Whether you are just an explorer or trying to save yourself from appliances expense, you must have tried making some of your appliances work for at least one other thing than it is supposed to work for. If that is the case, then you must be wondering if your coffee grinder can grind other things that can be ground, such as nuts and spices.
Look no further because this article would be answering your question if truly your coffee grinder can grind other things just because it is a grinder. If so, you will also be exposed to the things your coffee grinder can grind, how to go about it, the effects, as well as how to maintain your coffee grinder after making it a multipurpose.
Coffee Grinder For Nuts
A coffee grinder is quite versatile. It can grind nuts into powder and butter within a couple of seconds. You might just be saving yourself from the expenses of getting another nut grinder by improvising with your coffee grinder.
However, you should consider the density and hardness of the nut you’re planning to grind in your coffee grinder. For example, if you want to grind pecans, they will probably not crush as easily as ground walnuts.
How to Grind Nuts in Your Coffee Grinder
To use your coffee grinder for nuts, you should follow the following steps effectively ;
- Break nuts into halves or quarters
To make things easier for your coffee grinder, you should break your nuts into halves or quarters. This is also a trick to not wear the coffee grinder’s blades off with the workload.
- Put the nuts in batches
For a more effective grind, go in with your nuts in small batches. This will make more room for the nuts to move about in the grinder compartment for effective grinding.
- Grind till your satisfaction
Depending on your preference and coffee blender capacity, you can blend your nuts into a coarse or smooth powder. You need to know your coffee grinder’s capacity.
Can You Use a Coffee Grinder as a Spice Grinder?
In this modern-day, spices have become so important in our daily meals. We need to find constant ways or means to preserve them for maximum nutrient extraction, and one of such ways is grinding them.
In a situation where you don’t have a spice grinder, mortar, and pestle or graters available, what will you do to get your spices ground? It is the use of coffee grinders that comes to the rescue! Some coffee grinders’ blades such as a blade coffee grinder or a burr coffee grinder do the job perfectly.
How to Grind Spices Using a Coffee Grinder
When using a coffee grinder for spices, follow the following steps.
- Clean the coffee grinder properly and set it up(either manual or electric)
- Prep your spices( such as cinnamon sticks) and wash with clean water if needed.
- Remove from water and allow to dry.
- Cut into small pieces for easy grinding
- Pour your spices in batches and grind.
- Grind until you get your desired texture, either coarse or smooth.
Can You Use a Coffee Grinder for Spices and Coffee?
It is possible to grind your spices in the same grinder used in grinding your coffee beans. You only need to rinse the coffee grinder or spice grinder thoroughly before usage. Do this after every use so as not to affect the taste of either ground.
Benefits of Using a Coffee Grinder for Nuts and Spices
- Coffee grinders are easy to use. All you have to do is put the spices in, and hold down the button until it’s grounded up to your liking.
- Coffee grinders are a lot quicker to use than a traditional mortar and pestle
- Coffee grinders aren’t too big. They are small appliances, and easy to use.
Effects of Using a Coffee Grinder for Nuts and Spices
- Cleaning issue
A major issue with using a regular coffee grinder for nuts is that it produces either too coarse or too fine grind when you put spices and nuts in it. Whether a manual grinder or electric grinder, it usually does not help much in getting the right grind of nuts like
peanuts, hazelnuts or cashews, etc.
- Ground texture
You usually do not get uniformly grounded nuts and coffee grinders. When you use a coffee grinder for nuts and spices (especially for nuts), it’s either you get coarsely grounded and uneven-sized nuts in big chunks or you get too fine grounded nuts in the “butter” form. Getting the right amount of ground-sized nuts is difficult when you grind them with a coffee grinder.
- Machine clogging
All types of nuts like peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc. secret oil when crushed or grounded in the machine.
Now, if you start using your expensive coffee grinder to grind these nuts at home, then slowly your coffee grinder could get clogged by oil and small particles of nuts. This secreted oil could get deposited in the coffee grinder and it can gradually reduce the performance of your grinder.
FAQs About Using a Coffee Grinder to Grind Nuts and Spices.
Can I Use a Coffee Grinder to Grind Peppercorns?
Yes, you can use a coffee grinder to grind peppercorns. The coffee grinder efficiently pulverizes dry peppercorns. A coffee grinder works the same way as an electric pepper grinder, but it has an advantage because it heats the peppercorns while it grinds them. Surprisingly, grinding the peppercorns with a coffee grinder instead of an electric grinder improves the overall flavours of the pepper.
Can I Use a Coffee Grinder for Wet Grinding?
Wet grinding reduces substances or ingredients into a finer form, using water as the base and assisted with a mechanical apparatus to give you a slurry milkshake-like end product. This method is perfect if you’re looking to make pastes or batters.
However, Coffee grinders are designed for dry grinding as their blade or burr is not built to work on wet objects. You will not get the same consistency you’re looking for in a paste or batter, and it will affect the quality of the taste as well.
The water from wet grinding can also make its way to the grinder’s interior, which can fry up its electrical components and turn into an active fire hazard. Also, some residues may clog the machine, damaging its gears and motors.+
Can I Grind Rice in my Coffee Grinder?
You absolutely can grind rice in your coffee grinder. If you want to try rice flour as a substitute for regular flour in a dish but don’t want to spend money on pre-ground rice flour without knowing if you like it, you can make it at home with your coffee grinder.
However, you need to make sure that you use uncooked rice, not cooked. You should also grind in small amounts at a time, for effectiveness.
One of the good news is that when you grind your rice, it has such a mild taste that you don’t need to worry about the flavour of the rice contaminating, or affecting the taste of the coffee beans you grind the following morning. You will also be saving on the expense of rice flour.
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