The expression “daily grind” is not something that is looked forward to. However, coffee can be one of life’s greatest simple pleasures.
The fresh, roasted coffee creates an amazing and spicy aroma. I would like to find a way to bottle this scent. It is very strong and fills the room with its spicy smell.
Although it is often overlooked, grinding coffee properly is a crucial step in making a perfect cup.
Here are the important points:
How to grind coffee properly: Match the grind to the method
The difficult thing about grinding coffee is that it must be ground specifically for your preferred brewing method.
There are three different types of grinds that can be used for brewing – coarse, medium, and fine. It can be tough to explain what these different types of grounds look like, but luckily someone else has already done a great job of it.
So if you’d like to get a very clear picture of coffee grounds, click on the link below. It will open a nifty page from an excellent (and well named) site called “I Need Coffee”! (opens in its own window)
If that doesn’t scoot your boots, then maybe my verbal descriptions will be helpful:
The texture of the food is coarse, with chunky, distinct particles. It reminds me of potting soil.
Medium – More the texture of coarse sand.
The texture of the sugar is smooth and fine, like salt. when you rub it between your fingers, it feels like sugar or salt.
Not as fine as flour or powdered sugar, but similar. You can feel some grit.
Turkish grind – Like flour, very powdery.
It is generally accepted that a more expensive burr grinder is required to produce the high quality espresso and Turkish coffee grinds. However, some people argue that it is possible to get a similar result from a blade grinder if you use it correctly.
How to grind coffee properly
How you grind your coffee has a big effect on how it tastes. The following chart can help you with a good starting point. Keep in mind, this information is not about making my perfect cup, its about making yours!
So, my goal is to give you a good starting grind. From there, you can adjust to your own personal preferences until you find your ideal coffee.
A coarse grind is generally used for the following:
The best way to make coffee is to use a French Press, Toddy Maker, or Vacuum Coffee Maker. These methods will give you the best tasting coffee. Percolaters should be avoided, as they can make your coffee taste bad.
A medium grind:
Auto Drip Makers (with flat bottom filters)
A medium/fine grind:
Drip Makers (with cone shaped filters)
A fine grind:
Some stove top espresso pots have a cone shaped filter.
A super fine grind:
Espresso Machines
A Turkish grind:
Turkish Style Coffee
How does all this knowledge about rocket science help to produce the perfect grind for the perfect cup of coffee?
Blade grinders: Pro and Con
A blade grinder is a good option for people who make coffee using a Drip Maker, Toddy Maker, or French Press. Blade grinders can’t produce very fine grinds (such as Espresso or Turkish), but they are simple and inexpensive.
The drawbacks are few but notable:
Do you prefer an unpleasant noise or a pleasant smell to wake you up in the morning?
Since the coffee is not ground into a consistent powder, it is difficult to extract evenly, resulting in a less smooth and complete cup of coffee.
How to grind coffee with a blade grinder
This type of grinder has a coffee bean reservoir with a clear plastic top. The blade in the center of the reservoir grinds the beans. You pour the beans into the reservoir and then replace the top.
Applying pressure to the top or holding down a button activates the blade, which grinds the coffee beans. Blade grinders are operated by hand, so there are no settings.
You will need to be familiar with the different grinds when using this grinder, as it is a combination of timing and eyeballing the darn thing!
The more you grind, the more finely it will be ground. Do not worry. This is actually much easier than it may sound.
As a general rule, people should start by using two tablespoons of coffee beans for every six to eight ounces of water, and then adjust the amount to suit their taste.
Pressing and holding the button down on the grinder for long periods of time will cause the coffee to overheat. Instead, press the button in short bursts a few seconds at a time.
You should hold the top of the machine while it is grinding, and shake it occasionally to mix the grounds evenly and create a smoother, more consistent grind.
For a coarse grind, grind the beans for 8-10 seconds, a few seconds at a time. For a medium grind, try short bursts that add up to 10-15 seconds. For a fine grind, grind the beans for a few seconds or more longer. Experiment and have fun.
Burr grinders
Precision
If you spend more money, you can buy a coffee machine that grinds the coffee beans before you wake up in the morning.
The best coffee beans in the world will fall between two burrs that have been pre-set by you, which will allow for accurate grinding for the brewing method of your choice. Your coffee will be ground perfectly every day from now on.
Even though manufacturers may have different recommended settings, you may still need to experiment to find the right combination for your taste. Once you find the settings for your “Perfect Cup”, it will be an easy decision to make.
Versatility
A burr grinder can be used for any type of coffee, from French Press to Espresso to Turkish. It is a versatile grinder that can be used for any purpose.
How to grind coffee beans without a grinder
Ways to grind beans mechanically
If you have a blender or food processor, you can easily grind coffee beans.
You cannot simply put the beans in and blend them as you would blend a smoothie; look at our strategy below.
Use a blender
Blenders are an easy way to grind beans to a good consistency, but it is not possible to make the grounds the same size. The grounds will still be usable, just not uniform in size.
If your blender doesn’t have a “grind” setting, don’t worry! the “pulse” setting will work just as well, or you can blend the beans yourself.
The process of blending creates heat which could potentially “cook” the beans. It is important that the entire process only takes 20-30 seconds to avoid burning the beans.
Once you finish grinding the beans, you can make coffee with your own portable coffee maker. This is especially convenient if you’re traveling!
How to grind beans with a blender
If your blender has a “grinder” setting, use that. If not, use the “medium-high” setting.
Measure the desired amount of coffee beans into the blender. A quarter cup to a half cup is ideal. Close the lid of the blender firmly in place.
Using the pulse setting, grind the beans in short bursts of 3 to 5 seconds.
Do this process a maximum of 6 times, for a total of 30 seconds.
If you need to, tilt the blender to the side while you’re grinding the coffee to make sure that the grind is mostly consistent.
Food processor
The food processor will produce similar results to the blender, but you will need more beans because the food processor typically has a wider circumference than the blender.
If you want to make more coffee, double the amount of coffee. If you only need coffee for two people, you will already have grounds for tomorrow. Store the leftover grounds in an airtight plastic bag.
How to grind beans with a food processor
Put the desired amount of coffee beans into the food processor, making sure the lid is secure.
. Stop the grinder every 30 seconds to check the grind size. Use the pulse setting on the grinder and grind the beans in 3 to 5 second intervals. Stop the grinder every 30 seconds to check the grind size.
Do the process again and again until you get the consistency you want, for up to 30 seconds in total.
If the coffee grounds are not the same size, tilt the food processor to fix the issue.
Rolling pin
If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you can improvise by using a rolling pin. This is especially effective for making French press coffee, which requires coarser grounds than drip coffee. It’s a little more work than using a grinder, but it’s worth it if you need your coffee fix.
To grind your coffee beans using a rolling pin, the easiest way is to put them in a plastic bag. By doing this, you won’t have stray beans flying around your kitchen as you grind them down.
How to grind beans with a rolling pin
Put the desired amount of coffee beans in a Ziploc bag and make sure to get all the air out so the bag doesn’t explode.
Roll the beans back and forth with the rolling pin to crush them.
Roll your rolling pin over the coffee bag, applying pressure to the beans inside it. Gather any remains towards the center and do this again.
Grind the material until it is the consistency you want. Don’t rush the process; it takes a lot of time and effort!
Repeat the process until you have the desired type of coffee grounds.
Mortar and pestle
Grinding the beans with a mortar and pestle will be very time-consuming and labor-intensive. Make sure to use only about a quarter to a third of the capacity of your mortar, to prevent any overflowing and to keep the beans from jumping out.
This method produces less coffee grounds than the rolling pin method, so make sure to make extra if needed!
If you want to make coffee grounds for drip coffee or chemex coffee, it’s best to do it with a mortar and pestle. Just grind the beans for a longer time if you want finer grounds, and grind them more loosely if you want coarser grounds. It’s also important to only grind a small amount of beans at a time so that the grounds are more consistent.
How to grind beans with a mortar and pestle
Fill your small mortar about ¼ of the way with beans, and fill your large mortar about ½ full with beans.
To pestle effectively, grip the pestle in your strong hand and hold the mortar in your other hand.
Use the pestle to mash the beans against the bottom and sides of the mortar. Start by pounding them with the pestle, then move it in a swirling motion to grind the beans.
After the beans have been crushed, use the pestle to grind them in a circle until they are the desired consistency.
If you want to make more coffee, start from step one again, this time without any grounds.
Use a hammer
A hammer can be used to efficiently crush beans into smaller pieces. This process does not take a lot of time, and the grounds will become increasingly finer as the beans are broken down.
To grind your beans, place them in a bag and use low to medium pressure to smash them. You don’t want to hit the bag too hard, as you would if you were hitting a nail.
How to grind beans with a hammer
Place the desired amount of beans in the bag, and then roll them out with a rolling pin, just as you would with dough.
Pound the beans with the hammer, using the same method as the rolling pin.
Keep moving the beans around in the bag so that they all get ground up evenly.
If a hammer is not available, you can use the bottom, fatter side of a large knife to crush the coffee grounds.
Hand mincer or garlic press
Use a mortar and pestle to grind your coffee beans if you want a different method that is quite simple. Place the beans in the area where you would normally put the garlic, meat, or other food. firmly squeeze the beans until they are ground up.
The holes in the grinder are too big, which makes the ground coffee beans too coarse. To fix this, you may need to use the rolling pin or hammer method in addition to the grinder.
Put several whole coffee beans through the mincer or press to grind them. If the grounds are too coarse, put them through the mincer or press again. Repeat as necessary to get the consistency you want.
How to grind beans with a hand mincer or garlic press
Put a few beans into the mincer or press.
Using a tamper, firmly press down on the coffee beans until they have all passed through the machine.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 continuously.
You may need to go through the press again to get smaller/finer grounds.