coarsely ground

Meaning

This phrase describes ingredients, such as spices, coffee beans, or grains, that have been crushed or milled into relatively large, distinct particles rather than a fine powder. It is used when a recipe requires a rustic texture or a slower extraction of flavor, such as in French press coffee.

Examples

• French press coffee requires coarsely ground beans to prevent a muddy cup.

  French press coffee requires coarsely ground beans to prevent a muddy cup.

• Season the steak generously with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

  Season the steak generously with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

• The recipe suggests using coarsely ground cornmeal for a more rustic texture.

  The recipe suggests using coarsely ground cornmeal for a more rustic texture.

• Coarsely ground mustard has a wonderful grainy texture that pairs well with cheese.

  Coarsely ground mustard has a wonderful grainy texture that pairs well with cheese.

• We need some coarsely ground sea salt to finish off these chocolate chip cookies.

  We need some coarsely ground sea salt to finish off these chocolate chip cookies.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ coarse grounded

  ✓ coarsely ground

  'Ground' is the past participle of 'grind', and it must be modified by the adverb 'coarsely'. 'Grounded' means being punished or connected to the earth.

• ✗ rough ground

  ✓ coarsely ground

  While 'rough' means not smooth, the standard culinary collocation for large-particle grinding is 'coarsely ground'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I prefer ___ black pepper on my salad because I like the crunch.

  💡 Ground into large pieces.

  Show answer

  coarsely ground

• For a French press, you should always use ___ coffee beans.

  💡 Not fine powder, but larger particles.

  Show answer

  coarsely ground