Our experience using a hand grain mill | WonderMill Junior Deluxe | Grinding Grains to Fresh Flour
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- Is milling your own grains into flour worth it? We'll break down our experience and talk about what grain mill we have and how it's been.
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I have a WonderMill Jr. which I motorized with the kit available through Pleasant Hill Grain. I love it! I purchased the motorized kit just because it was easiest for me but you could purchase the motor and fix it up yourself.
While we have electricity this makes life more simple due to time constraints. If there is a time without electricity I will revert to the counter-mount and get an arm workout.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks for sharing! I’ll need to check out that motorized kit option. I really like how the WonderMill Jr functions so that might just be the right fit. And yes, being able to always have the hand crank as a back up is so nice! Thanks for watching!
I found this video researching true water-powered gristed cornmeal. As far as I can see, such a thing no longer exists. But as a child in the 70's-80's, my family had intermittent access to this very special ingredient, and it was wonderful (from a taste perspective).
In fact, we had a recipe given to us from a very traditional cook from Albany, Georgia that used this meal to make the most amazing corn cakes/fritters from only the cornmeal and water. The batter was something between the consistency of a pancake batter and a slurry.
Drop that into a quarter of an inch of fat in a hot cast iron skillet, and it became bubbly, light, and crisp...as if it was leavened, but it had no flour or leavener in it.
As an adult, I am very accomplished in cooking knowledge and food science, and I hyoothesize that the "leavening" ability of the corn meal stemmed from the very slow grinding process, which created minimal heat, and when fresh, created a naturally occurring leavening agent in corn, which has no gluten.
Cast iron mills are not stone mills, but there are actually hand stone mills, which basically look and operate the same, but have the advantage of stone grinding, as opposed to the burring that cast iron hand mills utilize.
I hope to try to recreate that amazing corn meal and the recipe that is associated with it soon.
Thanks for you video. You didn't mention taste. Do you find that the taste (and natural leavening via preserved volitile oils) is improved by hand grinding?
I've ended up having a few of your videos suggested to me as I search on different things and I really appreciate the details you give and your life experiences with the things you are talking about. And, I LOVE that you two are doing it together!
Aw! Thank you for the encouragement! Really appreciate it and glad these videos have been helpful!
I just started in Jan! I got the WonderMill and I love it. It isn't as pretty as some others but it has a closed canister the flour is milled right in to. I got the Wonder Mill Jr so I can keep baking if we lose electricity. It is a workout!
It is a workout! Glad you love it!
I've been thinking about this a lot lately and looking for a grain mill and trying to decide if this is what I want to do. Thanks for this video. It's helped a lot!
You’re so welcome and glad it helped! Thanks for watching!!
I bought a few different ones and don't like any of them. They don't work for me. I'm hoping this one will work better. Thank you for the review.
Edit: Spelling
Just started grinding out own grains. Bought the Komo Duet 100 and love it. Besides grinding grains it has a flaker to grind our oats and a host of other things. Not cheap but very good quality.
Nice! We’ll have to look into that one! Thanks for watching!
I have a wondermill Jr. Great little mill. Bought it simply since it was on sale as a, I might need this later piece. I nixtamol my own dent corn and have 300lbs in mylar for long term storage. But back in 2007 I bought a country living grain mill. Great mills, plenty of options but as you pointed out..... grinding grain is a work out. During the 1st covid relief check, I motoroized it.... should have done it 12 years prior when I bought the mill. But motorizing it is the way to go. Use it often in the fall and winter. However with the heavy cast mill, board, motor, and 50" belt setup, its large heavy and a bit to clean up. Bought a Komo classic in 2020. Opted to spend the extra $50 to go with the walnut, to match all my cutting boards. Took 6 months longer to get it but I got it. Amazing. much smaller and more compact, works awesome, and can grind most dry grains. It is now my go to mill, I was debating the flaker as part of the mill, but have since bought 3 different manual flakers, the Komo flicflok, a super nice German Eschenfelder flaker, and a Marcato Mulino flaker. I would recommend the Eschenfelder unit hands down. Bought mine during Covid fiasco so it was SUPER hard to find someone who would ship it, but due to field service reps in the company I work, I was able to get one of them to mail me one. WELL WORTH that cost. Use it to make oats, cookies, and other grains, as it is not just for oats.
I would personally stay away from the wondermill as it can only due flour due to the impact mill design. Komo, Country living (motorized), or maybe the mockmill. But for a strictly grid up scenario, it is hard to beat the Komo, more so due to price, functionality, and value. If you want to spend a pretty decent chuck of cash, have the room, and want grid up/ down ability, the country living full setup is awesome. But the fact you have a wondermill Jr, I would opt simply for the Komo. The classic is, well, the classic, but they have larger and smaller unit available to suit your need. Thank you for the great video and be safe out there.
Thanks for all that info and sharing your experience! I've looked into the Komo a little bit but it was really helpful to hear your story. We still haven't pulled the trigger on one yet so we'll see where we end up. Thanks for watching!
I just bought and received the Komo Classic and I love it. No high piercing motor noise. But now I need a mill for my nixtamalized corn. Thanks for the review.
Nice! I’ll have to check out the komo classic. Thanks for watching!!
Did you find a good grinder for doing nixtamalized corn.
I have a Mockmill 100, and I’m so satisfied with it. It’s the most modest in their line, but it’s still a workhorse.
I've heard amazing things about the Mockmill!
I have a Nutrimill and have been very pleased with it. Used it consistently for 5 years when we lived overseas and couldn't get a decent loaf of bread for less than $8. It still works wonderfully! We love grinding fresh cornmeal for cornbread :) I'm excited to have a smaller hand-crank to have out for smaller batches and for a just in case scenario. And, also excited for the option to grind oily things, too. (I love that we could have it out, it looks nice, and becomes a conversation piece... right along with my spinning wheels ;) )
Thanks for sharing this! We actually invested in a Nutrimill Harvest since filming this video to have an electric option but we really like having both!
I have both. Hand mill, and nutrimill. When I just want to grind a little, I use the hand mill, of coarse, volume I use electric. Nice to have both.
Thanks for sharing this! We ended up getting a Nutrimill too and use ours the same way. Agree that it's nice to have both. Thanks for watching!
I like my Komo grain mill. It does a varity of grains and beans, as well as dent corn. I have the Komo Classic Fidibus (360hp motor). Love it to do my bread flours out of different grains. Stone burrs that should last a lifetime.
Thanks for sharing!!
I live alo e and this would be perfect. Ty for all the links as well! Think about the attachable motor. That seems logical
You're welcome! I agree, the motor would definitely save us a lot of time!
There is a drill attachment available for the wondermill - makes it into an electric version using an electric/battery drill!
I’ve seen that before! That would definitely make the task a little easier 👍. Thanks for watching!
Where do we get the drill attachment? Source? You never said. Thanks Ken
Mockmill 100, it retains the nutrients in the flour by not heating up the flour while grinding it.
Reference:
Wardee at Traditional Cooking School
(Her Bible based cooking program)
Thanks for sharing!!
We bought a Komo and a power sifter (separate machines) because I know me well enough to know I would get tired of spending so much time grinding and sifting for hours. I do have a hand crank just in case we lose power though we are total solar and battery.
We were looking into a komo, I've heard great things! Thanks for sharing!
There is an adapter to attach to the Wonder Mill to attach your hand drill to it - to quickly motorize the mill.
Also, there’s the Masa Auger you can get for it to allow it to make masa.
Thanks for sharing! These would be good things to look into!
WELL....! Since I posted 2 months ago, I ended up purchasing a Nutrimill Wondermill. There is barely any other electric grain mill that is less expensive. The price went up the end of December 2023 by $30 pretty much no matter where you could get it and I managed to buy one just before they went up to $299 (with free delivery). For me this is a HUGE expenditure -- and I have had NO regrets! You cannot mill more than 8 cups of whole grain per milling (but that is about 12 cups of flour, and I rarely need more than that -- and even if I did, emptying the container and starting again just wouldn't be a problem). There is no real "washing" -- it cleans itself other than the fine powder you brush off after each use with a pantry brush. And it is FAST. Really amazingly fast. People who don't like it so much are those who are wanting or needing a COARSE milling or a super-fine milling. I find that the flour is just great on the midway "bread" setting; it is said that the finer setting is not much different and the company encourages use of the bread setting so I'm happy with that. It's a finer flour than I got with my Blendtec blender (which really ran hot after milling just a couple of cups). It can be stored with the container stacked atop the milling portion and fits great atop one of my 5-gallon buckets I use for storing the wheat over in a corner of the kitchen so it doesn't take up counter space. I HIGHLY recommend the Wondermill electric grain mill and get the feeling it is going to last a lifetime. There are just two in our house, and I use it once or twice a week, including a 3 1/2 lb. sourdough loaf weekly. We are eating more whole grain than ever and are experiencing real health benefits! My 69-year-old housemate told me the other day that this week is the first week in a YEAR that she has not had to use her walker to get around in the house. This is HUGE. And that's just a month after I finally got the grain mill (and finally got "comfortable" making sourdough). At first I was using yeast breads, but we both love the more complex flavor in a sourdough. Anyhow, that's my vote -- the Wondermill -- unless you have a little money to burn, in which case I might (without having ever used one myself) the Komo mill.
Wow! Thanks for sharing! SO glad it's been such a good fit for you!
I've been blending my grains for making bread for a couple years now using my Blendtec high-speed blender. Works great. A Vitamix would work as well.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Yes! My Vitamix came with a separate "dry" container which works great for all my grinding needs. In a grid down situation, I can plug it in to my car inverter if needed.
NICE. @@californiadreamer2580
Are you aware that it is best to grind grains just before you use them? The main reason people grind their own is to maximize nutrition. So the goal is to grind just enough to bake bread or whatever you're making. And do that each time.
Great point! If we happen to have extra we always store in fridge or freezer for storage.
I store the excess in the freezer, also. It comes in handy in various recipes.
What about one of the ones with a flywheel? Might speed things up, and be available if the power is out.
Yes, I think the flywheel options would definitely help keep momentum going and make it easier to crank. You also pay a decent amount more for ones with a flywheel. It's definitely worth having a crank one on hand to be able to use without power. The Wondermill Junior is the best option we found at an entry level price. Thanks for watching!
Have you folks ground corn kernels with your hand crank mill? I'm looking for info specifically for that. Any hands on feedback of your experience would be greatly appreciated!
Yes! We use our mill for making a coarse corn meal all the time. It works great!
Have you milled unhulled barley with it? I wonder if regular mills can grind the hulls of grains.
We haven't!
Do you get the best grind like texture from this one? Can you change the texture?
Yes, you can tighten or loosen it to be more coarse or more fine. It won’t really go as fine as standard industrial milled flours you’re used to getting from the store. But still pretty fine. You just get used to a little more full texture with things. Thanks for watching!
I've had a hand crank grain mill for over 10 years and have yet to actually use it. I milled some rice once and that is it. I do bake bread quite a bit, and since it is only me I really should get that mill out and use it. HERE is my problem. I don't think I will like the taste of the bread. I typically make ciabatta or French baguettes when I bake. BUT, I need to cut my fast carbs out. So I'm considering giving it a try. I have heard that fresh milled grain tastes better than store bought whole wheat bread.
WHAT do you think? Thanks.
It's definitely not the same as store bought flour. The bread is a bit denser and has more of that whole wheat flavor. Thanks being said, that's all we are used to it, and we prefer it! When others have it that aren't used to it, it's not everyone's cup of tea but we really do enjoy it this way. We recently got a nurtrimill harvest electric grain mill too and so we are eager to do some side by side comparisons between the two! Hope this helps!
Try buying some khorsan (kamut) berries and grinding them, and then if you want equal amounts of fluffiness to hard wheat berries (bread flour) add around 2-3% vital wheat gluten in with your fresh milled khorsan flour. It's more nutritious than whole wheat and it tastes better than white bread. You'll be amazed.
When kneading the flour I use a stand mixer so I don't really notice much difference but for hand kneading you'll need a bit more water and it will not stretch out as much as normal bread flour. In my stand mixer bread flour I knead for 8 minutes and khorsan I knead for 10 minutes to get 98-99% of the gluten strength, which is enough for a great tasting loaf of bread.
Hello, is this mill good for nixtamalized cooked corn? Thank you very much!
Yes! The wet burrs would work well for that!
@@FromScratchFarmstead Thank you!
You need to own the prepper status. You are preppers. It's not a bad thing. Just living on a farmstead and being self-sufficient is the most base prepper status. I was a Scout Master for 7 years and the Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared" so being a prepper is just a smart move. Thank you for this review. I bought a Wonder Mill Jr. a couple of years ago just to have strictly as an emergency times thing - along with grains of course....
Our lifestyle definitely qualifies, we just like to avoid the doomsday mentality but there is something to be said anti-fragility. Thanks for sharing!
Ya know, a dewalt drill comes to mind for the handle shaft there. 🤔
Funny enough they do make a drill attachment for this mill and I've thought many a time about picking one up. But we did recently just purchase a nutrimill harvest electric mill which we are really loving! But we like still having the hand crank mill as a backup. Thanks for watching!
Is it possible to mill corn with the same sort of mill?
Yes! We love grinding corn in this mill.
Build a stool that a kid can stand on and let them turn the grinder (it can be a reward for something or just taking turns) while watching, talking, learning in the kitchen. Don't try to grind a month's worth at once, that makes it too much like work.
Thanks for the tips!
My mom used to read books to me and my sister while we washed dishes, such as the whole series of the Chronicles of Narnia. I have fond memories of that, and as an adult, washing dishes is one of the most pleasant chores for me.
Building great relationships with your kids. Answering all those silly questions is excellent memories.
How long would it take to grind 3 cups of flour with that?
Haven't timed it, but if I had to guess probably 10 minutes give or take. You can definitely go hard at it and do 3 cups in probably about 5 minutes. But I prefer a nice steady pace. Thanks for watching!
Oh wait, question: does the crank arm come off? If so, could you attach on an electric drill? :D
Yes, it can come off and they actually do make an attachment for an electric drill! That is another great option for this one.
I just remove the handle and reinstall the nut. Get a socket that fits the nut with a drill attachment and away you go. It works for me.
Can you grind crackers in this to make crackers crumbs?
Hmm, that is a good question. It probably could work but I think its designed to work best when whatever you're feeding into it is relatively small and uniform in size. You'd probably have better luck with a blender or food processor designed for dry goods. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
What amount of wheat berries is a years supply?
That would really depend on how much you use it! 3-4 50 lb bags lasts us the year.
can you grind coffee with that?
Yes! I have not personally done coffee with it because we use it exclusively for grains, corn, etc. But I've heard it does great with coffee. Since you can easily adjust the coarseness it grinds at, you should be able to dial it in to suit your needs. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
How long does the grinding stones last? Where can I buy the replacements? And much does it cost? I need answers to these questions to help me decide whether to buy it or not.
Please?
So we got ours in 2017 and have used it at least once a month since and the original stone grinding burrs are still going strong. I’m not sure how much life they have left in them but they don’t seem to be slowing down. I see they sell for $90 from pleasant hill grain. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
Wondermill…reasonable price and great miller.
Agreed!
Glad to know he can ralk
Thanks for watching!
Chickpeas, can this unit mill garbanzo beans : l
I've never tried personally but I believe it can do dried beans! Thanks for watching!
I heard that when you mill grain, the flour temperature should not exceed 110°F. I have a MockMill 200 and my flour reaches 118°F. I am wondering what your flour temperature is when you mill your grain? This is very concerning to me because I don’t want to loose any vitamins and nutrients.
We’ve never measured but I can’t imagine that it gets above 110 degrees with the hand-mill. Thanks for watching!
Not satisfied with mine at all as the brass bushing was getting eaten up by the shaft pin creating brass dust that was getting into the flour. Also the auger shaft was bent so the outer bur had a wobble to it. Returned it and bought a grainmaker grain mill. Buy once cry once.
Thanks for sharing your experience and so sorry it wasn't a positive one! Seems like it was unfortunately defective from the start. Ours thankfully hasn't had those issues and has worked well for us for years. But good to know of other options too! Thanks for watching!
@@FromScratchFarmstead I'm glad it worked out for you, was hoping it would for me too! No doubt it's just a dud, I'm sure this isn't representative of them all.
There should be a washer between the shaft bushing and the pin, that would prevent that from happening.
Most of those mills can be motorized by attaching an electric drill to the pin where the handle is inserted.
Good to know! Thanks for watching!
All you have to do is buy the $35 drill attachment and it turns it into a electric grinder!
Yes! We are considering this. Thanks for watching!
Electric drill. 😊😊😊
Definitely thinking about it!! Thanks for watching!
@@FromScratchFarmstead I like the drill cause' it's double duty😊
Thanks for sharing. Too bad there is no way to separately turn off the distracting background music.
Thanks for the feedback!
bit much talk,keep to the point.is that jimmys brother from yellowstone?
Appreciate the feedback! Yep, get that comment a lot 🙂 Thanks for watching!