Boston Brown Bread Recipe

At the moment of the American Movement, wheat flour was a deluxe. Cornmeal and rye flour were more popular. So the three grains were mixed in what were called “thirded” breads. A bread born of necessity 300 years back quickly might have been developed this early morning by a dietician. It’s high in dietary fiber and minimal in calorie consumption — similar to a huge bran muffin without all the glucose. Some recipes use brown sugar, however the more conventional types depend on molasses for sweetening.

Since few early American homes had ovens, bakers added the bread dough — leavened with baking soda – right into a cylindrical fire resistant jar and steamed it over an open fire. They’d been taught by Local Americans, who also revealed them guidelines for corn as a wheat for bread. Cornmeal often was called “indian.”

In her guidelinesfor making brown bread in “American Frugal Housewife” (1828), Lydia Maria Child wrote: “Squeeze Indian within your bread pan, sprinkle a little bit salt among it, and wet it extensively with scalding water. … Make sure and have warm water enough; for Indian takes up a great amount of water.”

In later years, thrifty New Englanders utilized vacant coffee cans as cooking vessels. Today’s brown bread is usually steamed in the oven or on the stovetop. It’s a easy recipe. The toughest part is getting coffee still placed in a metal can. If you don’t want for making your own, brown bread is marketed already made — in a can — at food markets and on the Internet.

Brown bread, known outside New England as Boston brown bread, was typically served with Boston baked beans. It’s also very good with cream cheese and jam for morning meal or afternoon tea.

Boston Brown Bread

Boston Brown Bread is certainly one of America's most well-known tasty recipes. Due to the fact wheat flour was limited, the bread was made out of 3 grains -- wheat, rye and corn. The bread is steamed in a tin can. If you aren't able to find a coffee tin, any steel cylinder are going to do (a tin for Christmas cookies, say). This recipe is modified from "American Home Cooking" by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (Broadway Books 1999). If you desire it more gratifying, include a very little brown sugar or more molasses.

Ingredients

    1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
    1/2 cup rye flour
    1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
    3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    6 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1/2 cup molasses
    1 cup buttermilk
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    1/2 cup black raisins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a clean 1-pound coffee can.

In a large bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Stir in the oil and molasses, just to combine. Add the buttermilk and egg, and mix just to combine. Stir in raisins.

Spoon into the prepared can. There should be about 1 1/2 inches of clearance above the batter for the bread to rise. Cover the top of the can tightly with greased foil

Place can in a large pot whose rim is higher than the top of the can. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the can. Bring the water to a bare simmer, then cover pot and steam 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, until toothpick inserted in the top (with foil removed) comes out clean.

Replenish the water if needed while steaming. Cool on a baking rack for at least 10 minutes, then unmold. If the bread will not come out the top of the can, use a can opener to remove the bottom and push it out the other side.

Slice the bread into thick rounds and serve warm, preferably, or at room temperature.

Store leftover bread in the refrigerator for up to several days.