Mortar and pestle selection

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Ardor

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
45
Okay, i have been searching the net for the types of mortar and pestles i can get.

What i found are:

Marble: good all round use, easy to clean, cheap to buy, prone to acid attacks.

Granite: popular, easy to use, hard to move around.

Ceramic: does not carry over odors, not prone to acid attaks.

Porcelain: easiest to clean

Can anyone add to what i have found online?

Are there any other suggestion of which mortar and pestle i should get?

I'm a university student, so expensive ones are just not an option... Hygiene is important, of course.
 
Well I can add to one thing you do not want. I have a marble Mortar, which I love. The pestle however is wood and I hate it. Not only is it very hard to keep clean, it does not have enough weight to it. I really like the marble because of how heavy it is. I can really work something hard and know that the mortar will not move around on me. Now if I could just get a replacement pestle I would be all set.
 
This is the one I have. I am a horrible judge of weight so I hesitate to make a guess, but it is very heavy. I would say maybe 7-10lbs, but I could be way off.
 
My daughter got me a black marble mortar with a marble pestle at Target. I don't think it is much smaller than the one GB has. So far I like it. I agree about the wooden pestles not working too well.
 
Yup, my internet research says wooden mortar and pestles should only be used for one type of food. Absorbs too much...

Conclusion: marble is good?
 
The only problem I see with steel and brass is that they are not as abrasive as some of the others like stone.
 
I have a terra cotta and porceline one with wood pestle, great for some herbs. I have a granite one and a black stone one (maybe granite also) the mexican mojaline. Get a big enough one to give you room to work...tiny ones make big messes in my opinion.
 
Mine is an Oggi 18/8 stainless steel pestle and mortar.

The mortar has a rubber-lined base to help keep it on the counter or table during use.


~Corey123.
 
Last edited:
Hey Ardor,

I use a 9" Thai granite mortar & pestle simmilar to This. Online $40 - $50 is what you'll pay, got mine in a Thai market for $19.00. I've also seen others like it in nearly every asian market I've shoppped and always for less then you'd pay anywhere else.

Yes it very heavy, I don't move it much or often, and for making things like chili paste where Galanga, Lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaf and rind are being worked with, it's nice to have one that will not move around, much.

Anthony
 
I'll definitely get one which does not move around much once i get back to Malaysia. For now, the mantra is cheaper = better.
 
So i found a marble mortar and pestle, small one 10cm, too light for great usage, costing about US$ 8... Reasonable?
 
Ardor said:
I'll definitely get one which does not move around much once i get back to Malaysia. For now, the mantra is cheaper = better.



If you can't find one that has a rubber base, just place a damp cloth under the bowl before use. That'll help to restrict movement.:chef:


~Corey123.
 
There is also a type of mortar and pestle that the mexicans use which is very heavy and seems to work well. You can find them on the net at a mexican grocer.They have a specific name for them but I can not think of it at this moment.
 
mrsag said:
There is also a type of mortar and pestle that the mexicans use which is very heavy and seems to work well. You can find them on the net at a mexican grocer.They have a specific name for them but I can not think of it at this moment.
It's the Molcajete. It's really overpriced... More of a collector's item really...
 
Ardor said:
So i found a marble mortar and pestle, small one 10cm, too light for great usage, costing about US$ 8... Reasonable?

Hey Ardor,

Reasonable: Getting something you want, at a price You believe is fair.

Anthony

p.s. I have a 9cm ceramic mortar & pestal as well, I don't use it for anything other then saffron.
 
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