Grind My Own Flours?

[Netzel]

I thought I would ask some more experienced bread bakers this question before I start experimenting!

I have a coffee grinder that will mill to a very fine texture. Can I, for example, grind brown rice into powder and use this flour directly?

I laugh at myself when I realize I am not sure if flour is just finely ground grain, or if anything else has to be done to it before it is usable in baking.

I tried grinding some millet and now have fine yellow powder. I have a bag of red rice (never heard of this one before) that I found in an Asian grocery and will grind it if anyone tells me to!

[ptkds]

You can most definetly grind your own rice flours. Nothing is changed. I don't know if a coffee grinder can get it fine enough, but you can see how it turns out. Just remember that if it is not fine enough, you may have to add a little extra water so the food won't be grainy.

[ShayFL]

I have used a coffee grinder, but then I sift it through a fine strainer to get out any larger bits. You dont want to hit those in your muffins. But now I have a Vita-Mix with a grain grinding canister. Works great!

[bakinghomesteader]

Does the vitamix get it "superfine"?

[ShayFL]

The Vitamix works really well. I still sift, just to be sure. But it is superfine. Yes. I hated to get rid of my old Vitamix that served me for 15 years. It still worked great! But it had gluten in it. So I bought a new one. I could have just bought new canisters, but for two of them it was like 200. And then I thought, if this "old" one breaks, I will have to invest in the whole thing all over. They arent cheap. But they do last.

And now I have a "back up" engine.

One thing I like is that you can make 6 cups of flour at one time. This is a savings. Coffee grinder takes forever to do this much.