Do you really need a coffee maker to brew a decent cup of coffee? Because let’s face it, not everyone owns a coffee machine to do the job. Sometimes, you just got to know how to brew coffee without a coffee maker. This is what this article is about.
One of the ways to indulge in life is to enjoy a freshly brewed coffee. The aroma of it all, and the gentle sips you take from it as you observe life as it is… it is a luxury. And expensive as it gets (because you let it), sometimes it just feels like you must burn your wallet to own one of those fancy coffee gears and gadgets to make a great cup of coffee.
The fact is… do you really need to put your wallet on a stress trip to make incredible coffee? The answer is no. Because even if you are on a tight budget, we believe that great coffee is something everyone deserves, something you deserve. It’s strange because there’s always that odd connotation where people would think cheap equals to bad. But that’s not true, because in the discussion of coffee, cheap doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting a lower quality for coffee.
Now, whatever reasons you have for not owning a coffee maker (also a coffeemaker and coffee machine), whether you are pressed for budget, adopting a minimalist lifestyle where less is more, or you simply love to travel and camp often and just want to know how to make coffee without a coffee maker… Maybe you just do not see the necessity of having a coffee maker on your kitchen counter for your caffeine fix. Well, my friend, you have found yourself to be in a good place. We will share with you some of the ways for you to make a decent cup of coffee.
Making Coffee on the Stove
We think it’s safe for us to assume you at least own a stove in your house or rented apartment. Because you would need a stovetop to brew this coffee. Here’s a fact, the most fundamental way of brewing coffee involves boiling the coffee grounds in water… and you get the Cowboy coffee.
The Cowboy coffee is an American tradition where it is brewed by heating coarse grounds with water and then pouring it into a cup after the grounds have settled. It is indeed a long-established drink made by the cowboys who were on the trail. And plenty of inspiration is drawn from this method as we show you how to make coffee on the stove. Here is the stuff you will need:
The Ingredients Needed
- Coffee, coarsely-ground (1 to 2 tablespoons per cup)
- Water (8 or more ounces per cup)
- Pinch of salt
The Equipment Needed
- Stovetop
- Pot or saucepan
- Ladle or strainer (optional)
Something to note is that for each 8-ounce cup, 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds is needed. If you would like to make more coffee, just stick to this ratio. Because water will eventually evaporate in the boiling process, remember to use a little more water than the amount of coffee that you want. Got that? Great, let’s start making the coffee.
In 5 Simple Steps:
- Get your water boiling in a pot (or saucepan) on your stovetop. Over medium heat, heat the water and salt until you notice bubbles foaming around the edges of the water.
- Get your coffee and add it to the water. At this point, you would want to give them a good stir, so the coffee grounds do not clump together.
- Boil the coffee mixture for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remember, you are doing all this process with the coffee uncovered (no lids are involved in this). Again, to ensure that the coffee grounds do not stick to the bottom of the pot, stir it occasionally so nothing clumps.
- After a few minutes of boiling the coffee, remove the pot from the heat. During this time, let the coffee mixture steep for about 5 minutes. This let the grounds to settle to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the 5 minutes is up, your coffee is ready to be served. With a ladle, gently scoop the coffee from the pot (don’t stir as we want the grounds to stay below the pot) and pour it into a cup. Since there will be some grounds that make it into your cup anyway, we would recommend you not to drink the coffee down to its last sip. Of course, you could always use the strainer to strain before you down it…
Another Way of Brewing Coffee
While making a coffee with a pot on a stovetop is the simplest way with just basic equipment, if you want a cleaner cup of coffee with less coffee sediment, here is another way to brew coffee. Still, without using a coffee maker at all.
Making Coffee using a Mason Jar
This version only requires you to have hot water, coffee, and a Mason Jar (or any other container that is heat-proof).
- Mix your coarsely ground coffee with boiling water, and let it brew. Please be sure that your Mason Jar or the container you are using is either made of tempered glass or any other material that won’t crack with sudden temperature changes.
- Let the coffee to steep for five minutes before carefully pouring it into a coffee mug (at this point, feel free to use a strainer if you’d like).
Should You Really Brew Coffee without a Coffee Maker?
After some contemplation, we have concluded that the key to making coffee without a coffee maker is simply to boil water. As mentioned previously, coffee equipment has a reputation to be costly. And we have also established that you simply do not need to spend a ton of money on a complicated coffee machine to make a great cup of coffee. With that sentiment, we sure hope you found this to be an interesting read—perhaps even having ideas to make your own coffee regardless of your budget.
So, what do you do with a good cup of coffee then? You can try adding cinnamon to it. We have an article on why you should Add Cinnamon to your Coffee, give it a read! Oh and, enjoy them with some desserts! Call it affordable luxury, and we have got just the right desserts for you to pair with your coffee!
Some Desserts that go well with Coffee
In choosing the right dessert with your coffee, you will get a balanced course that leave you satisfied. But if you are not too careful and pair the wrong treats with your coffee, you might risk the dessert or coffee to be overwhelming, and then struggle to appreciate either one of their flavors. Though, it is not all that complicated. Here are some of our desserts that you can pair with your coffee.
Our Portuguese Egg Tarts
Freshly baked Portuguese Egg Tarts are a must with coffee. There’s just something about rich egg custard that’s smooth and biting into that flaky pastry, and then following that up with a sip of brewed coffee. It’s so delicious. Our recipe for a quick and easy recipe requires only two ingredients, check it out and start baking a batch of your own!
Our Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake
Luxuriously creamy and considered to be a rich dessert, this Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake is suitable with a cup of warm coffee. With its slight tang that is comforting, you will find yourself not getting sick of this combination.
Interestingly, you are also cutting down the sweetness of the cheesecake when you drink your coffee. Sometimes it can be too much when you are eating a creamy cheesecake, so each sip of your coffee acts as a palate refresher that lets you enjoy each bite of cheesecake, again and again! Any kind of dark roast coffee pairs wonderfully with a cheesecake. But in this case, just enjoy this Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake with your coffee (made without a coffee maker)!
Our Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
These Cranberry Pistacho Biscottis are filled with crunchy pistachio goodness and cranberry tanginess. With these twice-baked goods, pairing it with a cup of coffee only makes sense and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Because these Biscottis tend to get sweet, your tongue may be overwhelmed by its flavor and sweetness, so have some coffee every now and then. It helps you savor every bite of the Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti as you enjoy the freshly brewed coffee.
What else can you make on your own?
So, you have learned how to brew coffee without a coffee maker. Hooray to you! Have you thought about what else you can do without something? Read also Why you don’t need Fancy Bar Equipment for your Drinks, you could do with a couple of tricks to make your mocktails look just as fancy as the ones you see on Instagram. Or, how about a DIY decaffeinated tea, we can show you how that’s done too—read to know How you can make you own Decaf Tea at Home for a good change.
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