Spice grinder?


 
Grant Cunningham

Grant Cunningham

TVWBB Pro
Last weekend I made a recipe that called for ground fennel. Couldn't find it at any of the local grocery stores, so I got out my bottle of fennel seed and resolved to use my mortar & pestle to do the job of grinding it. It was a lot more work than I had anticipated, so much so that I'm now considering buying a grinder to do the work for me.

Naturally, I hopped on Amazon to find something suitable but was greeted with far too many options — most of which were "herb grinders" <wink-wink>. Somehow I don't think that's what I need.

Anyone have recommendations for a good grinder to use with fennel, rosemary, and the like? Something that would be easier to use than a mortar? I'm looking to get a powder (or close to it) result from typical spice seeds. Would a coffee bean grinder do the job, or would the result be too coarse?
 
Cuisinart DCG-20BKN Grinder... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004S9CY/?tag=tvwb-20

First one lasted 10 years. I broke it by adding too many dried shiitakes into it with stems on. The stems are like stone. I’m an idiot.

Fully endorse this model. Just got this one a few weeks back after reading every Amazon review for other grinders.

Don’t fix what’s not broken. So I did a straight replace.
 
I have a Kitchenaid blade style coffee grinder dedicated to spices, chiles preferentially. Pretty much any blade style coffee grinder will work. Personally, I'd make it a dedicated spice grinder, a little spice cross contamination probably won't affect what you're cooking, but I doubt that you'd want hot pepper dust in your coffee.

Tip: a little dry rice buzzed up into a powder does an awfully good job of cleaning it up, and absorbing oils.
 
Grant Cunningham said:
Will it reduce small seeds to powder? (Never had a coffee grinder, and I don't drink coffee, so excuse the ignorant question.)
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Yup. I make powdered everything in it. Black pepper, fennel seeds, chili peppers, dried mushrooms (secret ingredient in gravies and other stuff), dried parsley, you name it. Powdered!
 
Brett-EDH said:
Yup. I make powdered everything in it. Black pepper, fennel seeds, chili peppers, dried mushrooms (secret ingredient in gravies and other stuff), dried parsley, you name it. Powdered!
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This. All depends on how long you run the grinder.

Another tip: If you're grinding hot peppers, give it a minute for the dust to settle inside the chamber before taking the top off (or invert it, then wait before lifting the grinder off the cap.)
 
JKalchik said:
This. All depends on how long you run the grinder.

Another tip: If you're grinding hot peppers, give it a minute for the dust to settle inside the chamber before taking the top off (or invert it, then wait before lifting the grinder off the cap.)
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Another tip. If you wear contacts, wear gloves. If you forget, clean your finger tips with baking soda before removing your contacts...
 
JKalchik said:
This. All depends on how long you run the grinder.

Another tip: If you're grinding hot peppers, give it a minute for the dust to settle inside the chamber before taking the top off (or invert it, then wait before lifting the grinder off the cap.)
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Exactly. Longer runs make things into powder.

I really like rosemary powder with salt and black pepper as a lamb crust. The flavor is sooo good when that lamb fat renders. Dry brined in the fridge for a few hours pre cook.

Another is the dried Thai chilis I keep. A single pepper, turned into powder and then warm some neutral oil and then drop the powder into it. Add that to any soup broth and man, you’ve got some endorphins running through your skull.

From chunky to powder, this grinder has delivered for me. I grind my own black pepper corns. This way we always have fresh black pepper.

I don’t care about this 16 mesh talk for briskets and such. Just make my own and sprinkle it on.

Just don’t put 5 dried shiitake stems into the chamber. The stems will break the plastic ring that the blade is molded into. My bad. Lesson learned. Discard the stems please and just grind the caps.
 
Thanks for all the replies!

Question: will any of the recommended models grind up small quantities of small seeds - say, a teaspoon of coriander seeds?
 
Grant Cunningham said:
Thanks for all the replies!

Question: will any of the recommended models grind up small quantities of small seeds - say, a teaspoon of coriander seeds?
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yes. you don't need to fill the chamber to grind anything. in fact, making it too full means more pulsing to keep the grind a consistent size so you don't have small and large pieces.

to get to powder, place spice in, hold down top and grind and count to 10 seconds. powder. if you need more "powder" keep grinding in 3-4 second increments.
 
Yep coffee grinder.
The one with blades (the cheaper type). Not a burr grinder.
Although I still use my mortar and pestle for small amounts. I got one that's pretty coarse on the inside, works a dream
 
I had a Hamilton-Beach Braun (I think, it was a long time ago) grinder years ago, ruined it grinding salt for popcorn. BAD idea. I use a Sunbeam now, nothing fancy, does the job.
 
Yeah, salt is not a good idea. Very corrosive!
Yes to cleaning with rice.
And if you would be a coffee drinker. Buy 2.
Coffee taste in your spices is not too bad, but coriander-chile coffee has no appeal to me ;)
 
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