Ingredient Preparations Help

[festadeimorte]

I'm looking for any suggestions aside from a mortar pestle to grind down for substantial ingredients. I've tried the average food processor to no avail, they either burn out or the blade wears out quick. TIA!

 

[vargr23]

Depending on the size of the what you're trying to grind, maybe an electric coffee grinder would work? I used to use one to grind up whole cloves.

 

[Witch Cat]

There have been times when I've ordered resins that are kind of large, as well as some seeds, brick and charcoal. I've wrapped these in layered cheesecloth and taken a hammer to them on the patio. I got the idea hearing about burlap sacks being used in this sort of pulverizing process, but cheesecloth is much easier to find and a few layers wrapped around the object will contain the bits as you hammer them. You'll still need to grind some of the smaller bits, though if you do a good job on the pounding, the bits will be easy. H
For bigger jobs, here is a link to some mills online for sale, maybe some of these might also be helpful:

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And if you are working with stones or rock, there are also commercial rock crushing machines, the average price seems to run about $300 (the cheaper models just didn't look reliable to my untrained eye). Hope this helps!

 

[Ben Gruagach]

You could also get a small hand grater and rub the item against it. They're sold in places that sell kitchen supplies.
Or you could go to the hardware store and buy a metal file or rasp which is the same sort of thing but meant to be used to wear down or sand down wood, metal, or stone.

 

[festadeimorte]

Thanks for the tips, I think brute force is the way to go without breaking the bank with an industrial grinder of some sort... Mostly looking create from hard resins and barks.

 

[Asteriskos]

Depending on the size of the what you're trying to grind, maybe an electric coffee grinder would work? I used to use one to grind up whole cloves.

Darn, I was going to suggest that too! I just bought a small one for herbal stuff, a single serving amount of beans is just about right for herbal infusions and incense. And... my wife doesn't yell at me for using the one in the kitchen!

 

[Tryp]

Thanks for the tips, I think brute force is the way to go without breaking the bank with an industrial grinder of some sort... Mostly looking create from hard resins and barks.

Very hard barks can be extremely difficult if you don't use a heavy duty, industrial grade processor. I have a friend who owns a lab and lets me borrow it sometimes. Otherwise it is working from small chunks in a marble or granite mortar and pestle, and take your time.

With some resins you can try wrapping them in wax paper and freezing them. That will make them more brittle and workable with mortar.

 

[Grayhoss]

Well, the 'hard resin and bark' adds a bit more difficulty. For hand grinding, there are metal mortar and pestle sets with abrasive surfaces in the bowl and on the pestle meant to more readily abrade hard herbals. Another option is to shave or chop the herbal into as 'granular' a form as possible, prior to fine-grinding it. Some swear by spice grinders meant to grind hard corms or corns, or as mentioned, heavy-duty coffee grinders.