Making Coffee on the Stovetop (Cowboy Coffee)
Boil 1 cup (250 mL) of water in a saucepan. Measure out as much water as you’d like coffee. For example, if you’d like 1 small mug of coffee, add 1 cup (250 mL) of water. If you’d like a larger serving or enough for seconds, add 2 cups (16 oz), and so on. Place the saucepan on the stove over high heat, and bring to a boil. Remember to keep track of exactly how much water you’ve put in the saucepan—you’ll need this measurement to determine how much ground coffee to add!
Add 2 tbsp (10.6 g) of coffee to the boiling water, and turn off the heat. Measure out 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of finely ground coffee for every 1 cup (250 mL) of water. For example, if you’ve boiled 2 cups (500 mL) of water, you’ll want to add 4 tablespoons (21.2 grams) of ground coffee. Add the ground coffee to the water, give it a quick stir, then turn off the stove. If you only have whole coffee beans, grind them using a coffee grinder, food processor, immersion blender, or mortar and pestle.
Allow the coffee to brew for about 5 minutes. Cover the saucepan with a lid, and let the coffee sit for about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and give the mixture a stir, then allow to sit for 2-2 ½ more minutes.
Ladle or strain out the coffee. The coffee grounds will have sunk to the bottom of the pan, so you should be able to use a ladle to transfer your coffee into mugs pretty easily. You can also strain your coffee using a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer. Finish with your favorite coffee creamer, sugar, flavorful syrups, or even whipped cream if you’re feeling fancy. And that’s it! You’re ready to enjoy your freshly-brewed cup of coffee.
Making Coffee with a DIY “Coffee Bag”
Place 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of coffee grounds into a coffee filter. Measure out 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of ground coffee, then place them in the center of a regular coffee filter. You can also use a cheese cloth instead of a coffee filter, if you prefer.
Use string or twine to tie the filter into a bundle. Tie the bundle tight to prevent coffee grounds from slipping through into the liquid, and make sure to leave enough twine or string at the end to hang out of the mug. This will give you something to pull the bundle out with when it’s done steeping. You’re essentially creating the coffee equivalent of a tea bag! This method works best if you only intend to prepare one cup of coffee at a time. If you want to prepare enough coffee to fill multiple mugs, create as many coffee filter bundles as you need, and place one in each mug.
Heat up 1 cup (250 mL) of water. You can boil the water in a saucepan, heat it up in a kettle, or microwave it in a microwave-safe mug.
Pour the water over your coffee filter bundle. Place the bundle in your mug, making sure that the extra length of string or twine is hanging over the side. Pour your hot water directly over the coffee bag.
Let the coffee steep for 3-5 minutes. Do a quick taste test when you think the coffee is done, and allow it to steep a bit longer if it isn’t strong enough for your taste. It may take some trial and error to get it just right!
Remove the filter and enjoy. Tug on the string to pull the filter bundle out. Add cream and sugar as desired, and serve. Give the bundle a slight squeeze with a spoon against the side of the cup to force out extra liquid. Since the liquid inside the bundle had prolonged contact with the grounds, it will make the coffee stronger if you squeeze it back into the mug.
Making Turkish Coffee
Place 6 oz (29.6 mL) of water in a saucepan over low heat. This will make one serving of Turkish coffee, but you can double or triple the amount if you’d like a few more servings.
Add in 1 tablespoon (5.3 grams) of ground coffee. You’ll eventually be drinking the coffee without straining it, so it’s important to use very finely ground beans. If desired, you can also add ½ - 2 teaspoons (2.1 - 8.4 grams) of sugar for a sweeter brew. Adjust these amounts if you used more water in the first step. For example, if you doubled the recipe and used 12 oz (59.2 mL) of water, use 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of ground coffee.
When the water is almost boiling, remove from the heat and skim off the foam. Wait until the coffee starts to bubble and seems to be just on the brink of boiling, then remove it from the stove. Use a spoon to scoop up the foam that has formed on top of the coffee, and place the foam into the mug you’ll be using to drink your coffee. Since you’re heating the coffee over low heat, it may take a while for it to reach this point, so be patient!
Return the saucepan to the stove and allow the coffee to heat up again. Keep heating the coffee over low heat until it’s almost boiling once again.
Pour half of the coffee mixture into your mug. Keep the other half of the coffee mixture in the saucepan—you’ll be returning it to the heat one more time.
Heat the rest of the coffee in the saucepan for about 30 more seconds. Once 30 seconds have passed, pour the final bit of coffee into your mug. Wait a few minutes before consuming to allow the coffee grounds to sink to the bottom. And voila! You have delicious Turkish coffee.
Making French Press Coffee
Boil 1 cup (250 mL) of water. You can use a kettle, saucepan, microwave, or electric hot pot, depending on which of these resources are available to you. For one serving of coffee, boil 1 cup (250 mL) of water. You can double or triple this if you’d like more servings as well.
Place 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of grounds in your French press. For one serving of coffee, measure out 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of coffee grounds and add them to your French press. Double or triple the amount of coffee grounds depending on how many servings you’re making. A coffee aficionado would insist on using freshly ground coffee, but you can also use pre-ground coffee.
Pour half the water into the press and let it sit for 1 minute. Pour the water in a circular motion, directly over the grounds in your press. Make sure that all the grounds are saturated, and let them sit for 1 minute. As you pour, you should notice a small "bloom" forming at the surface of the coffee slurry. This means that a layer of ground coffee will float at the top. Use a chopstick to stir the slurry and bring out the bloom further.
Pour the remaining hot water into the press. Stir the mixture as you pour, making sure everything is mixed together well. Place the lid/plunger apparatus onto the press, but don’t press down the plunger yet.
Steep your coffee for 4 minutes, then plunge the filter. Let the coffee steep for about 4 minutes, then grasp the plunger stick on the top of the plunger assembly and press down with an even, steady motion. Be patient and careful during this step—if the plunger becomes crooked, the grounds could escape into the upper portion of the press.
Pour the coffee. Pour the coffee directly from the press pot into your coffee mugs, and hold the lid to prevent it from sliding around or popping off as you pour. Your French press coffee is now ready to drink!
Making Faux Press Style Coffee
Boil 1 cup (250 mL) of water. If you don’t have a French press, have no fear! You can still make French press style coffee using just a mug and a spoon. Start by bringing 1 cup (250 mL) water to a boil on the stove.
Put 1 tablespoon (5.3 grams) of ground coffee in a bowl. If you like your coffee a little stronger, you can use 2 tablespoons (10.6 grams) of ground coffee instead.
Saturate the grounds with a small amount of water for 30 seconds. Pour a splash of water onto the grounds and make sure they're fully saturated. Allow to sit for about 30 seconds. This allows your coffee to “bloom,” which releases its rich flavor.
Pour in the rest of your hot water and stir. Allow the mixture to sit and steep for 4-5 minutes. The longer you let the coffee steep, the stronger your coffee will be.
Press down on the coffee grounds with the back of a spoon. Use the back of your spoon to press the coffee grounds down into the bottom of the bowl. This mimics the “pressing” that occurs when you plunge down the filter in a French press.
Pour the coffee into a mug as you hold the spoon in place. You’re essentially using the spoon to strain your coffee and keep the grounds out as you pour it into your mug. You can also use a coffee filter or a cheesecloth to strain the mixture, if you prefer.
Making Cold Brew Coffee
Add coffee and cold water to a mason jar. For two servings, use ⅓ cup (35 grams) of ground coffee and 1 ½ cups (354 mL) of cold water.
Put the lid on the jar, and allow it to steep overnight. For the best flavor, let the coffee steep at room temperature for at least 12 hours. The longer you steep the coffee, the stronger your brew will be.
Strain your coffee. You can use a fine mesh sieve, a coffee filter, or a cheesecloth. Pour the coffee over whichever strainer you’re using, then repeat one more time to ensure that all the coffee grounds are removed.
Pour your coffee into a glass with ice. Enjoy with cream, sugar, flavored syrups—whatever you prefer!
Making Instant Coffee
Boil 6 oz (180 mL) of water. You can heat your water using a tea kettle, saucepan, electric hot pot, or microwave. Check the package of your instant coffee for instructions on how much water to boil. The package might say to boil 6 oz (180 mL) of water for every 1-2 teaspoons (2-4 grams) of instant coffee, for example.
Measure 1-2 tsp (2-4 grams) of instant coffee and put them in your mug. Each brand of instant coffee varies, but you should usually use between 1-2 tsp (2-4 grams) of instant coffee granules per 6 oz (180 mL) of water.
Pour in the hot water and stir. Pour the hot water over the coffee granules. Stir well to mix, then add sugar and cream as desired.
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