There is nothing more satisfying than enjoying a cup of coffee made with beans that we have roasted ourselves. Home-roasted beans are fresher and deliver a complexity of flavor rarely found in store-bought coffee. So go to Step One and start learning how to roast your coffee beans, comfortably and at home.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: The Basics of Coffee Roasting
Whichever method you decide to use to roast the coffee, there are some characteristics of the beans that you need to keep in mind during the process. In fact, the roasting time will depend on them.
Step 1. Check the smell
At the first stages of the heating process, the fresh grains, initially green, will gradually become a yellowish color spreading a strong smell of grass. You will know the roasting has started when they start smoking and giving off a real coffee scent.
Step 2. Roasting times depend on the color of your beans
During roasting, the beans, from the green of the raw fruit, will take on a discreet range of colors. A good rule of thumb teaches that the darker the grain is on the outside, the more full-bodied its flavor will be.
- Brownish: color generally avoided, because the grain gives a sour taste. It is characterized by low body, low aromatic profile and low sweetness.
- Light and dry brown: degree of roasting typical of the eastern USA. The coffee has a medium-light body, rich aroma and strong flavor.
- Brown: degree of roasting typical of the western USA. The coffee is full-bodied, has a strong aroma and medium sweetness.
- Dark brown: this degree of roasting is also known as Continental or European. It gives the coffee a rich body and a strong aroma, but the taste becomes bitter.
- Brown: after a strong roasting, beans of an intense brown color are obtained; the flavor is similar to that of espresso.
- Dark (almost black): roasting known as espresso or Italian. The coffee will have little body, intense aroma and bitter taste (due to the caramelization of sugars due to the high temperature).
Step 3. Listen to the grains breaking
When the bean begins to toast, the water inside it evaporates, making it crackle. This occurs twice during roasting, corresponding to the increase in the roasting temperature.
Method 2 of 4: Roasting in the Oven
Due to the poor passage of air, the use of the oven can result in an uneven roasting. However, the lack of air can enrich the complexity of the aroma if the oven is used correctly.
Step 1. Heat the oven to 230 ° C
Meanwhile, prepare the pan. For this method, you will need a perforated pan that has edges high enough to hold the grains.
If you don't have a perforated pan and don't want to buy one, you can build it yourself. All you need is an old pan to pierce. Using a drill and a 3mm bit, carefully pierce the surface of the pan. Leave about 15 mm between one hole and the next and try to take into account the size of the beans when using the drill: you certainly don't want to find the coffee on the bottom of the oven
Step 2. Spread the beans on the pan
Make sure they spread over the entire surface of the pan, so they don't create a single layer and don't overlap. As soon as the oven is up to temperature, place the pan inside it halfway up.
Step 3. Roast the beans for 15-20 minutes
Beware of crackles or pops. These are the sounds that water makes when it evaporates from the beans. When they start to crackle, it means that the beans have started to toast and brown. Move them occasionally to allow them to toast evenly.
Step 4. Remove the pan from the oven
Once you have reached your preferred shade of color, immediately remove the beans from the oven. To speed up cooling, pour them into a metal colander and shake them, so you will also remove the waste.
Method 3 of 4: Roasting in the Popcorn Pan
If you want to roast the beans on the stove, it's best to use a popcorn pot. The best are the classic crank pots that can be found almost everywhere. Toasting the beans on the stove will give you a full-bodied and rich coffee, but with a medium-light aroma.
Step 1. Place the empty popcorn pot on the stove
Turn on the flame to medium intensity and try to heat the pot to 230 ° C. If possible, check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer.
If you don't have a popcorn pot and don't want to buy one, you can make do with a fairly large pan or pot. Just make sure it's clean, or your coffee will bring with it the flavors of whatever you've previously cooked in it
Step 2. Add the coffee beans
Never toast more than 230g at a time. Close the lid of the pot and start turning the crank. You will need to do this throughout the roasting time if you want it to be uniform across all the beans.
If you're using a roasting pan or skillet, you'll need to constantly stir the same - especially since, if you don't, the grains risk burning
Step 3. Wait for the crackles
After 5-7 minutes you should begin to hear crackles coming from the pot - this is the "magic" signal that indicates the beginning of the roasting of the beans. At the same time, an overwhelmingly smelling smoke of coffee will invade your kitchen. Turn on the cooker hood and open a window to get rid of it. Make a mental note of the time at which the beans began to toast.
Step 4. Check the color of the beans frequently
It begins to check their color about a minute after the crackling begins. Once the beans have reached the desired color, pour them into a metal colander and shake them until they are completely cooled.
Method 4 of 4: Roasting with Air Roaster
Step 1. Evaluate the pros and cons
These machines offer efficient (albeit expensive) roasting solutions. The basic principle of these food processors is the same as the popcorn pot - they toast by shooting hot air on the beans. However, the air roaster guarantees 100% uniform roasting.
Step 2. So consider purchasing an air roaster
Roasting takes place in a glass container that allows you to monitor the color of the beans.
Follow the instructions in the appliance instruction booklet to obtain the best roasting
Step 3. Finished
Advice
- Let the roasted beans rest for 24 hours before grinding them to make coffee.
- Toast the beans only in well-ventilated areas. Avoid doing this near fire alarms. The smoke produced by the beans could activate them.
