How to Make Flax Meal

Using a Flaxseed Mill to Create Flax Meal

Fill the mill with the flaxseeds. A flaxseed mill is designed specifically for grinding the grain, so it’s an ideal option if you frequently make flax meal. Add 1 cup (168 g) of flaxseeds to the mill’s basin and close it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most flaxseed mills have a capacity up to 1 cup (168 g), but you can adjust the amount based on how much flax meal you need. Milling 1 cup (168 g) of flax seeds will yield 1 ⅓ cups (220 g) of flax meal.

Plug in an electric mill. Some flaxseed mills utilize hand cranks to grind the seeds, while others run on electricity. If you have an electric mill, make sure that it’s plugged into a working outlet. Some electric flaxseed mills run on batteries. If you have a battery-operated mill, make sure it has proper, working batteries. Electric and battery-operated mills grind the seeds very quickly and are ideal for people who have arthritis.

Turn on the mill or begin cranking it. If you have an electric flaxseed mill, simply press the button to turn it on and begin grinding the seeds. With a hand crank style mill, begin turning the crank to start the process. While a hand-crank mill requires more manual effort, you don't have to worry about having an outlet or batteries to power it.

Grind the seeds until they reach a fine consistency. An electric mill will usually only take 10 to 15 seconds to get the seeds to a fine, meal-like texture. With a hand crank mill, you’ll likely need 30 seconds or more to reach a meal-like consistency.

Transfer the meal to an airtight container. Once you’ve ground the seeds to the proper texture, spoon the meal into a jar or other container with a lid. Store it in the refrigerator, and use it within a week.

Creating Flax Meal with a Coffee Grinder

Fill the grinder with the seeds. Coffee grinders usually have a fill line in the basin. Pour approximately 1 cup (168 g) of flaxseeds into the grinder, stopping at the line. Grinding 1 cup (168 g) of seeds will result in about 1 ⅓ cups (220 g) of flax meal. It's extremely important to clean your coffee grinder before and after making the flax meal to avoid mixing coffee and flax seed flavors. To clean the grinder, add a handful of uncooked rice to the grinder. Grind the rice until it's pulverized and dump out the rice flavor. The rice will absorb the flavors in the grinder, but you should still rinse the grinder thoroughly with water to ensure that no debris is left behind.

Close the lid and turn the grinder on. Once the seeds are inside the grinder, make sure the lid is fully secured. Plug in the grinder, and turn on the appliance.

Allow the grinder to run for about 10 seconds. In most cases, that’s how long it takes for a coffee grinder to turn the seeds to flax meal. Continue grinding until the mixture has a fine, powder-like consistency.

Place the meal in an airtight container. When the seeds have reached the proper consistency, dump the contents from the grinder into a jar or other container with a lid. Store the meal in your refrigerator, and use within a week.

Preparing Flax Meal in a High Speed Blender

Chill the flax seeds. The heat from a powerful motor of a high speed blender can cause the omega-3 fatty acids in the flaxseeds to break down. To prevent this from happening, it helps to place about 1 cup (168 g) of the seeds in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes before grinding them. If you start with 1 cup (168 g) of seeds, you'll wind up with approximately 1 ⅓ cups (220 g) of flax meal. You can try grinding the flaxseed into meal in a standard blender, but it may not be powerful enough to grind them as fine as you'd like. You don't need to chill the seeds because a standard blender doesn't generate that much heat. However, to avoid damaging the blender, pulse the seeds 3 to 4 times to break them down a bit before blending for 15 to 30 seconds.

Add the seeds to the blender and start on the lowest speed. Once the seeds are chilled, add them to the pitcher of your blender. Turn the blender on at the lowest speed.

Gradually increase the speed until you reach the highest speed. After you’ve blended the seeds for 2 to 3 seconds on the lowest speed, turn it up to the next level. Keep increasing the speed until you reach the highest setting, working quickly and steadily. You don’t want to blend for longer than 2 to 3 seconds on each speed because you may overprocess the flax meal and actually liquefy the seeds.

Stir the mixture briefly and repeat the process. Once you’ve blended at the highest speed for 2 to 3 seconds, turn the blender off. Use the blunt end of a wooden spoon or spatula to quickly stir the seeds to make sure that everything blends evenly. Put the lid back on the blender and turn it back on, repeating the entire blending process until the mixture has a fine, powdery texture.

Store the meal in an airtight container. One you’ve finished blending the flax meal, dump it into an airtight container with a lid. Keep the flax meal in the fridge or freezer for up to a week -- it can go rancid very quickly. Storing the flax meal in the freezer usually helps it last longer.