We always wanted a great cup of coffee every morning, but having a great cup of coffee starts with choosing your coffee beans, roasting, grinding and then brewing. One of the crucial steps in making the perfect cup is the grinding process, and many coffee professionals will agree, freshly ground beans are ideal for a great cup of coffee. But what if you don’t have a coffee grinder at home? Well, that is not a problem because you can use some kitchen utensils you have at home.
So, here are practical ways on how to grind coffee beans if you don’t have a coffee grinder at home.
Mortar and Pestle
No need for a fancy coffee grinder if you have a mortar and pestle at home. This mortar and pestle are widely used for years to grind herbs, spices, and medicines., and it is also ideal to use for grinding coffee beans. It combines a hammering and rolling motion to help create a consistent grind texture.
Mortar and pestle are ideal for a fine grind similar to what used for espresso.
How to do it:
- Fill your mortar with a small amount of coffee.
- Hold the pestle with your dominant hand and the mortar in place with the other.
- Using the pestle, forcibly press down and crush the coffee beans.
- Continue added beans and crushing till the desired amount is reached.
- Once crushed, use the pestle to roll the coffee around the bowl grinding the coffee beans to a finer texture.
- As the coffee becomes finer, continue to press down and roll the grounds till the desired texture is met.
Standard Blender
Blenders are not only for smoothies, but they are also great for grinding coffee beans at home. The blades of the blender can chop coffee beans the same as coffee grinders do, and some blenders include a “grinder” setting that is ideal for coffee beans.
However, when using your blender to grind your coffee beans make sure to have it in small batches because as the blades move at high speeds and heat the cavity, they will start to cook the beans natural oils leading to a harsh and bitter tasting coffee.
Blenders are recommended to use to produce a relatively coarse grind. After using make sure to properly clean the ‘grinder’ so that your blender doesn’t taste and smell like stale coffee.
How to Do It:
- Set your blender to “grinder” setting or a faster speed.
- Throw in a small amount of coffee into the grinder and place lid on top.
- Grind coffee to desired consistency.
- Continue adding coffee and grind to same consistency until you reach the desired amount.
Rolling Pin
Rolling pins are not solely for baking, but it is also suitable for crushing and grinding coffee beans. Rolling pin will result in a more even texture, and it allows you to get a finer grind.
If done right, the rolling pin can help you achieve a medium fine to fine grind.
How to Do It
- Place your measured amount of coffee beans into the plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Lay the bag flat on the counter.
- Using the rolling pin like a hammer, press down and smash the beans.
- Once crushed, exert downward pressure and roll over the coffee beans.
- Roll the pin back and forth over the grounds until desired consistency is met. Continue crushing if grounds are still too large.
Hammer
Using a hammer is a bit of work that it can do its job when crushing and grinding your coffee beans.
As you break down the beans, you can get more refined in your technique and crush the beans down closer to a fine powder. But because of the jerky motion from using the hammer, don’t expect to be able to brew espresso with these grounds. Expect a coarse to a medium grind.
How to Do It
- Fill the plastic bag with coffee beans or place your beans between two sheets of parchment paper
- Using your hammer, exert a consistent downward motion on the beans crushing them until the desired consistency is met
- Try to start on one side of the bag and move to the other side to better achieve a consistent grind.
There you go coffee lovers! You can use the tools shown above to grind your and coffee beans in case of emergency, or if you are looking for ways to grind coffee beans at home before buying a decent coffee grinder.
Source Home Grounds
