How to Make Crushed Ice at Home with (or Without!) a Blender
You probably don’t think of ice as complex in design. Most ice is either made in cubes or ovals, and sometimes spheres. That said, the versatility of crushed ice and the power that comes with knowing how to make it shouldn’t be overlooked.
Crushed ice is probably the one form you see the least. If you use crushed iced often, then might have a fancy fridge that makes it for you or you’re a bartender. If you are not accustomed to either of those things, then it’s time to learn how to make crushed ice easily at home (yes, it’s totally possible).
How to Make Crushed Ice (Two Ways)
There are mainly two practical ways to make crushed ice at home: by hand or with a quality, high-speed blender. While both methods yield slightly different results, overall they’re both reliable techniques.
How to Make Crushed Ice by Hand
- Add ice to a large freezer bag: To make crushed ice by hand, start by adding 4 to 6 cups of ice to a large, ziptop freezer bag. Add enough ice so that the bag is mostly full, but not so full that the bag is difficult to seal.
- Cover the bag in a kitchen towel: Wrap the ice-filled, plastic freezer bag in a large kitchen towel. Lay the kitchen towel out flat and place the ice-filled bag flat in the center of the kitchen towel. Fold the two sides of the towel over the plastic bag to completely cover.
- Smash the ice with a mallet: Crush the ice by repeatedly hitting the bag of ice all over with the mallet. Do this firmly, but carefully. You don’t want to make holes in the plastic bag and risk water draining from the bag.
How to Make Crushed Ice in a Blender
- Add ice to a blender: To make crushed ice in a blender, be sure to use a high-quality, large-capacity blender that’s strong enough to blend ice. Add 4 to 6 cups of ice to the blender, or however much will comfortably fit with the lid on.
- Add cold water to the blender: Before turning on the blender, add enough cold water to the blender to cover the ice by about half. This will help the ice break up a bit more easily. The more water you add to the ice, the more fine the crushed ice will be.
- Pulse the ice in the blender: Cover the blender and pulse the ice in short bursts repeatedly until the ice is broken up into small pieces. Be sure to use the pulse setting on your blender rather than just continuously blend it, as you’ll have more control over how the crushed ice comes out.
- Strain the excess water: Once the ice is crushed to your liking, add the ice to a fine-mesh strainer to drain the excess water. Use the crushed ice for drinks or chilled foods.
