Pepper and Salt Mills

FOOD · UNITED KINGDOM

Pepper and Salt Mills

Why grinding matters, mechanism materials, adjusting grind and what to put in them

Pre-ground pepper loses most of what makes pepper interesting within weeks, which is the entire argument for a mill.

Why freshly ground

Pepper's aroma comes from volatile oils that escape once the corn is broken. Ground pepper sitting in a jar is largely piperine, which provides heat without the citrus and pine notes.

The difference is immediately obvious and is the cheapest improvement available in most kitchens.

Mechanism materials

Pepper mills use hardened steel burrs, which cut and crush the corn. Salt is corrosive and requires a ceramic or stainless mechanism — a steel pepper mechanism will rust if used for salt.

Never put salt in a mill intended for pepper. That is the most common way a good mill is ruined.

Grind settings

A mill worth owning adjusts from coarse to fine. Coarse suits steak and slow cooking; fine suits sauces and dressings and distributes more evenly.

Check whether the adjustment is a single nut at the top or a proper detented setting, since the latter is repeatable.

What to fill them with

Whole black peppercorns, or white for pale sauces. Coarse dry sea salt or rock salt in a salt mill — never damp salt, which clogs, and never fine table salt, which pours straight through.

Do not mix peppercorns with dried fruit or other flavourings in a mill unless it is designed for it, since these gum up a mechanism.

Care

Keep mills dry and away from steam, empty them occasionally rather than topping up indefinitely, and do not wash the mechanism.

Buying peppercorns

Buy in quantities you will use within a few months, since whole corns keep far better than ground pepper and still fade over a year. Look for a stated origin rather than generic black pepper.

Different origins taste noticeably different, and trying two side by side is the cheapest education in the kitchen.

Seasoning as you cook

Season in layers as you go rather than only at the end, tasting each time. That is what makes home food taste finished.

Salt in cooking

Most adults eat more salt than recommended, and the majority of it comes from processed food rather than the mill. Seasoning your own cooking while eating less packaged food usually reduces total intake.

Different salts taste the same once dissolved, so flaky sea salt is for finishing a dish rather than for the pan.

Keep mills where you cook rather than on a dining table, since that is where seasoning actually happens.

Buying

Good mills carry long guarantees on the mechanism itself, which is the part that matters, and can usually be repaired rather than replaced.

WHERE TO BUY

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