Avoid Gritty Chili With One Easy Coffee Grinder Hack

If you're a fan of summer, you're probably sad to see it go — however, the colder weather ushers in another great time of year: chili season. Having a bubbling pot of meaty or vegetarian chili on the stove for game day or a quick dinner is one of the season's perks. But occasionally, if you buy commercial chili powder, you might find that your spicy chili has a bit of grittiness to it. If you follow chefs or chili enthusiasts, you might have noticed that they make their own chili powder blends and often use a common kitchen appliance to do it: a spice or coffee grinder. While making your spice blend from scratch is ambitious, you can still use a spice or coffee grinder to further pulverize store-bought chili powder for a smoother mouthfeel.

While you could use a blender or a mortar and pestle for this, a coffee or spice grinder is specifically designed for grinding smaller particles, so you'll get better results. Here are a few pointers and best practices to keep in mind when you're ready to blend.

If you're ready to try this hack, you need a good, clean grinder. Whether you're grinding chili powder from scratch or just pulverizing store-bought, a dry, clean grinder is essential to avoid ending up with a coating of chili powder. Once you've ground the seasoning, wait a moment to allow it to settle to avoid creating a sneeze-inducing cloud of spices when you remove the lid. It's also a good idea to open a window for ventilation.

When grinding your spices, be careful not to overload the grinder. Overloading can result in an uneven grind. Also, be sure to clean your grinder between uses. For the best-tasting coffee or spice blend, it's advisable to have two grinders: One just for spices and another for coffee beans. Some spices, like cumin, are fragrant, and leftover residue can be challenging to clean completely from the appliance. Furthermore, a spice grinder may need to be set to a finer grind than a coffee grinder, so having two will ensure you have the right appliance for each need.

Now that you've mastered the spice-grinding technique, you have the skills to elevate basic store-bought chili powder. To add much-needed spice and flavor, buy dried whole peppers and grind them before adding them to the spice mix for a final blend to maintain consistency. Consider adding chipotles for smokiness or habaneros, guajillos, or even Ghost peppers for extra heat; just be sure to remove the stems and seeds from the chilis before grinding.

While you might think that grinding dried chile into chili powder isn't worth the effort if you only make chili a few times a year, there are other ways to use chile powder. Use it as you would a dry rub to add flavor to chicken, pork, and steak for easy quesadillas or fajitas. Simply spread the spice over the raw meat and let it sit in the refrigerator to absorb the spices before cooking. The longer you allow the rub to penetrate the meat, the more flavorful it will be.