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Best Way to Grind Pepper Coarsely

post #1 of 13
4/5/08 at 7:47am
Thread Starter 
I'm a huge fan of using coarsely ground black pepper when cooking. In fact, a few peppercorns that are ground only in 1/2 are fine too! I'm wondering what is the best way to grind pepper very coarse. I have purchased two different (expensive!) pepper grinders that have a coarse setting for grinding pepper, but it still isn't coarse enough in my opinion. In fact, I typically put it in a ziploc bag and hit it with my super-powered all metal chicken whacker, which works perfectly!

:)

It leaves some of the peppercorns VERY coarse and others not, so it works well.

I'm wondering if a coffee grinder would work. Thoughts? I'd love to hear them!
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post #2 of 13
4/5/08 at 9:04am
I use a coffee grinder for alot of spices including Bl pepper, Buy whole spices and grind to order.:chef:
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One time a guy pulled a knife on me. I could tell it wasn't a professional job; it had butter on it.- Rodney Dangerfield -


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post #3 of 13
4/5/08 at 9:20am
Or you could always grind a bunch and then sift it.
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post #4 of 13
4/5/08 at 11:41am
I like the zip-loc bag and the base of a saucepan. You can either beat it to death (good stress reliever!) or just lean on it to crack into big chunks. Could also use a rolling pin, but I busted mine doing it. Was having a bad day and got too enthusiastic :)

I find the coffee grinder good for grinding toasted spices, but it makes it too fine for the sort of result you're looking for, IMO. If you want to do that, keep a grinder for spices only - the coffee tastes a bit funky if you use it for both.
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post #5 of 13
4/5/08 at 11:58am
I use a mortar and pestle a-la-minute for best flavour. It's less messy than the saucepan method (as long as you keep your hand overthe mortar while you're bashing the peppercorns). Keeps my coffee tasting like coffee. :)
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post #6 of 13
4/5/08 at 12:11pm
Forgot to mention, I have 2 grinders, Yes, One is for coffee and coffee only. One does not to grind everything fine, A few pulses (or just one) will achieve the desired grind.
http://www.frappr.com/chefsunited
One time a guy pulled a knife on me. I could tell it wasn't a professional job; it had butter on it.- Rodney Dangerfield -


'We're ALL amateurs; It's just that some of us are more professional about it than others'. - George Carlin
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post #7 of 13
4/5/08 at 1:50pm
I use a grinder that's really a small hand coffee grinder plus a few minor changes to make it a spice grinder. They were very popular for awhile, but have since been superseded by other latest and greatest grinders. Anyway, they look cool and will grind very coarse if that is your desire.

They're called Atlas mills, and are fairly widely available. Chef Depot has the cheapest (hah!) prices I've seen in awhile. Salt and Pepper Mills, electric, battery operated pepper mills, Atlas, pepper grinders, Peugeot, Brass, Copper, Stainless Steel, modern, contemporary, antique, wholesale, Chrome, Walnut, Olive, Wood, Three Color Peppercorns

BDL
What were we talking about?
 
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post #8 of 13
4/5/08 at 2:16pm
Just ground some in a coffee grinder right before opening the site. Throw some in, pulse once, twice, or thrice, then sift through a medium mesh wire colander/strainer.

Bigger pieces stay in the colander and those go in a prep bowl for sprinkling on salads, steaks, etc. The fine stuff goes in the shaker.

Kevin
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post #9 of 13
4/5/08 at 2:22pm

what about an electric pepper mill

they are the bomb
or wacking it with your hand flat on the flat side(not near the sharp edge) of a meat cleaveras you need it
when life hands you lemons, make lemon gelee, lemon meringue pie, or any other dessert your heart desires

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post #10 of 13
4/5/08 at 5:10pm

Pepper Grind

I am a mortar and pestle kind of girl. That way you have more control over the grind. Also you have good visuals of your grind while it is happening
Electric grinders tend to leave the pepper more uniform in size. Not useful when you like the size and variation that you have mentioned.
Maywen - Nana's Kitchen
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post #11 of 13
4/6/08 at 10:32am
I have always used my honing steel for cracking black pepper. It works like a charm.
From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus
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post #12 of 13
4/6/08 at 11:49am
That's pretty clever Pete. My steel and probably most out there are magnetized. I find I can never get it clean enough to use it in a food application...
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post #13 of 13
4/6/08 at 7:11pm
I use a $10 blade grinder for spices only- a quick whizz-whizz on the Go button cracks pepper pretty well.
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