True coffee lovers are well aware that the most aromatic and delicious coffee drink can be prepared from freshly ground beans. Therefore, they try in advance to purchase special devices that allow them to perform this procedure. True, not everyone in their home has the necessary devices for grinding. It’s worth figuring out how to grind coffee without a coffee grinder. There are several ways to solve this problem.
Is it possible to grind coffee in a meat grinder?
To grind coffee, you can use a mechanical or electronic grinder. If the meat grinder has several interchangeable knives, choose the one that gives the strongest grinding.
Before grinding beans, thoroughly rinse the inside of the meat grinder. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach places, as food residues usually accumulate in them and the ground coffee can absorb their smell. After washing the grinder, give it time to dry thoroughly and only then start grinding coffee.
What's better
Knives and bowls
Both devices are similar in form and function, but there are differences.
A coffee grinder is designed to grind coffee beans and other solids into powder. A blender grinds and mixes soft foods and makes purees.
It is acceptable to use a blender as a coffee grinder, but not more than 1-2 times a week. This is explained by the following features.
The coffee grinder has knives located close to the bottom of the bowl and the walls. The grains rise up and sharply down, so they can be ground into powder. The foot blades of the device are solid. In a blender, when the grains are frequently ground, they quickly become dull or deformed.
The coffee grinder bowl is made of hard plastic. In a blender, it may become scratched or cracked if it comes into contact with solid particles.
Power and grinding degree
Blenders have a minimum power of 300-400 W. This is more than a coffee grinder with 140-220 W. Therefore, the grains will heat up, causing the drink to acquire an unpleasant burning taste.
The coffee grinder produces a fine powder that is suitable for a coffee machine. The blender grinds the grains into heterogeneous medium-sized particles.
It turns out that it is better to use a coffee grinder to make coffee. With its help, a finely ground aromatic powder is obtained.
The blender is not suitable for regularly grinding grains. Use it as little as possible, otherwise you will break it.
Can coffee beans be ground in a blender?
Coffee beans can also be ground in a blender. Rinse the blender jar thoroughly and dry it thoroughly. Place the beans in the bowl, cover it with a lid and run the blend at the lowest speed. Turn on the blender in 2 second intervals 4-5 times until you achieve the desired grind.
You can also use an immersion blender for grinding. While grinding, cover the glass with your hand to prevent the grains from flying out of it. The duration of the grinding interval here can be increased to 10–20 seconds.
The downside of using a blender to grind coffee is that the bean particles come out to be of different sizes. It is better to remove large grains and use them separately for brewing in a cup, and small ones - for a coffee maker or Turk.
other methods
Hammer
You can grind coffee using a hammer. This simple grinding option produces medium-sized particles in a couple of minutes. Use a hammer or meat chop tool.
Be careful not to knock your fingers off. Use a hammer only as a last resort.
Wrap the coffee beans in a piece of paper or a thick bag to prevent them from flying around. Tap the raw material firmly with a hammer. To complete grinding you will have to spend 5-7 minutes.
The result will be a medium grind powder.
Mortar
Now about how to grind coffee with a pestle and mortar. The method is effective, but long. You'll have to make an effort. But you can grind the grains at any grinding level
Measure out the required amount of raw material and crush vigorously with a pestle. It will take 4-5 minutes.
To obtain fine particles, use a small amount of beans. If you use a lot, the grind will be coarser.
Small mortars will be able to grind coffee beans for just a couple of servings. But it will not be possible to achieve perfect uniformity. Therefore, the taste and aroma will not be fully revealed.
Manual grinding
Grain raw materials can be crushed with a knife. Place the beans on the board in a single layer and press down firmly with the blade.
Be prepared that chopping with a knife is a difficult method. It requires time and physical effort. Take a tool with the widest possible blade. Place the knife horizontally, with the sharp side facing away from you.
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More options
It is much easier to crush with a large stone. Wrap it in a clean, dry cloth and crush the beans using pressing movements.
Using a stone you can get particles of any size. The harder you press, the smaller they will be.
A garlic crusher is suitable for crushing. But this method is time-consuming. No more than 30 grains are placed in the crusher at a time. The resulting particles are of medium size.
You can use a metal bowl, plate, or other hard object with a flat side. The main thing is to carry out the procedure on a hard surface.
Manual grinding
There are also ways to grind coffee manually without machines or equipment. Let's consider them too.
Mortar and pestle
Pour some grains into a mortar and crush them with a pestle. You can cover the top of the mortar with your hand to prevent the grains from flying out. To ensure uniform grinding, do not pour too many grains into the mortar. The advantages of this method are that it allows you to obtain any degree of grinding - from fine to coarse.
Hammer
Place the coffee beans between two layers of paper or in a plastic bag, then place a towel under them and place them on a flat surface. Align the grains so that they lie in one layer. Hit them with a hammer several times with medium force until you get the desired grind.
rolling pin
Place the required amount of beans in a thick plastic bag (it is better to take a freezer bag). Spread the grains so that they lie in one layer. First, lightly tap the grains with a rolling pin, and then roll them out until the desired degree of grinding is obtained. This method allows you to obtain fine and medium grinding
Spice mill
You can grind coffee beans using a spice grinder. This method allows you to obtain a medium degree of grinding of the beans. To grind using a mill, take a small portion of grains, for one or two cups of drink. The main disadvantage of this method is that it does not allow for a fine grind, even if the beans are passed through the mill several times.
Using various kitchen appliances
Kitchen utensils are also used to grind coffee. A meat grinder, as well as a blender and a mechanical mill will help you obtain fractions of the desired size. The process of grinding beans will be simple and will not take much time.
Meat grinder
Without a coffee grinder, you can grind coffee beans to the desired size in a meat grinder. In this case, perform the following actions:
- the meat grinder is thoroughly washed so that the product does not absorb foreign aromas and dried;
- pour grain into the unit;
- grind them until uniform grinding is obtained;
- if small grains are needed, the procedure is repeated.
The resulting raw materials are suitable for brewing the drink in a Turk, coffee maker and French press. If the device is equipped with knives designed for grinding spices, it will be possible to obtain medium, uniform fractions.
Using a Mechanical Mill
A mechanical mill, which almost every housewife has in the kitchen, will help you grind coffee. It is usually used for grinding spices. In this case, it will not be possible to obtain small fractions. In addition, this grinding method allows you to obtain raw materials for just a couple of cups of coffee drink. It is not suitable for large portions.
You need to pour beans into the mill and turn the millstones using a lid or handle. The first grinding results in large grains. To grind the grains more seriously, the procedure is repeated.
Blender
The easiest way to grind coffee beans is with a blender. This kitchen unit is ideal when you need to obtain large fractions. In order to prevent overheating, the device is started in short pulses. In this case, perform the following actions:
- one hundred grams of coffee beans are poured into the bowl;
- set the grinding program;
- grinding is carried out in jerks of a couple of seconds;
- if necessary, gradually add more grain;
- The grinding process is repeated again.
Upon completion of these manipulations, the raw materials are poured out of the bowl, and the blender itself is immediately disassembled and washed. Due to this, it is possible to eliminate the smell that remains from the roasted beans.
If an immersion blender is used, the grains are placed in a narrow container. The hole must be covered with your hand. Thanks to this, the product will not fly out of the bowl during the grinding process. Manipulations are carried out impulsively, at intervals of up to ten seconds.
The absence of a coffee grinder is not a reason to give up drinking your favorite invigorating drink. You can grind beans using various improvised means and devices that are found in every kitchen. You just need to put in a little effort. Such manipulations should be carried out immediately before starting to prepare the drink.
Grinding Options
The fineness of grinding the beans should be selected based on the type of coffee drink you want to prepare.
The following grinding options are available:
- Large
- Average
- Thin
- Ultra-thin
- Powder.
You shouldn’t expect a deep taste from a coarse grind, and you won’t be able to make strong coffee from coarsely ground beans.
Coffee made from beans ground to a powder form is the strongest and richest. This is the grind that is used to make espresso. However, fine grinding is not suitable for all coffee makers. So, when using a drip coffee maker, the drink will have a bitter taste of burnt beans.
If you use a geyser-type coffee maker or French press, then it is better to use coarse or medium grind coffee. It is better not to use finely ground grains, as this can quickly clog the filter.
In general, medium grinding is considered a universal grind. Medium grind beans can be used both for brewing in a Turk and for most coffee machines.
What features should a suitable blender have?
Before you start processing coffee beans in such a non-standard way, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the main functions that can be useful when implementing this procedure. Here are the options available in modern kitchen blenders:
- Grinding. Using this option, you can cut various vegetables and fruits using different types of attachments.
- Mixing. Also a telling name. Allows you to prepare a homogeneous mass from a set of already crushed or previously ground products.
- Kolka. Actually, this is the function you should be interested in. It allows you to turn various solid products into fine powder. Examples include ice, nuts, and the coffee beans we need.
After we have clarified the question of whether it is possible to grind coffee in a blender, you can proceed to preparing the equipment.
How much to grind coffee for one cup
The volume of ground coffee per cup depends on the method of preparing the drink. So, if you are going to brew espresso using a coffee machine, then for this you need to take 7 grams of ground beans. This will make 30 ml of coffee. If you are preparing coffee in a Turk, then take about 6 grams per 60 ml. water. If we give average figures, then to prepare two servings of coffee you can take 12–15 grams of ground beans.
To dose grains, it is best to use a measuring spoon for bulk products. But if you don’t have it, then you can get by with a simple teaspoon or tablespoon. Their volumes are approximately as follows:
- Level teaspoon 3–4 g.
- Top teaspoon 6 g.
- Level tablespoon 11–12 g.
- Top tablespoon 17–18 g.
Hammer and rolling pin - handy tools to help
Compared to all the options that allow you to grind coffee without a coffee grinder, a hammer is the simplest and most non-standard. It is used if it is not possible to use more convenient devices.
To obtain a powder suitable for brewing or steaming, in addition to a hammer, you will need thick paper. The coffee beans are wrapped in paper and tapped with a hammer, preventing the beans from scattering. The proven old-fashioned method will allow you to split the grains and prepare them for making an aromatic drink. You can try grinding well-roasted grains using the same paper and rolling pin.
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Submersible device
Now let’s figure out whether it’s possible to grind immersion coffee in a blender. This device differs from the stationary one in that a special attachment with knives is immersed in the bowl.
To grind grains, choose a model with 4-6 foot blades, which are located at different heights. Also choose a narrow and tall bowl.
You need to grind grains with a submersible device like this:
- pour enough grains into the bowl so that after immersing the nozzle they do not completely cover the knives;
- choose the lowest power;
- periodically turn off the device, take out the nozzle and clean out the particles that are stuck in it.
When you finish grinding, thoroughly rinse and dry all parts of the device.
