Is it even possible to grind grain without a mill? Of course! It is possible to grind grain without a mill. Although mills are for grinding grains to get the best output, there are other ways to do this without a mill.
In some cases, outsourcing the grinding process to a local mill in your neighborhood usually makes life a lot easier. However, you could grind your grains from the comfort of your home.
The availability of several electric-powered appliances on the market has somewhat simplified grinding at home.
Table of Contents
Ways to grind grain without a mill
| How Do You Grind Grain Without a Mill? | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| Use Bag and Rolling Pin | Put them in a bag and use the bottom of a bottle. |
| Mortar and Pestle | Put in a little quantity and press gently but firmly against the grains |
| Coffee Grinder | Pour the maize into the grinder and grind into the desired particle size |
| Blender | Adding a bit of water to your grains to give the hull a bit of elasticity |
Notwithstanding, mills offer a more convenient and faster way to ensure that your grains are mashed to the desirable particle size and texture. You can achieve this without breaking a sweat!
Factories involved in the large-scale processes of grinding acquire heavy-duty machinery. The good news is that you can purchase affordable home-sized mills that fit in your house or room.
You would find it a better alternative to using traditional means of crushing grains that are time-consuming and tedious.
High-powered mills in your home offer you the advantage of grinding the required amount of grain you need. Asides from that, you are also guaranteed consistent crush size.
Explaining how you can crush grains without a mill
Crush your grains without a mill
Crushing grains without a mill might seem a bit off due to the extra effort invested in the process. There is no doubt that the process involves you exerting a lot of energy to get it done.
There is the risk of pulverizing the grain when you crush harder than usual. However, a good part of the entire process is getting the outcome you desire. Here are few ways to process your grains without using a mill:
Bag and Rolling Pin
You could put a small quantity of your desired grain in a Ziplock bag and crush it with a rolling pin. This process does not allow you to process a large amount of grain at a time.
Either way, a more efficient way would be to take a sizeable amount at a time to ensure you do not experience any tanning issues from crushing the hull.
Crush a few ounces of the grain at a time to break the hull and extract what you need. You run the risk of over-crushing with a rolling pin when you have more ounces of grain on the board.
Using a Rolling Pin and bag to crush grains
Another way to have your grains crushed is to put them in a bag and use the bottom of a bottle. It may not be the best method to apply to the grains for fear of getting cut by the bottle if it gets broken. Nonetheless, it still retains the ability to achieve the desired result.
Mortar and Pestle
Using a mortar and pestle also serves to crush your grains in the absence of a mill. Put in a little quantity and press gently but firmly against the grains.
Keep grinding using your hands until you achieve the desired texture. But be careful not to over-crush the grain.
You might want a food processor, but that would grind the coarse particles into powder. At other times, it might disappoint you!
Crushing grains with a mortar and pestle
You desist from using a coffee grinder to crush your grains. There is a reason why it is ‘crushing’ and not ‘grinding’ so, you should do away with the electronics available at your disposal- Using a blade to crush your grains has a higher chance of ruining the quality of the final product.
Coffee Grinder
There is a high probability that you have a coffee grinder lying around somewhere in your home. In case you don’t, the cost of a coffee grinder is nothing compared to that of a mill.
Get the grains for the kind of flour that you need. For example, if you want corn flour, then you need maize grains. Pour the maize into the grinder (ensure that you do not put too many grains in it). Grind into the desired particle size: coarse or powdery form.
Blender
You could use a blender to grind your grains. In most cases, you’ll have to wet blend your grains. Adding a bit of water to your grains to give the hull a bit of elasticity.
Although there is a risk of pulverizing the grains in the process, this method is recommendable.
What are the grains you can grind without a mill?
Grinding your grains into flour from the comfort of your home is often beneficial. You will save cost and time while you enjoy the process altogether.
Online vendors who offer these products at a fixed price take forever to have your goods shipped to your location and charge ridiculous shipping fees as well.
To save you the inconvenience and stress of being at the mercy of these vendors, here are a few grains you can grind without a mill right from your home:
Amaranth
An embodiment of nutrients, the grains are blended with wheat flour. It is a supplement used in making bread, cereals, muffins, and pancakes.
Corn
Discovered over 10,000 years ago, and most indigenous to the natives of North America, corn is regarded as a dietary meal. The grains are removed from the kernel.
You can grind to fine or coarse texture, depending on your preference. To add to this, you can include flour in your baking recipe.
Barley
You could say that the cultivation of this grain has its identity etched in history. Barley can be hulled with the bran still intact. However, the removal of the bran lowers the nutritional value. Since it is low in gluten, you can mix the barley with wheat flour to enhance the dough and cause it to rise.
Rice
You will agree that this is popular all over the world. There is hardly any country in the world where rice is not a staple food. After harvesting the rice grains, the first milling process removes the inedible hull and leaves us with the brown rice. Further milling eventually produces the white rice.
Garbanzo Beans
You could grind this into flour without a mill. Once ground, the garbanzo flour serves to add flavor and taste to baked foods. It also serves as a thickening agent.
FAQs
Should you grind your flour?
One of the advantages of grinding your grain is that you get to determine the shelf-life. It is convenient to walk to a nearby grocery store and buy some flour for a baking project.
In some cases, a quick order from an online vendor does the job. But do you know how long that flour packaged in an attractive bag has been in the store?
Besides this, you also have the opportunity to experiment with your grains. You can prepare a mixture of flour from different grains and see how they affect the overall taste.
A few reasons why you should grind your flour include:
Taste and Flavour
Although scientifically unproven, freshly ground flour tastes better and adds flavor to your baking process.
Cost
Grinding your flour saves you money-Instead of the exorbitant prices at the grocery stores, you can process your flour when and how you want it.
Nutritive Value
Fresh is always better when it comes to grinding your flour. Instead of processed grains at the stores, there are several benefits of consuming freshly ground flour. Some include healthier body function and less risk of chronic diseases.
Does Wheat lose nutrients after grinding?
For most people, it is usually a big step from purchasing bags of refined flour at the store to buying grains in bulk to be processed in their homes. If you feel this way, it is normal.
No one likes to engage in tasks that require so much effort. However, if you have transitioned or planning to transition from store-buyer to home-grinder, then you are on the right track.
Although debatable in some quarters, freshly processed flour remains the most nutritious of all. Whole grains before grinding are pretty stable and hardly ever spoil due to their low moisture content.
However, once they are crush or ground, exposure to air has adverse effects. According to Pleasant Hill Grain, “Wheat flour loses 40% of its vitamin content in the first 24 hours after grinding and 85-90% after 2-3 days.”
Although there is a bit of science that explains what happens when the grain gains are exposed during milling, it is preferable to consume freshly ground flour.
Some debates have argued that there is no difference between newly ground and synthetic flour. However, it is usually difficult to determine the nutritional value of synthetic wheat flour.
How long does ground wheat last?
People who frequent grocery stores probably do because they fear the outcome of freshly ground flour in storage. Some experts in this field would advise that you use up all your flour immediately!
But how do you grind a whole bag of wheat and consume it right away? Even if you had so many mouths to feed, you couldn’t possibly use all of it, right? Store the ground wheat properly to avoid spoilage.
According to the Whole Grains Council, it takes at least 1-3 months before ground wheat flour turns rancid and 2-6 months if stored in a freezer. At room temperature, ground wheat could last for about 2-5 days.
Other sources say it could last for up to 10 days in a refrigerator. However, in some cases, there is the risk of rancidity in as little as two days. The wheat germ, already removed from the refined flour, is responsible for rancidity due to its unstable oil component.
But this removal decreases the value of your flour- You lose out on some vitamins and nutrients. To mitigate the adverse risk of rancidity, you should only grind the quantity you require for a short period.
How can you store ground flour?
Homes are becoming more accustomed to the use of flour for baking. With the increasing use of flour to make sourdough starters, it has become a popular household item.
However, to truly enjoy the benefits of flour in baking, you must understand the significance of proper storage. Although freshly ground flour is rich in fiber content and nutrients, they are highly prone to spoilage.
The presence of the bran and endosperm can ruin the flavor of the flour as they undergo chemical processes. Some ground flour such as wheat has a much higher oil content, unlike others.
Other grains in this category include barley, buckwheat, oat flour, amaranth, and rye. This causes rancidity to kick in even at room temperature.
To get the best out of your ground flour, you should freeze the flour for 48 hours before it is transferred into an airtight bag or container.
The flour in the airtight container can stay in the freezer for up to a year or more. Another trick to know if your flour isn’t doing so well is your nose. If flour smells like burnt rubber or pencil erasers, then it should be put away immediately.
Conclusion
Whole grains meals remain a vital part of our dietary consumption globally. Needless to state the benefits associated with whole grain flours such as barley, oats, rye, wheat, to mention a few, especially when they are freshly consumed.
However, processing the grains into flour within our homes requires some effort to get the best out of them. The availability of high-powered drills, coffee grinders, and sometimes, food processors, can help achieve this task.
Although there are advantages to purchasing the flours sold at grocery shops, it is a lot better to consume fresh flour. The nutrients and vitamins contained in freshly milled flours are second to none.
Storage methods are also quite significant to enjoy freshly milled flour in your home. Since they are highly prone to spoilage at room temperature, freezing and storing in air-tight containers is important.
Careful attention should be paid to not just the freshly made flour stored in the freezer, but also the bag of grains in your store.
Remember that the shelf life of freshly made flour is an average of 3-6 months in the freezer and a few days at room temperature. That way, you are guaranteed value for your money and a healthier lifestyle.