Peppered loaf, pork, beef

Peppered loaf is a cooked deli meat made from pork and beef, pressed into a block and coated or studded with cracked black pepper along its edges. In the kitchen it is a slicing meat, laid cold into sandwiches, rolled with cheese on a snack board, or diced into a chopped salad or scrambled eggs for a savory, peppery bite. The pepper crust gives it more punch than plain bologna, and its texture is firm and smooth, cutting cleanly into thin slices that fold well onto bread. It pairs naturally with sharp mustard, pickles, crusty rolls, and mild cheeses that soften its bite.

Per 100 g of slices it carries 149 calories, 17.3 g protein (35% of the Daily Value), 6.37 g fat, and 4.53 g carbohydrate, with 4.61 g sugar. The number to watch is sodium at 732 mg per 100 g, typical of cured deli meats, so it fits best as an accent rather than the bulk of a meal, balanced with fresh vegetables and unsalted sides. Buy it freshly sliced if you can, keep it tightly wrapped in the coldest part of the fridge, and use it within a few days of opening since sliced deli meat dries and loses quality quickly. Layer it thin, stack it with crunchy lettuce and tomato, and let the pepper crust do the seasoning work so you can go easy on any added salt.