How to Select and Keep Coffee
A guide to selecting, storing, roasting, and grinding coffee beans for optimal freshness and flavor. This recipe emphasizes buying whole Mocha beans and roasting them at home for the best quality.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Whole coffee beans, preferably Mocha variety (Look for small, roundish berries with a bluish tint. Never buy pre-roasted beans.)
Instructions
- 1When purchasing coffee, choose Mocha beans—small, roundish berries with a bluish tint. Always buy whole, unroasted beans for the best flavor and freshness.
- 2Transfer the whole, unroasted coffee beans to a plain tin canister with a lid. Store in a cool, dry place away from light and moisture.
- 3When ready to use, roast only the amount of beans you need using a home coffee roaster according to the manufacturer's instructions. Roast until beans reach your desired darkness, typically 10-15 minutes depending on roast level.
- 4Allow the freshly roasted beans to cool completely to room temperature before grinding or storing, about 5-10 minutes.
- 5Grind only the amount of roasted coffee you need immediately before brewing. Use a coffee grinder set to your preferred grind size.
- 6Transfer any remaining roasted beans or ground coffee to a smaller air-tight canister. Store in a cool, dark place, as exposure to light and air quickly deteriorates coffee quality after roasting. Use within 1-2 weeks for best flavor.
