Quick Recipe: French Press Coffee

How to Make French Press Coffee

I had two possible posts for tomorrow: a post about sourdough bread and a soup recipe. But apparently, my camera’s memory chip had other ideas and needed to be reformatted…which means I lost my photos. This happens when I forget to make space on the memory card and cram it full with too many photos. Even when tried to retrieve them, I couldn’t restore the photos from this week. At least I make plenty of bread and soup to reshoot – and hopefully next week will bring sunny days for good photography.

Soooo….instead of a recipe today, let’s talk about coffee. Today’s the type of day where we all just could use a good cup of coffee, right?

How to Make French Press Coffee

I can run on an empty stomach if it’s early enough and my run is less than an hour in duration. But I don’t like to run without having a cup of coffee. I’m a chipper morning person, but coffee just makes running in the dark more palatable. I feel more awake and my effort level feels lower (which is actually one of the benefits of drinking coffee for performance!).

For that first early morning cup of coffee, I use the French press. Ryan and I wouldn’t drink a full pot of coffee before a run and the leftovers would just smolder in the pot. I dislike Keurig machines because their coffee never tastes quite right. The French press is the happy medium between drip coffee and Keurig – and in my opinion, it produces a richer, stronger cup than either of those. 

The French press is surprisingly simple to make – easy enough to make when I stumble out of bed at 5 AM. 

What You Need:

  • Electric Kettle (or a pot to boil water)
  • French Press
  • Coarsely Ground Coffee or Whole Beans
  • Tablespoon Measuring Spoon
  • Salt

How to Make French Press Coffee

How to Make:

  • Bring water to a boil in the kettle or in a pot on the stove. There’s no need to measure out water precisely – I just fill up the press and then pour that into the kettle. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and let cool 1 minute. 
  • Measure the grounds into the French press. I use 5 tablespoons of grounds for 8 cups (that’s 6-oz. coffee cups, not traditional 8-ounce cups), which is a ratio of approximately 1 tablespoon for every 8-9 oz. I like my coffee strong but not overpowering. If you like your coffee stronger, use 5.5 or 6 tablespoons. 
  • Add a tiny sprinkle of salt to the grounds. The salt cuts any bitterness and renders a smoother cup of coffee.
  • Pour the water over the grounds and gently stir. Let steep for 4 minutes exactly – set a timer, don’t estimate. 
  • When the 4 minutes are done, slowly press down on the press. By plunging the press slowly, you create an emulsion that creates a smooth, flavorful cup of coffee. Take your time. 
  • Pour into mugs and enjoy! I like to drink my coffee black with just a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. 

I must confess…sometimes I don’t use coarsely ground coffee or grind my own beans. More often than not, I use just regular grounds. Our French press (Amazon affiliate link) has a fine sieve in the press and grounds rarely get into it even with drip coffee grounds. 

[Tweet “Need a quick cup of #coffee before your morning run? Use the French Press! via @thisrunrecipes”]

Do you drink coffee before a run?
How do you drink your coffee?
What are your plans this weekend?

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18 Responses

  1. Thank you for sharing this! I guess one of my problems is that we dont have a kettle! I was trying to make 1-2 cups at a time by microwaving the water, then I was trying to brew hot water using the keurig but its difficult to get the right amount to fill the French Press. I think last weekend I came pretty close to getting it right. But a kettle would definitely make the process easier!

    1. The kettle makes such a difference! Before we had that, I’d boil water in a pot on the stove which just took longer. We got our electric kettle for about $20 at Target and I use it for everything – coffee, tea, cooking quick oats, etc.

  2. BOO to stupid cameras and their nonsense. Guess you’ll just have to make more bread 😀
    I used to do French Press in grad school. I got pretty darn good at it! Now I make mine in large batches, but I love a good FP every now and then.

  3. I love how your “plans” automatically typed out as “planks.” You know you’re an athlete when!!! Ha ha! So great. I should probably do a plank this weekend! I might be too busy schlepping around from soccer game to soccer game though. I love watching soccer but it’s tough when I have Callum with me and it’s pouring rain. French press coffee is the best. I use Kieurig in the morning only because I grind my own beans for the French press and it’s too noisy in the morning. Then I have my French press later on. It’s the best!

  4. I’ve never used a French press but have heard its a great way to do coffee. I am not much of a coffee drinker although I’ve decided that maybe its because I don’t like it hot. Perhaps more iced coffee needs to be in my future!

  5. I -do- enjoy coffee before a run….only in the morning, though. I do not usually drink a cup before my afternoon runs (maybe I should start?!). Ironically, my BF and I were just talking about coffee from a French Press the other day. He was sharing his major #frenchpressfail moment from many years ago. Might need to add a French Press to my shopping list. 🙂

    Weekend plans include the usual….long run + soccer. Also have chores around the house to do, too. Adulting at its finest. Hope you have a fabulous weekend (& hopefully get outside…).

  6. I usually just make a small pot of drip coffee, but this reminded me I like the taste of French press coffee better – I should get back to doing that!

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