The Complete Guide to Harvesting, Preparing, and Drying Black Pepper

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

Drying the pepper berry into a peppercorn is the most important step in the production of black pepper. Doing it right leaves you with glossy, beautiful black peppercorns full of flavour, ready to show you why this spice a cornerstone of cooking. Like most good things, this takes labour and time, but it can be done without any expensive equipment.

When do you harvest pepper berries to dry into black pepper?

Harvest each spike when it is just beginning to change colour. Look at the spikes on your plants and pick any that have mostly green berries, with 1-2 berries turning a brighter colour (yellow or red).^{[1]
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Research source} Black pepper is made from pepper berries that are just barely starting to mature. Spikes at different stages of maturity won't end up black.
- There are several cultivars of black pepper plants, and their green fruit colour can range from grey-green to dark green to yellow-green.^{[2]
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  Research source} The exact colour change depends on the cultivar, but it should be easy to notice.
- If you are drying pepper for yourself, you can speed things up by picking all the spikes at the same time, even if some aren't fully mature yet. Keep in mind you'll end up with a mix of green, black, and white peppercorns, though (farmers don't do this because they want all the peppercorns to be black).^{[3]
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How do you prepare fresh pepper for drying?

1
Ferment the intact spikes in the sun to improve the scent. After harvesting, leave the spikes intact without removing any berries. Place the spikes out in the sun in a single layer. This initial 'fermentation' or 'first drying' is optional but recommended, as it helps breaks down some compounds in the plant to create a better black colour in the final peppercorn.^{[4]
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- This step may vary the most between different growers in different parts of the world, when it is done at all; it can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.^{[5]
  X
  Research source} The details aren't important for a home project, but if you're growing to sell, you can try experimenting with different lengths to see how it affects the final result.
- If they're outside, they'll need constant supervision to prevent birds from eating the riper berries. If you're making a small batch at home, it's easier to place them next to a window.
2
Blanch the berries in boiling water for 5-6 minutes to kill microbes. Put the pepper spikes inside a fine mesh sieve, or (for large batches) a clean, food-safe cloth bag on the end of a stick. Lower the container into boiling water and leave it for several minutes. Blanching improves the flavour, colour, and scent of the pepper and can help the berries dry more quickly.^{[6]
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- If you're in a hurry, it's fine to blanch the berries in water as low as 60ºC (140ºF) for 30 seconds or so.^{[7]
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3
Knock the individual berries off the spikes. Let the spikes cool a bit after blanching them. Then, rub the spikes between your hands, trample them with your feet, or put them in containers and beat them with sticks.^{[8]
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Research source} This helps separate the berries from the broken stems and other plant parts.
- Wash your hands, feet (if you're trampling berries), and equipment thoroughly before separating the berries from the stems.
- For larger harvests, you can use automated threshing equipment to make the process easier.

How do you sun-dry pepper?

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Lay the berries on a clean, dry surface in direct sunlight. Keep the layer as thin as possible, with minimal overlap of berries. For large harvests, leave pathways between the berries so you can walk between them and reach them all with a rake.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for leading international efforts to end world hunger and improve nutrition
Go to source}
2
Rake the berries every 3-4 hours to turn them over. This promotes even drying and helps prevent mould from developing on the berries. Supervise constantly to protect the berries against animals and rain.^{[10]
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- Don't be too discouraged if some of the berries get wet, fouled by birds, or just go mouldy on their own. It's normal to lose a large percentage of the crop.^{[11]
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  Research source} Just throw them away and focus on the rest.
3
Gather the peppercorns after several days of drying them. Let the berries dry for at least 2-3 days in very hot, dry weather, or as many as 12 days in cool, humid weather.^{[12]
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Research source} A quick test used in Sri Lanka is to stop drying when you can put your hand into a pile of peppercorns and they stick to your hairs.^{[13]
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How do you dry pepper in a drying machine or oven?

1
Place the berries in a single layer inside the machine. Any forced-air dryer or convection dryer will work as long as it doesn't get too hot. You can even use an oven with a low-temperature "warm" setting, if you have a very small amount of pepper to dry.
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Dry the pepper at 55ºC (130ºF) until it reaches 12% water content. This temperature is recommended for best colour and flavour.^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Higher temperatures work as long as the pepper never gets above 70ºC (160ºF).^{[15]
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Research source} The amount of time varies based on many factors, but this often takes less than a day.^{[16]
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Trustworthy Source
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for leading international efforts to end world hunger and improve nutrition
Go to source}
- Many drying machines don't stay at a constant temperature, so check often.
- If you are drying pepper for your own use, the exact water percentage doesn't matter. Just take out the pepper when they turn into black peppercorns.
- If you are growing pepper for sale or transport, measure the water content with chemistry equipment. You can use a Dean-Stark apparatus with toluene, or the Karl Fischer method (by hand or with an automated Karl Fischer titrator).^{[17]
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How do you process black peppercorns for storage?

1
Clean and sort the dried peppercorns. In a typical harvest, only about ⅓ of the green berries end up as usable black peppercorns.^{[18]
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Research source} Remove any stems or leaves that you see and toss out any peppercorns that are broken or the wrong size/colour. If you're selling the pepper, you could sell some of the defective ones separately to be turned into black pepper oil.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for leading international efforts to end world hunger and improve nutrition
Go to source}
- A sieve and/or a winnowing basket can help you remove dust and separate out different grades of pepper. Other types of sorting can be done by hand, but this is much easier with specialised machines. If you sell your pepper to a processing plant, these machines might be available there.
- The main factor in how many black peppercorns are usable is the cultivar of pepper. In Malaysia, for example, the cultivars "Semongok Emas," "Nyerigai," and "India" can have a yield over 40%.^{[20]
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Store whole peppercorns in clean, airtight containers for 3-4 years. Ideally, these should be brand-new, but you can reuse containers if you clean them thoroughly. Never reuse a container that has been used for non-food products, and keep the containers away from gardening products like pesticides.^{[21]
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Research source} Store the peppercorns in a cool, dark area and use them within 3-4 years.^{[22]
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- An airtight material such as glass or plastic is best to prevent the loss of flavour and excessive drying. If using polypropylene plastic, seal the edges with heat to make them airtight. Avoid polythene, which does not stop flavour loss.^{[23]
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- If using jute bags or other cloth bags, do not label them with ink, since it can seep through the bag. A paper tag is better.^{[24]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
  Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for leading international efforts to end world hunger and improve nutrition
  Go to source}
- If you are processing a large amount of black pepper for sale, store it in its own room away from other foods.^{[25]
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Warnings

Always transport black pepper in cool, dry, well-ventilated vehicles. Protect the containers from moisture with absorbent cloths, mats, and/or anti-condensation films and paints. Black pepper also releases its own water into the air, so do not ship it with other moisture-sensitive products.^{[28]
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