You should hear the coffee "jumping" up and down. If you're using a stovetop percolator, start on medium to medium-high heat. Once you hear the water start to bubble up, reduce the heat to where you hear it "perk" every 2 - 3 seconds. Leave it like this for 5 - 10 minutes and your coffee should be ready.
The Percolator is one of the more familiar methods of brewing coffee in the U.S. It works by sending boiling water upwards, through a tube to the top of a perforated basket, where it rains down over the coffee grounds, and back down into the boiling water to start the process repeatedly.
Fill the coffeepot with water and add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of baking soda or 2 to 3 teaspoons of cream of tartar. Let it perk away; then let the water cool and scrub the pot with a plastic scrubbie or other nonabrasive tool. Rinse well and that should do the trick. Put your feet up and enjoy a nice cup of java.
That old-fashioned percolator your mom used is one of those. If she didn't throw it out after buying a new plastic one, appropriate it! These vintage-style metal coffee pots may look clunky, but they're generally safe, as long as they are stainless steel and not lined with aluminum.
Place the percolator on the stove over low to medium heat. If you have an electric stove, use a heat diffuser to distribute the heat evenly under the pot. Heat until you see the coffee start perking through the clear knob on the lid. Turn the heat down to low and percolate for 4 to 6 minutes at a simmer.
Place the "spreader" on top of the grounds basket, and then snap the lid onto the percolator. Heat until the water boils, then turn the heat to a low temperature and let the coffee "perk" for several minutes before removing from the heat. Pour the coffee, and enjoy! (Careful, the coffee will be very hot!)
Add water and ground coffee to your percolator
- As with other brewing methods, you add one tablespoon of ground coffee for every cup, or 8 ounces of water.
- The key to making decent coffee with a stove top percolator is to raise the temperature of the water slowly, and then reduce the heat once the pot starts perking.
For percolator coffee, a medium roast is best. A dark roast may be too bitter or have a burnt flavor, while a light roast's subtleties are lost in the percolating process.
Brew Strength & FlavorThe common consensus is that percolators brew stronger coffee because you're basically getting double brewed coffee on the first go. On the other hand, a drip coffee maker only runs water through once, making a brew that is cleaner and less strong.
FOLD THE FILTER OUTSIDE THE TOP OF THE BASKET, then press it down the sides. Put the basket lid in place, and you'll notice it locks the filter in place. The water has no place to go but down through the coffee.
What amazes me is that the percolator turns cheap, pre-ground supermarket coffee into delicious coffee ambrosia! Never bitter, never "cooked," always rich and smooth. I've experimented with Folgers, Yuban, Maxwell House, etc. All are okay, but I've found I prefer coffee labeled 100% Columbian.
dry measure) 12-15 3⁄4 cup 20-25 1 1⁄2 cups 30-36 2 cups 40-45 2 1⁄2 cups 50-55 3 1⁄4 cups 60-65 3 3⁄4 cups 80-85 5 1⁄2 cups 95-100 6 1⁄4 cups 1lb. of coffee equals 5 cups. Allow approximately 1 minute per cup brewing time. Voltage changes or variations in water temperature will affect brewing time.
3 of the Best Ways to Make Coffee
- Drip. The old standby.
- French Press. While the drip method may be known for being easy and convenient, using a French press isn't exactly difficult.
- Pour Over.
- Cowboy Method - Only for the Truly Desperate (well…
You do not need to use a particular type of coffee ground to use a percolator.
Results showed drinking boiled or pressed unfiltered coffee raised the risk of death in men aged 60 and above, due to elevated cardiovascular mortality. But drinking filtered coffee — that through a paper filter, for example, was found to be healthier than drinking no coffee at all.
A time-honored way to make a nice, strong cup of joe, the percolator coffee pot doesn't technically require a filter because the design includes a filter basket. As the water repeats its perking cycle, grounds can find their way through the holes in the basket and into the finished product.
