Any coffee lovers out there? I’ve been roasting my own coffee beans and it’s easier than you might think. All you need is a stove, a popcorn popper, and green coffee beans.
To roast coffee at home:
To roast coffee at home, I start with organic green beans. I recently spent time with a coffee roaster from Oregon and he recommended using organic beans only. Anything else can be quite “dirty”.
I use the smallest burner and lowest setting on our gas stove.
I usually work in small batches because roasted beans are freshest if used within 5 or so days. I find that generously covering the bottom of the popcorn popper with beans gives me enough beans to last 5-7 days. I use this popcorn popper.
Once I have the beans in place and the heat set on low, I crank the handle constantly. For me to achieve a dark roast, it takes about 25 minutes. I like to peek into the popper every now and then to see how things are progressing. The beans go from green to more of a golden shade. A “crack” that is similar to but not as loud as popcorn popping is a good sign! I keep cranking until the beans are the desired darkness. You can go as dark as you wish, but be careful not to burn them.
Once the beans are finished roasting, I take them outside and pass them back and forth between two colanders until they are cool. This also helps to shake the chaff or husk off of the beans.
Once I’m finished roasting and the beans have cooled, I treat myself to a double espresso using the fresh beans.
Have you tried home roasting? If you have any good tips, I’d love to hear from you.
