Yes, you can grind coffee beans in your standard home blender, because blenders have incorporated a blade system that helps break down coffee beans evenly. Blenders just like your coffee bean grinder will provide you with a consistent grind and which is important for the flavor of the cup of coffee that would be produced later.
Using your blender to grind coffee beans is usually the last resort in the absence of a burr grinder. And the reason why it is not encouraged is because, when ground at higher speeds, the blender might create a heated cavity and end up cooking the natural oils in the coffee beans. The results from the above process are not exactly encouraging because the resulting ground coffee will produce a harsh taste when consumed.
How to grind coffee beans in a blender
As you prepare to grind your coffee beans it is important for the right procedure to be followed, so that the natural oils in the beans can be extracted properly. After all, we all want a smooth cup of coffee before we head out for work.
Grind the beans in batches– if you stuff up your blender with the coffee beans, as you start to grind there wouldn’t be enough space for the beans to move and grind with accuracy. Most importantly is that when you grind the coffee beans in batches, the blender does not have to keep running for long, and which consequently prevents the rise in temperatures inside the blender that could instead cook the beans.
Pulse the beans– the pulse feature in your blender gives you control over the consistency of the grind, the pulse button is also known to work best at its fastest speed, but for the coffee beans, you will have to use the medium speed, to achieve a perfect grind.
If the first batch is ground to your satisfaction, you will repeat the process with similar small batches until you get the amount that you want. Coffee that has been ground with a blender is normally characteristic coarse, and is, therefore, good for use with the French press, or the drip coffee maker not to forget the cold-brew coffee maker.
What makes blenders great coffee grinders?
Of the many kitchen appliances that you can use to grind the coffee, the blender is the first appliance that you might want to consider because of convenience. For starters, all the beans will be contained inside the jar, thus the grinding process will not have coffee bean particles sprawl all around your kitchen.
Secondly, most of the countertop blenders are fitted with powerful blades that will chop the coffee beans into the right sizes. Additionally, if your blender is made of glass it won’t develop the scratch marks and will unlikely retain the smell of coffee, either way even if it does retain the smell, getting rid of it is relatively easy.
Most blenders are made of BPA-free material or better yet, you can get one that is BPA-free or made of glass, this way you can be sure of safety going forward.
Other kitchen appliances that can be used to grind coffee beans
Use your rolling pin- You might be thinking that the rolling pin cannot achieve the consistency that you desire. But when push comes to shove, and walking to the café just for a cup of coffee is not your thing then your kitchen rolling pin will more than suffice.
You will, therefore, need a parchment bag and a chopping board. Put your coffee beans inside the parchment bag or any other bag that you have and think will work. Place it on top of the chopping board and using your rolling pin, roll over the coffee beans to your desired consistency. For this process, you can achieve both a course and a finer grind but remember your effort counts.
Use Your Mortar and Pestle- pestle and mortar are common kitchen equipment that can be used to help make a cup of coffee, late in the evening or early morning. The process used for this option is pounding and once you have put the coffee beans inside the pestle, you have to consistently pound every corner while safely securing the pestle with one hand. Pestle and mortar will give you both fine and coarse textures, thus it depends on your taste.
Use the butcher’s knife- it is not uncommon for a kitchen not to have the above appliances, in such a situation, the butcher’s knife can come in handy but you will also need your chopping board. Take your coffee beans in small batches and place them on the chopping board, then place the butcher knife flat on top of the coffee beans and with your palms press on the beans.
A butcher’s knife has a large surface area, thus will offer a sizeable yield for a few cups of coffee. Important to note is that this method will not provide you with a finer finish, rather a medium to fine grind.
Conclusion
Most of us think that grinding coffee beans is all about throwing the beans into the blender and pulse away, well that is not the case. Coffee lovers do have precisions and which are dictated by the consistency of the ground coffee beans. Too strong a coffee calls for the ground beans to be coarser, and if the coffee is too watery or weak, then the ground beans must be made finer.
FAQ’s
Is it possible to brew coffee without grinding them first?
Yes, it is possible grinding only helps the coffee to brew faster when added to water and doesn’t have any effect on flavor and taste.
Which is the best ground for coffee, too fine or coarse texture?
Too fine ground coffee beans lead to the cup of coffee being too bitter, as it is over-extracted, and if the consistency is too coarse then the coffee will be too weak. So, a medium to coarse grind will be good for a pour-over coffee, for a cone-shaped pour-over a medium to fine coffee grind should work.
