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I purchased the Monterey Bay Herb Co. Black Peppercorn (16 Mesh) 1lb bag, and it’s been fantastic for seasoning my smoked and grilled meats. The coarse grind is perfect for adding a bold, fresh pepper flavor that holds up well during cooking. The quality of the peppercorns is top-notch — very fresh and aromatic. Using this spice really enhances the taste of my BBQ and grilled dishes. The large 1lb bag offers great value and lasts through many cooking sessions. ✅ Pros: – Premium quality, fresh black peppercorns – Perfect coarse grind for smoking and grilling – Strong, flavorful aroma – Large 1lb bag for great value ❌ Cons: – None experienced so far Bottom Line: If you want to elevate your smoked or grilled meats with bold pepper flavor, Monterey Bay Herb Co.’s black peppercorns are an excellent choice. Highly recommend!

Freshness and Taste - I've purchased the San Antonio before and have been pleased but they didn't have the 16oz on Amazon, so I decided to 3 small sizes and compare smaller sized Lane's and Monterrey Bay to see if I was still buying the best. I'm using these products on BBQ, primarily beef brisket. Brisket is a long smoke, so I don't mind a fresh flavor to my pepper (ie. strong flavor) because it mellows over the long cook. When I compare these 3, the San Antonio was the freshest and tastiest, then Monterrey, then Lane's. The SA and MB were so close though I could hardly tell the difference and maybe some bias crept in. I think both are fine. The Lane's was also close but I could distinctly taste some staleness. The pepper is still very good, just not as fresh. Now on to the #16 Mesh debate. In my experiment, all 3 are actually #16 Mesh sized pepper. I setup a comparison to a "control pepper" that I knew for sure was #16 mesh. It might not be completely clear on the picture but all looked to be the same size. I have all kinds of pepper sizes in my pantry and these 3 are what they claim to be. IDK what the other reviewers are comparing to but I think they are just guessing. One more note on Lane's - I had the same experience as a lot of other reviewers when it comes to the freshness seal at the lid of this product not being affixed properly. The seal is printed with "sealed for freshness" but mine came off with the cap (if you look closely at the picture, you'll see how it came off). If you worry about safety, then do not purchase. I can look past it for that reason, HOWEVER, it speaks to Lane's packing quality and maybe the freshness of the product? The other 2 products are sealed airtight in plastic bags.

When mixed with an equal amount of kosher salt this is by itself a great basic rub for smoked brisket. Vacuum packing retains the essence of the pepper.

My husband using this for smoking meat and the flavor is amazing!

Great for backyard and all other BBQ needs. Mix with other spices or just salt for a Texas style BBQ.

Not sure it was truly 16 mesh - seemed a little more fine but great flavor

good value

We don't like regular fine ground pepper...no flavour, no oomph. Ditto with salt. My husband doesn't care for the pepper from the pepper grinder, says it's too peppery, although I like it. Frankly, it's too much to do to change the gears on the grinder for his salad, then back again for mine. This 16 mesh coarse grind solves the problem splendidly. The smell of this pepper stays amazingly peppery, especially when compared with the smaller containers that have been sitting on the store shelves for how long is anyone's guess, not to mention the warehouse before hitting the stores! And buying a pound bag is so much less expensive than buying those small 3+ ounce containers. A one-pound bag fills a quart jar perfectly, so refills are easy to do.

My husband loves this stuff!