Make any delicious dishes with almost no black pepper. You will lose the flavor because of the lack of black pepper and realize its originally forgotten value.

I recently tested an old-fashioned mushroom beef stew recipe that included a packet of dried onion soup mixture. After three hours of simmering in the oven, the meat became tender. Moreover, the taste is strong and complex, but lacks...something.

Spinning the black pepper grinder on the stew about five times solved this problem. I stir the pepper into the meat and the thin, rich gravy and the dish is done. The only thing that can make it better is if the peppers are stewed with the meat during the cooking process.

While reviewing the recipe, I noticed that pepper is not listed, but I think it is in the onion soup mixture, which is a packaging ingredient that I rarely use. Later I found out that pepper is not included. 

Pepper is a basic ingredient in almost all local cuisines in the world. Why? Consider the summary in "Cooking A to Z" (1988), a 631-page encyclopedia of cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes from the editor and author Jane Horn and the California Culinary Institute:

"The importance of pepper to world cuisine and world history cannot be underestimated. When Columbus and other explorers set out to find a trade route to the Far East, they hoped to find a shortcut to pepper. The spicy spice invigorates people from all over the world. Dishes."

Pepper is an abbreviation for BB-sized pepper, not to be confused with the larger sweet peppers and/or spicy peppers commonly referred to as peppers. Pepper is a berry from the pepper plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

According to the Farmer’s Yearbook website, the black pepper we are talking about was originally cooked and sun-dried immature green pepper. Green pepper can also be left uncooked and stored in different ways to maintain its color.

When the pepper reaches the fully mature red stage, soak them to remove the pulp. The remaining white seeds are dried and are called white pepper, which is less irritating than black varieties. Some chefs also prefer white pepper because it can be visually integrated into the dishes. 

How long can the quality of pepper be maintained? The length of time I have read varies from three months to four years.

However, the whole peppercorns can be stored for several years in a cool, dark place. According to "Cooking from A to Z", they are the most pungent before being ground. This is why I keep a pepper mill on hand to dispense freshly ground black pepper during cooking.

The addition of black pepper is one of my updates to the No Peek Stew recipe below. The original text comes from Mrs. Bennie Eldred of Montgomery in the "Typical Texas Cookbook" (1989) of the Texas Electric Cooperative Company. The cookbook for the members of the Rural Power Cooperative was first published in 1970.

Other updates are to replace canned mushroom slices with fresh mushroom slices, and modify the instructions to include browning the meat first.

As for the name of the recipe, I suspect this is a way to remind the chef to cover the stew during the cooking process to maintain a uniform cooking temperature. A stable temperature will help break down the meat and form a harmonious flavor with the liquid and mushrooms.

More: Check out these simple apple recipes and taste the taste of autumn

Share your favorite recipes or food-related historical memories by emailing Laura Gutschke to laura.gutschke@reporternews.com.

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds of lean meat chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes (or pre-cut stew)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 package dried onion soup mixture

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can of creamy mushroom soup

10 ounces of ginger ale (or water)

1 package (8 ounces) fresh mushrooms, sliced

Optional: cooked rice or egg noodles when serving

1. In a Dutch oven (or other heat-resistant cooking container), heat oil on the stove over medium high temperature for 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and brown, stirring occasionally. When cooking the meat, heat the oven to 300 degrees. 

2. After the meat changes color, add black pepper, onion soup powder, cream of mushroom soup, ginger ale and fresh mushrooms. Stir until combined and turn off the stove. Close the lid of the Dutch oven and move the cooking container to the oven. Cook for three hours. Don't peek. (If you don't have a Dutch oven, brown the meat in a large pan, then cook the stew in a casserole. The casserole can be tightly covered with a lid or foil.)

3. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let it sit for 30 minutes before serving. It can be paired with rice or egg noodles. Make six copies.

Laura Gutschke is an integrated mission reporter and food columnist who manages the online content of Reporter-News. If you like locally driven news, you can support local reporters through a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.