The Hassle-Free Trick To Easily Refill Your Pepper Mill

If salt is the king of seasonings, then surely pepper is the queen. This zingy ingredient imparts flavor into just about anything, and even takes the lead from time to time (in cacio e pepe pasta, for example). And while pre-ground pepper is a quick and convenient option for those wishing to harness this spice's flavor-giving superpowers, nothing quite compares to the freshly ground variety, delivered straight from a pepper mill.

The latter actually gives a stronger and longer-lasting flavor due to the fact that the essential oils have been kept safe inside the peppercorn's hard shell right up until the moment they are ground. Using pepper from a pepper mill also gives you better control over how much flavor you want a dish to have, not only by how much you actually end up grinding, but also by the size of the grind itself.

There's just one small problem — loading a pepper mill to achieve said flavor is easier said than done. You know what we're talking about — peppercorns bouncing off in every direction except the very place they are meant to go. But never fear, this notoriously tricky task is about to become a whole lot easier thanks to an extremely simple hack that requires just one piece of equipment: either a resealable plastic bag, or a bowl.

Simply place the pepper mill in the center of your chosen equipment, then use your hands to fill. In both cases, bigger is better — especially if you have a mill on the larger side. The idea is that any stray peppercorns will land in the bag or bowl, rather than rolling away across the counter, onto the floor, and out of sight.

Aside from being incredibly easy to carry out, this hack is a great way of ensuring that not a single peppercorn goes to waste. (Great news, as whole peppercorns are typically more expensive than their pre-ground counterparts.) And if using a bag, you can leave any remaining peppercorns in it until the time comes for refilling your mill again.

Once you've filled the pepper mill to capacity, you're ready to put those aromatic peppercorns to good use. Whether they're rubbed onto steak or other meats before cooking, enjoyed as the star of the show in dishes like black pepper beef, or cracked directly over food at the table just like those fancy waiters at your favorite restaurant do — freshly ground black pepper knows no bounds. There's also nothing stopping you from embracing this trick for other types of peppercorns (think white, green, and pink). Just know that however you choose to put this hack into action, those pesky runaway peppercorns will never both you again.