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Make Cold Brew in 15 Minutes (Seriously)

Love cold brew but hate the wait? We've got the solution.
By Published Aug. 4, 2021

Making rich, mellow cold-brew coffee at home is simple—if you have the patience. Ground coffee needs hours of steeping in room-temperature water to allow carbon dioxide gas to slowly exit the nooks of the coffee particles and the water to penetrate into the particles and extract flavor. So, if you have a sudden hankering for a cup, you’re pretty much out of luck.

That is, unless you have a home vacuum sealer. We’ve found that a sealer with a jar-lid attachment can make short work of that slow cold-brew process, forcibly drawing out the CO2 so that the water floods the grains and steeps a full-bodied brew in just 15 minutes. Here's our method, which yields about a quart of concentrate.

1. Combine 2½ cups (200 grams) medium-grind coffee with 5 cups room-temperature water in ½-gallon widemouthed Mason jar and stir until all grounds are wet.

2. Place vacuum attachment on jar and apply vacuum. Stop machine before rising froth reaches top of jar. Release suction by gently removing and replacing hose.

3. Repeat step 2 until coffee froth stops rising significantly. This may take 10 to 15 repetitions, depending on freshness and grind of coffee (fresher beans and finer grinds release more CO2).

4. Stir mixture and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Pour through fine-mesh strainer set over large measuring cup, then strain mixture again through paper coffee filter set in coffee cone into 1-quart container with tight-fitting lid.

5. To drink, dilute to taste (a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water is a good starting point) before adding ice and milk or sugar as desired. If not using right away, affix lid and refrigerate. 

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JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.