I've been using a cheap Mr Coffee bean grinder for powder for years. Hasn't failed me yet.

a ninja blender is incredibly effective for turning a large pile of dry peppers into a small pile of semi fine powder, which can then be put into the coffee grinder to yield very fine powder.

I don't deseed before dehydrating because all the good stuff is in the placental tissue. so I dry them with the seeds in, grind them in the ninja, then sift out the seeds.

I don't know about chopper, but for grinder/blender there are these combo set that are interchangeable . They have a grinder (like coffee bean grinder) and a blender. You can find them in Walmart, Kmart, Target ...I think the whole set costs around 50 bucks.

here is a picture.
I have a set (Other brand ) that I have been using for 10 years.

I use my regular blender. The key is to hold it at about a 45 degree angle. This kicks the powder up the side of the jar, instead of just caking up at the bottom. Or for small batches I use the trusty ol mortar and pestle.

Seysonn - I have that "other brand" at the house / will prob wind up using it.

Anyone - Do you de-seed pre grind or after?

Later this week will be my first experiment so asking for advice.

Johnny

Johnny,
About de-seeding, Judo mad a good pint. A good portion of heat is in placenta. Naturally, when you de-seed you have to shave a good portion of it. I believe seeds contain some flavor too. Why throw it away if you can grind it down. Unless you save it for things like pizza. JMO

Seysonn

That would be some hot pizza!!!

Johnny

Johnny, ...The seeds have no heat. Only a tiny layer on them hast heat. So, what people sprinkle on pizza is mild stuff.

"I have that "other brand" at the house / will prob wind up using it. "

In the interest of continued marital bliss:
Don't use the wife's coffee grinder for peppers.
Don't use your pepper grinder for coffee.
Do it outside fer Christ's sakes! ;-)

Just get an inexpensive $10-$40 coffee grinder. They work great for turning dried peppers into flakes or powder depending on how long you grind them. Just don't try to grind coffee beans in it after making some Ghost Pepper powder.
Bruce

Prob go by Wal-Mart a/ get the Mr. Coffee type deal.

Johnny

If you want to control the powder size and consistency, you want to use a burr grinder. Rather than a whizzy blade it uses two disks that act like the grinding stone in a grain mill. The difference is that the disks are a fixed distance apart so granules of that size and smaller fall through and ones that are bigger can't. A whirring blade produces some very small granules, and some that are quite large.

Some coffee grinders are burr grinders. They are usually more expensive than whiz grinders but produce a superior product.

Dennis

Okay, "blade grinders".

My cheap Mr Coffee blade-type grinder is adjustable for fineness and produces an evenly fine product. YMMV

Link below

PS I'm sure DMForcier would like it since it includes a "Chamber Maid". ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Mr Coffee Grinder

This post was edited by mecdave on Mon, Oct 20, 14 at 13:54

i feel like i lose a lot of the peppers identity with a finely ground powder. It looks like any other spice sitting in my kitchen cabinets that i don't care about... So i just keep them as flakes and use a small food processor / blender. Seeds and all or without if i'm saving the seeds, doesn't seem to change the flavor too much.

> "Chamber Maid"?

Yah it sounds good, but there are no pictures of the maid's uniform. I have very particular demands...

Mr. Dennis

Johnny,

I second Jasons Ninja.. they work great. I also use a little 4 cup food processer i have alot. alot of old style blenders with the screw on bottom will screw onto a mason jar and that works great for sealing the dust in... thats the key control the dust. let it settle after grinding and move carefully to your storage jars with a spoon... don't pour it

Makes good sense Scorp. I'll have to research a little more to find one that'll screw right on to mason jar.

Tks everyone for help

Johnny

The one in the picture that I have and find it versatile.
It consists of one motor/driver and two different blender/ grinders attachments. Blender looks just like a blender and the grinder is just like conventional coffee mill/grinder. They thread onto the containers and then dropped into the driver.
So if I want to just make flakes (not fine powder) use the grinder. But if I wish to make fine powder, use the grinder. Since the units are detached/separate from the motor, you can wash them, manually or in dish washer. You can also temporarily store things in the container that you just blended. The unit comes with a few screw on lids for the containers.

I have had this unit for maybe 10 years. I throw away my bulky blender with zillion buttons ( Oyster ?) . This unit together with the stick blender ( 25 yrs old Braun) do every blending and grinding needs. I find them the best inventions since the ball point pen. :-)