How to Clean a Coffee or Spice Grinder
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I ground some cumin in my coffee/spice grinder two weeks ago, and it still smelled like cumin when I pulled it out this morning. Those essential oils really have staying power! Not wanting the next thing I grind to smell and taste like cumin (unless it happens to be cumin), I took a minute to give my grinder a thorough cleaning. Here’s what you do.
Toss a handful of rice into your grinder. You want just enough to cover the blades.
Put the lid on, and grind the rice until it’s reduced to rice flour.
Then, dump it out, and wipe out any remaining residue with a damp cloth. The rice will remove any stuck on grounds and absorb any essential oils that have been left behind from previous uses. Simple and effective.
Repeat weekly, monthly or as needed.
Time-Saving Tip:
In the habit of grinding both coffee and spices? Consider investing in two grinders, so you have one for each task. It’ll save you from making a big pot of cumin-flavored coffee.
Reader, Lora, wrote in to say that she uses separate grinders, and if I had a coffee habit, that’s what I would do, too.
