Fresh nutmeg is superior to pre-ground nutmeg, and a nutmeg grinder is needed to use it. Choose between a hand grater or mill-style grinder based on usage frequency and consider features like design, durability, storage, and cost. Nutmeg adds sweet and spicy flavor to a variety of dishes.
Fresh nutmeg adds flavor and aroma that pre-ground nutmeg simply can’t match. Before you can give your recipes a boost with fresh nutmeg, though, you’ll need a nutmeg grinder. When considering which nutmeg grinder to buy, you need to consider features such as design, durability, storage, and cost.
Nutmeg comes from grating the seed of the evergreen Myristica fragrans, the nutmeg tree. The flavor is sweet and spicy, similar to allspice and cloves. Dried nutmeg seeds can be ground into a fine powder and added to savory dishes, soups, and stews; Indian and Middle Eastern dishes; desserts such as cakes, pies and custards; and even spiced mulled wine. Whole nutmeg seeds can keep for a year or more, but the ground spice loses flavor quickly, making fresh nutmeg the preferred choice for serious cooks.
Choosing a grinder for nutmeg begins with choosing the type of grinder that is most suitable: the hand grater or the mill. The hand graters are small and light, easy to use and store with minimal effort. They work well when nutmeg is only used occasionally. In kitchens that see a lot of cooking, a mill might be a better option. Mills can easily grind large quantities of nutmeg and cooks are not at risk of scratching their knuckles.
The hand grater style of nutmeg grinders is a small curved scraping tool with small cone-shaped teeth. These grinders are very easy to use, but care must be taken to keep your fingertips and knuckles away from the rasp. If you’re choosing a hand grater, select a sturdy stainless steel nutmeg grinder instead of a cheap acrylic model that will likely dull quickly. Some models include a tank for collecting ground spice and for storing unused whole nutmeg, which can be useful when space in smaller kitchens is at a premium.
A mill-style nutmeg grinder works similar to a pepper mill. All the nutmeg is placed into a chamber and turning a handle at the top of the mechanism turns the blades at the bottom of the mill, shaving and grinding the nutmeg. A quality mill can grind nutmeg much faster than a hand grater and won’t put your fingers at risk, but cheaper models may malfunction, grinding too coarsely or not at all. Mills are larger than hand graters and more difficult to maintain, and mills are more complex devices, meaning there are more things that can potentially go wrong.
Regardless of which nutmeg grinder design you choose, you’ll likely consider cost when making your purchase. Discount models of either style may be unreliable and may become dull or break after just a few uses. High-end devices often include unnecessary features and attachments, adding cost and space. A simple grinder with quality parts should be sufficient for most kitchens.
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