Turn on your heat source and center your pan for even heating.
Set the oven thermometer inside the pan and allow it to heat between 175°F-200°F. Homesteading Hack: You should aim to use enough heat to reach 200°F in 10 minutes. Practice heating your pan to just the right temperature a few times before roasting coffee beans for the first time. This will help you determine the right temperature setting for your individual heat source and pan.
Add the beans to your pan, and immediately stir with the whisk in circular motions to keep them constantly moving. Do not stop stirring, and don’t adjust the heat settings. If you suspect your heat is too high, stir faster. If you suspect your heat is too low, stir slower.
The drying stage will take a while to get going, so be patient. As the moisture is removed, your beans will remain a light color.
After the drying stage is complete, you will start to notice a popping or cracking sound and the beans beginning to brown. Keep stirring until the beans develop an oily sheen and reach the desired color for a light, medium or dark roast.
Continue to stir the beans as you turn off the heat.
Using oven mitts, remove the beans from the heat and immediately transfer them to a bowl.
Pour the beans back and forth between the bowl and the colander to allow the chaff to naturally separate and blow away. Homesteading Hack: Do this process standing in front of a fan to speed up this process.
After the chaff is removed, transfer the beans onto a tray in a single layer to cool completely.
You can optionally allow your coffee beans to degas in a container with a one-way valve for 24-48 hours. Some have found that if you don’t, the beans might taste sour when you brew them, but this has not been an issue for us, so we skip this step.
Once your coffee beans are cooled, package them in an airtight container and store them in a dark, cool place. Use them within two weeks of roasting for maximum freshness and flavor.
