Table of Contents
Introduction
Grinding coffee beans into their desired precise size in the way of making a delicious and perfect cup of coffee is the most important and crucial part. Every coffee lover knows that the grind size of coffee plays a very important role in obtaining perfect taste and just because of that preciseness, a very well known appliance known as a coffee grinder is present in the market. The basic purpose of this appliance is to grind beans into very uniform small particles. But imagine what you will do if your appliance is broken or stops working due to some unknown reason…
Usually in that situation, some people go towards buying a new coffee grinder, but some people with low budgets and less time availability are not able to go to the market and find a brand new coffee grinder and they are looking for some feasible alternatives.
A food processor is one of the most considered alternatives in that case, and many people are thinking about using it for grinding purposes, but before using it, let’s think about whether you can you grind coffee beans in a food processor and whether it is really an excellent alternative…
Let’s explore this query…
Importance of perfect grinding
Before going towards our main query, which is, can you grind coffee beans in a food processor, let’s take an overview of why grinding is important…
Consistent grinding releases oils and some other essential components that are responsible for perfect taste and aroma. This extraction of components will be maximum if the grind size of all over coffee beans is even and consistent. But if the grind size is uneven or inconsistent, then it will cause over extraction or under extraction. Also, different brewing methods required different sizes of coffee grounds, like espresso required a fine grind, drip coffee required a medium grind and other brewing methods like French press required a coarse grind. So, if you are using unevenly ground coffee, then it will definitely create a negative impact on the coffee flavor.
Can you grind coffee beans in a food processor
So, can you grind coffee beans in a food processor? The answer is YES, but…
Like all other appliances, the food processor has some of its own advantages and limitations, which are detailed in the Pros and Cons section. But shortly, we can say that a food processor is a cheap alternative that can provide a temporary solution, but it offers only a specific, coarser grind size, which can be good for some specific brewing, but not all types of brewing can be achieved.
How a food processor works for grinding
Understanding the basic working principle of a food processor is also a necessary factor and you must be aware of it for a better understanding of our main query, i.e., can you grind coffee beans in a food processor?
Unlike a burr grinder, the basic principle of a food processor is the same as a blade grinder. There is a sharp blade present at the center that rotates at high speed and chops the beans. But because of its general chop & crush mechanism, it just provides a uniform grind size.
Pros and Cons of grinding coffee beans in a food processor
Just like many people searching about, can you grind coffee beans in a food processor? Similarly, many people are curious about the advantages and drawbacks of using a food processor instead of using a coffee grinder. In the above sections, we already mentioned its pros and cons, but to understand it precisely, let’s explore it in a proper manner.
Pros
Budget friendly alternative
The first important factor due to which people think about using a food processor is that it is a budget friendly alternative. Investing in a new grinder appliance can be more expensive just because the people who already have this appliance always want to use it as an alternative.
Same working mechanism as coffee grinder
There is another important factor too due to which people consider it to use as a grinder alternative, and the reason is the same chopping nature mechanism. A coffee grinder can be used for just a single purpose, which is to grind coffee beans, but a food processor can be used for multiple kitchen tasks. As compared to some small coffee grinders, a food processor can handle large amounts of coffee at once.
Cons
Provide inconsistent grind size
The first disadvantage because of which we can answer NO to people who ask about whether you can you grind coffee beans in a food processor is, food processors offer you a specific coarser grind size, which can be good for some specific brewing like French press brewing and cold brewing, but like coffee grinders, they can’t allow you multiple grind sizes, and because of this limitation, not all types of brewing can be achieved.
May produce heat and required manual effort
The second disadvantage because of which we say NO to people who are thinking about can you grind coffee beans in a food processor is manual effort and the appliance’s heating element. The coffee grinder is specially designed to grind coffee beans perfectly. There is no need to adjust or control it manually again and again, but in a food processor, these issues could be faced.
It can generate heat during continuous grinding, and because of that, there is a need to grind beans in short bursts and also shake and tilt the processor after every burst to ensure even grinding. Due to these short bursts, manually shaking and tilting takes more time and effort as compared to an ordinary grinder.
How to grind coffee beans in a food processor
Now, after finding can you grind coffee beans in a food processor, let explore how to grind.
Choose accurate amount of coffee beans
The first step of grinding coffee beans in a food processor is to take the ideal amount of beans. Never take the amount of beans that will overload the food processor because grinding too many beans at once can cause uneven grinding. According to the normal size of a food processor, we recommend ½ to 1 cup of coffee beans per batch, but it can vary according to the size of your appliance.
Pulse in short bursts
As we discuss above, continuous working of an appliance can generate heat, and this heat can burn the aroma and internal oils of beans. To prevent this damage, it is essential to grind the beans in short pulses. Every short burst of around 2 to 4 seconds is considered ideal.
Shake or tilt the processor after every burst
After every burst, it is necessary to check the grind size and shake or tilt the processor if needed. This is necessary because some grounds may settle down at the bottom of the appliance. This shake and tilt allows all the coffee beans to be exposed between the blades and ensures a complete, uniform grind.