Spice grinder

grahamor

Can anyone recommend a simple, cheap spice grinder ? I'm searching on Amazon and there seems to be tons to choose from

Thanks in advance.

The Hill Billy

I use a coffee grinder that I picked up in Argos for €15 IIRC. If you want super-fine spice maybe you need a more high-end grinder. But it may be worth checking out cheap coffee grinders too.

earlytobed

I got a Krups coffee grinder in DID for around €30. Works fine. Aldi have them sometimes a bit cheaper but you might have to wait

homemadecider

I use a cheap Kenwood coffee grinder. Think I got it in TK Maxx.

bee06

I was doing a cookery course last month and the chef giving it recommended using a coffee grinder as well … just don't use it for coffee after!

MissFlitworth

If you're near an Ikea or a Tiger they have these ones



You get a bit of a workout using them but they're about €3

I got a cheap James Martin/Wahl one on Argos that cost about €22 and comes with a little add on to grind spices more finely if you need to. Having said that, only used it to grind coffee so far.

Bulcan

question re spices: Do ground spices lose their flavour if they are not sealed in a jar or similar? In spice producing countries they seem to display ground spices in open bowls. Any views on this?

the beer revolu

Bulcan wrote: »

question re spices: Do ground spices lose their flavour if they are not sealed in a jar or similar? In spice producing countries they seem to display ground spices in open bowls. Any views on this?

Ground spices start to lose their aroma especially and their flavour as soon as they are ground. I would never buy spices, ground or whole, from an open bowl if I could help it unless they were super fresh as might be the case in spice producing countries.
It is always best to buy whole spices in small amounts and grind fresh.

Bulcan

thanks for that revolu. time to throw out my more-than-a-year-old ground spices.

CJhaughey

Stick them in a freezer if you have lots, it makes them last a bit longer.
In a hot kitchen next to a hob is probably the worst place for them.

rubadub

There was a Rick Stein in India program on recently. They were grinding spices in some interesting way, can't even remember, maybe on stone slabs which rubbed together.

He was saying it was so the spices did not overheat when grinding, which is supposed to happen in some commercial grinders.

So if you have a grinder with speed settings you might want to pick slow.

The Hill Billy

I remember that episode. The spices were ground using a pounding motion in a mortar & pestle rather than abrading them against the bottom & sides as the latter way heats the spices.

Interesting, but overly finicky imo.

nuckeythompson

bee06 wrote: »

I was doing a cookery course last month and the chef giving it recommended using a coffee grinder as well … just don't use it for coffee after!

Would be interested in hearing about your cookery course

Mr Magnolia

As with coffee; go for a burr type grinder and not a whirly blade grinder that will cause way too much heat and an uneven grind. You'll pick up a little manual one cheap enough.

nuckeythompson

the beer revolu wrote: »

Ground spices start to lose their aroma especially and their flavour as soon as they are ground. I would never buy spices, ground or whole, from an open bowl if I could help it unless they were super fresh as might be the case in spice producing countries.
It is always best to buy whole spices in small amounts and grind fresh.

Best to use aittight containers and also very important is that they are not glass / transparent plastic either. Light will affect them also

bee06

nuckeythompson wrote: »

Would be interested in hearing about your cookery course

It was 4 classes of 2 hours each. The first night we did yeast and soda bread, 2nd night was soups and sauces, third night was curry (including the spice grinding) and a starter and dessert and the last night was fish, starter and dessert. Everything we cooked we could take home and they provided the ingredients. It was in Cork but I can PM you the name if you want.

Dermighty

Grinding in an electric grinder heats up the spices and they may lose flavour.

Mortar and pestle is the job!

leahyl

bee06 wrote: »

It was 4 classes of 2 hours each. The first night we did yeast and soda bread, 2nd night was soups and sauces, third night was curry (including the spice grinding) and a starter and dessert and the last night was fish, starter and dessert. Everything we cooked we could take home and they provided the ingredients. It was in Cork but I can PM you the name if you want.

I did that course too! We didn't do about the spice grinding though, even though we did make curry