Grinders

[Taz Baby]

I am looking for a grinder to grind wet and dry herbs that can hold a lot. I have looked online but they don't really say if it can grind to a powder. there are so many of them out there I just don't know which one and I don't want to buy something just to find out it is not strong enough. Like something strong enough to nuts into powder, or basil leaves into power not chopped up. I want to start making my own herbs. Electric and manual. I will be dehydrating veggies and meat and was thinking of grinding them into a power for a soup base and dry bouillon. Tell me what you have and how you like it.

[Sniper-T]

I've been making my own bullion for a number of years now, and have tried just about everything. What I have found that works the best is actually just a food processor with a couple of cutting blades in it.

be patient, and if you want a true powder, sift it. I've given up on that quest and leave it a little chunkier, because really... who cares!

If you are looking for a true one stop shop for an all purpose grinder get a grain mill. it will turn anything into powder, but not without it's limitations. I found that with things like meat and mushrooms, the blades get gummy, and it basically does nothing but wear your arm out until you stop and clean it.

[Sniper-T]

Oh, and a tip for you for bullion... the finer it is when you start, the easier it is to turn to dust after. you can dehydrate an entire roast whole. but then it will be next to impossible to do anything with. if you cut most of it up into 1/4" slices, then you'll have jerky strips.

If you grind up the raw meat, you can still press it into jerky (like with a jerky gun), or spread it out and dry it in little pcs, which will grind/chop up much easier.

Also, as it is drying, every couple hours, break up the pcs, as it is easier when damp, than when rock hard


The best thing I've ever found for 'herbs' is a coffee grinder. throw your bud in, a couple quick zaps and ready for the papers, er... spice rack.

;)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o278/FL420/BraunKSM2bladecoffeegrinder.jpg

[Taz Baby]

I have 2 food choppers but they do not chop dry herb leaves good enough as the leaves get caught under the blade.

http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4577014048817642&id=f0c3c8255226b4522fdaf2a26c67f68b&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.toaster-oven.net%2fproductimages%2fjrl1%2fblack-decker-hc306-handy-food-chopper.jpg

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4960576087392811&id=ab0c10874a7c9f9d22fa50d6f6bff95d&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.comparestoreprices.co.uk%2fim ages%2fha%2fhaden-mini-food-chopper.jpg

I also have a grain mill but was wanting something small for herbs. Don't have a coffee grinder as my food choppers do that. But will the leaves get stuck under the blades like in the chopper?

[Sniper-T]

Not in my experience. I have two grinders like that, one strictly for coffee, and the other for herbs.

I chopped a whackload of my home grown sage, oregano, and dill with it last year; both dried and fresh.

The worst I've had happen is a small buildup on the tips of the blade, if the herbs are too wet (green). that just flicks off with a fingernail, no biggie

[Evolver]

Ditto to what T said on the coffee grinder for smaller batches. We have used ours for turning egg shells to powder for the tomatoes, dried herbs, chopped nuts. It works well and the clean up is a snap. It's only good for your dry goods so if anything has any moisture in it you'll need to go with a good food processor. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-10S-FOOD-PROCESS-CUISINART-C/dp/B00004S9EM/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1334955250&sr=1-2

[Katrina]

Ditto on coffee grinders. As long as the herbs, etc is completely dried, shouldn't be too much to powder them. As for manual I use my mortar and pestle to powder the herbs,etc. I just make sure they are dry, dry, dry, otherwise all I get is paste.

[Taz Baby]

Ditto on coffee grinders. As long as the herbs, etc is completely dried, shouldn't be too much to powder them. As for manual I use my mortar and pestle to powder the herbs,etc. I just make sure they are dry, dry, dry, otherwise all I get is paste.

I need to get a mortar and pestle, but will need a big one as I am going to dehydrate everything I can and a lot will go as bouillon. Also I am going to make chips out of the veggies I grow to eat like jerky or as snacks. Do you know where I can get a big one? All I have found is little ones.

[msomnipotent]

I have seen big ones on Amazon.com, and Home Goods, but I haven't been to Home Goods in 2 years. I don't know if they still carry them.

[Sniper-T]

My wife bought me a large one for x-mas last year. She got it from a local medical supply house.

Crazy cheap compared to the trendy stores

[Taz Baby]

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ15T47qBzBgrf2kpRnO9Yr3CsrdRuf8 m40zI6vprL0R0dYOqoI
everyone for the advice. SIL has a coffee grinder We have a big grinder that will do meat and stuff, I have the small coppers. So it seems that all I need now is the pestle and mortar. I can always count on my ant family.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRgr1iwLC8cDEmuRezKxA5Q7FLsIjyX3 OV-vbWGmdskVyQN8HUHDA