Can You Grind Peppercorns in a Food Processor?

Imagine how cooking would have been without food processors. It would have been so tiring. Those who fancy cooking a range of meals may have found the proper excuse to limit their options. 

The food processor is among the handy appliances in the kitchen. And even though blenders perform most of the tasks they can do, having food processors around is a wise choice.

These appliances can help you process foods in a massive variety of ways. But the major question is this. Can you grind peppercorns in a food processor? If you’re seeking the correct answer to this question, keep reading! 

We’ll explain all you need to know right here.

Can Small Food Processors Be Used To Grind Peppercorns?

The first question is can you grind peppercorns in a food processor? The answer is yes. You can grind the small berry-like spice called peppercorns in a food processor. 

But that doesn’t mean you should be careless when doing so. You have to keep monitoring the food processer throughout the process. Why? You don’t want to over-grind. 

Secondly, before using a food processor, you have to be sure that you’re using one that’s powerful enough for the task. If the machine you’re using to grind the spice isn’t powerful enough, it might develop a fault or pack up after several usages.

Now, back to the question: can small food processors be used to grind peppercorns? Yes, you can. But that doesn’t mean you should overload the machine. 

Grind the peppercorns batch by batch. That way, the process would grind the spice with ease. 

If you overload the machine, it won’t grind fast or develop a fault. Additionally, ensure the mini food processor is from a trusted brand. It should be a good quality one. That’s the point.   

How To Grind Peppercorns in a Food Processor?

In most people’s minds, grinding spices such as peppercorns in a food processor is a straightforward procedure. Just pour the spice into the processor and start grinding. 

And yes, it’s a simple procedure. But if you don’t know what you’re doing, you won’t achieve the ideal spice texture you seek. The machine’s performance might even reduce, or it may develop a fault. 

So, how can you grind peppercorns using a food processor? Let’s discuss that in detail. 

Step 1: Plug to wall socket

The first step is to wash and dry up the processor. They should be no water in it before you start grinding. Now, connect to a power source.

But before you start using the device, ensure that water doesn’t enter the engine compartment. And place the food processor on a leveled surface. 

Step 2: Pour the peppercorns into the food processor

Once you connect the food processor into the wall socket, you’re ready to start grinding. 

Now, pour the spice into the processor and start processing. If you were planning to grind plenty of peppercorns, it would make sense to do so in batches.

 However, it is advisable to pour more spice than needed into the food processor. Why? Some would stick to the food processor or be lost while removing the ground spice. 

So, if your recipe requires six spoons of peppercorns, put eight or nine spoons in the food processor. 

Step 3: Begin the grinding process

Once you have successfully poured the spice into the food processor, hit the button and start grinding.  

While grinding, you should pulse the food processor at intervals. That way, you can achieve your ideal ground spice texture-wise.

If the ground spice is more than you need, pour the leftover into a container and store it. You may need peppercorns to use urgently at some point. 

So, that’s how to grind peppercorns using a food processor. And don’t forget to check the spice’s texture now and then while grinding. That way, you’ll know whether to stop or continue. 

Can You Grind Peppercorns in a Blender?

Yes, you can. Blenders can handle a range of spices that the food processor grinds. So, if you have a blender in your kitchen and don’t have a food processor, don’t start feeling like you’re missing out. 

If the blender is a well-made and good-quality appliance, you shouldn’t have a problem using it to grind peppercorns. 

So, how do you grind peppercorns in a blender? It’s a straightforward process. 

Pour a quarter of a cup of peppercorns into your food processor, and start grinding. But please, ensure the blender is clean and dry before pouring spice into it. 

Again, you have to pulse the blender at intervals to achieve an even blend. Another thing you have to do is shake the blender while blending so the spice can blend evenly. 

A Handy Tip: Endeavor to pour plenty of spice into the blender at once. It will make sense if it covers the blade a bit.   

If you end up grinding excess spice in the blender, don’t beat yourself up. Just pour the excess into a container and seal it. It would remain fresh for the next five days or more. 

Can You Use a Coffee Grinder To Grind Peppercorns?

Yes, you can grind your peppercorns using a coffee grinder. You can use a coffee grinder with controls. That way, you would be in charge of how you want the grinder to function.

The thing is, you can grind peppercorns with a coffee grinder that boasts a regular blade. But please, if you can, ensure you have separate grinders for coffee and spice. 

If you’re using the same grinder for coffee and spice, remember to wash and dry before using it to grind coffee. Otherwise, the spice might mix with your coffee. 

A Handy Tip: The coffee grinder and spice grinder aren’t the same. Both differ in the type of blade used. Coffee grinders use burrs, while spice grinders use blades. The burrs enable the coffee grinder’s grind to be more uniform.

Can You Use a Coffee Grinder as a Spice Grinder?

The coffee grinder grinds beans into power with conical burrs, but the spice grinder uses something different. They use regular blades. 

Now, the question is, can a coffee grinder take the place of a spice grinder? The answer is yes. Get a coffee grinder if you cannot obtain an electric spice grinder. 

However, getting a second coffee grinder specifically for grinding spices would make sense. That way, you won’t need to wash and dry the coffee grinder when the need to grind beans arrives. 

So, go ahead and get yourself a coffee grinder. But make sure you’re getting it from a trusted brand. That way, you can be sure the performance of the grinder will remain intact for an extended period.

Are Coffee Grinders and Spice Grinders the Same?

No, they’re not the same. We mentioned earlier that coffee grinders use conical burrs, while spice grinders use regular blades. But you can grind spices with both. 

You may want to know which grinder is better between coffee and spice grinders. 

The truth is most people will choose coffee grinders over spice grinders for the apparent reason. Coffee grinders tend to deliver even grinds, mainly when used on dry ingredients.

What makes this possible is the two ceramic burrs coffee grinders have. Sometimes, it’s steel conical burrs.  

There’s a gap between both burrs. And the grinder uses force to push the ingredient through the burrs when turned on. 

The gap between both burrs determines the ground size. And ground sizes are always uniform. It’s even very crucial when grinding coffee beans itself.

But as earlier advised, it would be best to use separate coffee for spice grinding. 

Now, let’s discuss spice grinders. 

These grinders use blades. But they are designed to ground spices of all kinds. Spice grinders can grind wet and dry ingredients. Unfortunately, coffee grinders can only handle dry ingredients. 

What happens when you use coffee grinders for wet ingredients? You seriously won’t like the outcome. It can leave your coffee grinder messed up or blocked. 

So, if you plan on grinding wet ingredients, spice grinders would be a wise choice. Most people prefer coffee grinders since it not only allows them to grind coffee beans but crush a range of spices. 

Therefore, a coffee grinder is a better option if you only have plans to grind dry ingredients. Please, don’t attempt to use your coffee grinder for wet ingredients. It won’t turn out well, and you are slowly destroying your grinder by so doing. 

Conclusion

Can you grind peppercorns in a food processor? Yes, you can. Just ensure you don’t overload the machine. Overfilling a food processor’s work bowl hinders it from working efficiently.  

Two cups of spice per batch in the work bowl are ideal. Don’t exceed that. We also discussed using a coffee grinder. A coffee grinder can grind spices. But ensure you only use them for dry spices.