Welcome to my Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper Review.
I was first introduced to this product after I started cooking with cast iron.
That’s when I began looking for some recipes and came across TosTinMan EasyCooking. He often cooks in his toaster oven using a 10-inch cast iron skillet. His recipes were generally easy, and I was hooked. And guess what? He uses Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper.
At first, I only used cracked pepper. But eventually, I bought a jar of Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper for myself. And now I have it shipped to me every three months.
Are you looking for a seasoned pepper to bring out more flavor in your food?
If so, then this review is for you.
Table of Contents
Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper Review
Affiliate Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using the affiliate links below, I receive a small commission.
Product: Seasoned Pepper
Brand: Johnny’s
Website: Johnny’s Fine Foods
Price: see Amazon
Size: 5 oz.
Ingredients: Cracked black pepper, sugar, red and green bell peppers, onion, and garlic
Shelf Life: 24 months
Return Policy: 30 days
Great For: seasoning meat, vegetables, eggs, steak, chicken, hamburgers, and seafood
What Is Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper?
Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper is a blend of cracked black pepper, red and green bell peppers, onion, and garlic. It contains no salt. You can use this pepper on seafood, meats such as chicken, burgers, and steaks. It is also good on eggs, potatoes, and grilled vegetables or in soups and stews. I wouldn’t put any on my skillet cookies though.
A Little About Johnny
Johnny Meaker is the founder of Johnny’s Fine Foods.
He grew up the son of a butcher, and as Johnny learned the business from his father, he also learned about flavors.
Johnny grew up near the docks of Seattle, not far from what is now the famous Pike Place Market. A couple of months ago, my husband and I were in Seattle visiting our daughter, and she took us to Pike’s Place.
Anyway, Johnny found a love for flavors and spent hours combining ingredients to develop the “perfect” spice.
In 1940, he opened Crawford’s Sea Grill and soon became known for his great-tasting food. And in 1950, he opened a second restaurant near Tacoma called Johnny’s Dock.
When customers would ask him about the secret to his unique flavors, he would smile and say, “Just a little something special.”
But in 1956, Johnny decided to share his “something special” with the world, and that’s when he began Johnny’s Fine Foods. Now everyone can get the spices and other flavorings he has created.
Johnny’s Fine Foods
When you visit the website, you will find out about the many seasonings and other flavorings they offer.
Their two newest products are 1) Johnny’s Black Garlic Vinaigrette and 2) Johnny’s Impossible Big and Bold Organic Seasoning. Yes, they offer a few organic seasonings.
Johnny’s Fine Foods also offers a loyalty program where you can receive Chef Bucks for signing up, placing an order, following them on Instagram, or when celebrating a Birthday. 100 Chef Bucks = $1.00 and can be redeemed when placing an order.
You can also sign up to become a taste tester, and if you like experimenting with different flavors, this might interest you. Simply visit the site and scroll to the bottom.
Another thing you will find on the website is recipes. I thought Johnny’s Avacado Fries looked interesting. And below is a recipe for stuffed peppers.
Johnny’s Adobo Stuffed Peppers
Where is the Best Price?
One of the negatives for some people is the cost. Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper is neither the most expensive nor the cheapest seasoned pepper on the market. But according to those who like it, it is worth the money.
Still, you want the best price available. So I decided to check it out.
If you visit the website, you will notice that the product is cheaper than Amazon. Amazon has a statement that says, “Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime Shipping.”
When I clicked on “other sellers,” all were more expensive than Amazon.
When I added one Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper to my cart at Amazon, I qualified for free shipping (I do not have Prime). I don’t know if that will always be the case because it cost less than the usual qualifying purchase of $25 for free shipping.
On the other hand, Johnny’s Fine Foods didn’t have an option for free shipping, and the cost of the seasoned pepper and shipping together was more than the price at Amazon.
I checked the prices online at a few other stores, but they too cost more.
In other words, I did not find a lower price than Amazon.
What Others Are Saying
When I looked at the reviews to see what other people liked or disliked about this seasoned pepper, here is what they said:
- We use it on everything
- Good seasoning for soups and meats
- Adds great flavor to everything
- It’s okay but not as good as the seasoned salt
- Best pepper ever
- The pepper taste is overbearing
- There is no other spice for me
- It’s nothing to write home about
- Worth the cost
- Too pricey for just seasoned cracked pepper
- Wakes up your food!
- Way too sweet
- A treasure and must for every kitchen
- I’ve ordered this product many times
I wanted to give you a variety of reviews, but there were many more positive than negative ones.
So overall, people liked Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper.
My Thoughts
If you like seasoned pepper, then you will probably like this product. It has a good flavor.
But is it worth the cost?
Personally, I’m good with regular cracked pepper and don’t make a distinction between the two. But my husband likes Johnny’s on meats, especially when we sear steaks, so we continue to use it.
From people’s comments above, you’ll notice some even like it on everything.
But is it really that different from regular cracked pepper?
I say no, but my husband says yes. He is more in tune with flavors than I am. I’m sure my son-in-law agrees with my husband. And my daughter likes it on meat, but not eggs.
So, if you are into flavors, then I recommend Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper.
Product Pros
- It gets great reviews
- Johnny has a genuine love for finding the best flavors
- He has years of experience and knowledge
- You can use it on everything or a few favorite foods
- The seasoned pepper is a coarse grind for more flavor
- Johnny’s has an excellent reputation for high-quality seasonings
Product Cons
- It’s unclear whether it has sugar or not
- A bit pricey
- For those who are gluten intolerant, the product itself is gluten-free but is made in a factory that also processes products containing wheat, eggs, soy, milk, and tree nuts
I didn’t yet write about the sugar question. On the jar, the ingredients list sugar, but in the nutrition facts for the sugar content, it says 0g.
The website also lists sugar in the ingredients, but in the description, it says, “A mix of cracked pepper, red and green bell peppers, onion, and garlic and NO SALT!”
So, does Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper have sugar or not?
When I reached out to Johnny’s, they said it did contain sugar but not enough that it was required to list it in the nutrition facts.
So there you have it!
Final Thoughts
In this Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper Review, I wanted you to learn about this product, about Johnny and how he got started, what other people thought about this seasoning, as well as what I thought.
You also heard about the different things that Johnny’s Fine Foods offer on their website.
If you like to “wake up” your food and are in tune with flavoring like my husband is, then this pepper is for you.
On the other hand, if you can’t always tell the difference when you use different seasonings, or are used to more bland foods, you probably won’t want to spend the extra money on this seasoned pepper.
But overall, it is a great product and, therefore, I do recommend it for those who want to bring out more flavor in their food.
Now it’s up to you to decide. Do you want to give Johnny’s Seasoned Pepper a try?