okay if you never heard of tellicherry black pepper. It’s still black pepper but the peppercorns are larger than 4.25mm in diameter. This corresponds to less than 10% of the yield from the vine. The prices for black pepper ranges, so I recommend starting on the low-end and giving tellicherry sized peppercorns a taste. And, I always recommend that you grind the pepper fresh if you are using it on a brisket or ribs or in a barbecue sauce. For rubs, try a courser grind. For sauces, try a mix of fine and coarse.
Let me know if you try this out and let me know what you think of the flavor and aroma.
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