OMG, I finally found Hard Red Wheat kernels

[kenny]

Whodathunk gobs of people staying at home would result in a bread-baking renaissance.
Hence, baking ingredients like flour and yeast have vanished from store shelves, along with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

I'm over the moon that I finally found a 50 pound bag of wheat kernels, aka berries.
I have a mill that turns the kernels into flour while I'm making the bread
The resulting bread is much better in texture, taste and probably nutrition, than the bread you can make using store-bought whole wheat flour.
The whole wheat flour I mill would go rancid in a few days.
Store-bought lasts a long time in comparison; I've read that's because they remove some parts.
This makes it not really "whole" wheat.

My last 2014 purchase of a 25 lb bag was at Winco for $12.50, or 50 cents a pound.
Today my 50 lb bag was 92 cents a pound - oh well ... if my future matches my past that would be 12 years of bread.
When properly stored the shelf life of the unmolested wheat kernel is measured in decades.
That's why it's a top-selling product for those end-of-timers, survivalists, or whatever those folks are called.

I'm just grateful that I found any unmilled wheat in this nutso time.

Then on another website I actually found yeast, and vital wheat gluten.
I still can't find soy lecithin which, along with gluten, gives you the softest and most-fluffy whole wheat bread you've ever tried.

Yipee! And Nom Nom Nom!

 

[rainydaze]

I'm glad you started this thread! Yay for finding berries. I have wanted to try making whole wheat bread by milling my own wheat. I went down a rabbit hole of learning about this process, the equipment, the ingredients, and the recipes. It didn't amount to anything as mills are sold out. I'd still like to be prepared to try it should items become available again.

Which mill do you have? Would you mind sharing your recipe?

 

[stracci2000]

Kenny, Middle Eastern stores have this product. Stews are made with it.
My Syrian grandma used to make this dish.

Wheat berry stew (Hreesseh) - Taste of Beirut

This dish, a stew of wheat berries and meat (or chicken) has been around for a long time in Lebanese traditions. It brings to mind different events, depending on who you ask. Most recently, the Ashura commemoration gives rise to feverish and communal preparations of hreesseh; when it is finally...

www.tasteofbeirut.com

 

[Queenie60]

Kenny, Middle Eastern stores have this product. Stews are made with it.
My Syrian grandma used to make this dish.

Wheat berry stew (Hreesseh) - Taste of Beirut

This dish, a stew of wheat berries and meat (or chicken) has been around for a long time in Lebanese traditions. It brings to mind different events, depending on who you ask. Most recently, the Ashura commemoration gives rise to feverish and communal preparations of hreesseh; when it is finally...

www.tasteofbeirut.com

I use this to make stew for my Armenian husband! And yes, it's plentiful at our local Middle Eastern Market.

 

[rainydaze]

Woooo! Shortly after I posted I got an email that the MockMill is back in stock. How's that for timing? I went ahead and bought it. Now my journey begins... I have to find berries and a recipe.

 

[stracci2000]

I use this to make stew for my Armenian husband! And yes, it's plentiful at our local Middle Eastern Market.

Armenian food is yummy! Of course I love all Middle Eastern food.......

 

[pearlsngems]

@kenny, check out nuts.com for the lecithin.

I have never used soy lecithin with my whole wheat bread, but am interested in trying it. How much do you add, for how large a loaf?

 

[kenny]

I'm glad you started this thread! Yay for finding berries. I have wanted to try making whole wheat bread by milling my own wheat. I went down a rabbit hole of learning about this process, the equipment, the ingredients, and the recipes. It didn't amount to anything as mills are sold out. I'd still like to be prepared to try it should items become available again.

Which mill do you have? Would you mind sharing your recipe?

I'm cleaning up my recipe, and will post it later.

I see you already ordered a mill, but FWIW I bought the WonderMill from these folks in GA.

Real Food Company & Bread Baking Tools - Bread Beckers, Inc.

I'm very happy with it.
I also bought my Ankarsrum mixer from them.

 

[rainydaze]

Aha! It was between the Wondermill and the Mockmill, based upon my research. Gotta say, I half expected you to come back and say you use a hand-mill!

I look forward to seeing your recipe - thank you for being willing to post it. I am really looking forward to preserving the nutrition in the wheat for our bread moving forward. My family loves fresh bread (who doesn't?) but knowing that it's so unhealthy the way I make it takes some of the joy out of it.

 

[kenny]

First the required fine print from my legal team Dewey, Cheatem & Howe LLP ...

I'm not an experience bread baker.
I've only made this one recipe, and I've only used my weird Ankarsrum mixer the differences of which (quantity of flour, kneading time, and changing your expectation of correct moisture in dough) affect the recipe.
I believe this recipe was developed for the Ankarsrum.

Experienced bakers using other mixers know how much flour to add for the perfect dough.
The Ankarsrum design's more-gentle kneading (simulating hand-kneading) does not tear the gluten strands apart as does the blades of KitchenAide, Bosch, and Hobart mixers.
This means it needs a different amount of flour, I think less.
I only mention this because flour amount may need adjusting for your mixer, your experience and preference.

Flour can vary from densely packed to sifted, so I measure by weight, not volume.
I use a digital thermometer with a probe for temps.
Salt kills yeast if they directly touch, so follow recipe closely.

 

[kenny]

KENNY'S WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

From pamphlet “Bread Beckers Recipe Collection’, Rev 1/14/2005, pg 19.
Actual photo of recipe in the book is in the next post.
Recipe makes two standard-sized sandwich loaves.

With mill set to bread setting, mill 858 g (21 oz) (1 lb, 5 oz) whole wheat kernels.
Note: If not adding the optional flax seed add 85 g (3 oz) more flour.

In blender grind golden flax seed into a powder

Into mixer’s bowl put:
1 egg
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
2 tsp salt
1.5 c water at 95 degrees F … (30 seconds in my 1200 watt microwave)
Mix thoroughly.

With mixer at lowest speed (so you don't get 'flour-face' ) add:
1 Tbsp lecithin
1 teaspoon gluten (optional)
All the flax seed powder (optional)
Half the flour
Mix thoroughly.

Lower mixer speed and add:
1Tbsp Yeast
The rest of the flour

With Ankarsrum’s speed knob at 5 O’clock, knead till smooth and elastic (should take 5 - 6 minutes)
For other mixers use your experience for kneading speed and time and exact amount of flour.
Form dough into a ball and leave it in mixer’s bowl, covered with a moist kitchen towel.

Let rise in bowl till volume doubles.
Punch down (imagining the face of your least-favorite politician) and knead a few seconds.
Let rise again till volume doubles.
Punch down (imagining the face of your least-favorite politician) and knead a few seconds.

If desired knead into dough:
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Scale dough into two balls of equal weight.
Shape each to fit pans.
Rise again in pans till volume doubles, but have oven preheated to 350 F when dough is finished rising.
Also to get a crisper bread crust ... right before putting dough into oven I pour boiling water into a baking pan on the oven's bottom shelf.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes in center of oven.
Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, and temp in center is 205 F.
(Whole wheat bread must reach a higher temp than white bread.)

 

[kenny]

Dewey, Cheatem & Howe LLP reminds me to mention I already credited the writer in post # 11 above.

First the whole page, then a close up of this recipe. LOL.

 

[kenny]

Kenny, Middle Eastern stores have this product. Stews are made with it.
My Syrian grandma used to make this dish.

Wheat berry stew (Hreesseh) - Taste of Beirut

This dish, a stew of wheat berries and meat (or chicken) has been around for a long time in Lebanese traditions. It brings to mind different events, depending on who you ask. Most recently, the Ashura commemoration gives rise to feverish and communal preparations of hreesseh; when it is finally...

www.tasteofbeirut.com

Thanks, I'm gonna try that.
I LOOOOOOOVE middle-eastern food.
I'm making tabouleh today.

BTW, my fancy grain mill can mill those big hard dried garbanzo beans into powder for home-made hummus.
Have'n't tried it yet, but will.

 

[kenny]

Woooo! Shortly after I posted I got an email that the MockMill is back in stock. How's that for timing? I went ahead and bought it. Now my journey begins... I have to find berries and a recipe.

Honeyville is a great source for baking supplies, and they get new shipments of wheat berries every Friday.
The type I prefer, Hard Red, comes in 3 sizes, 5 lb cans, 40 lb buckets, and 50 lb bags.
I bought 50 pounds since it lasts forever.
Right now the 5 lb and 40 lb sizes are sold out, but check back often.

Hard Red Wheat

Hard Red Wheat comes from specially selected winter wheat, is known for its long term storage qualities, and can be used to bake delicious breads, rolls, cookies, pastries, and more.

shop.honeyville.com

 

[stracci2000]

Dewey, Cheatem & Howe LLP reminds me to mention I already credited the writer in post # 11 above.

First the whole page, then a close up of this recipe. LOL.

Kenny, I can't believe that you write in the margins of your recipe books like a crazy person! Aaaggghh!

 

[kenny]

I assumed it was already firmly established on PS that I AM a crazy person. LOL

 

[kenny]

Aha! It was between the Wondermill and the Mockmill, based upon my research. Gotta say, I half expected you to come back and say you use a hand-mill!

I look forward to seeing your recipe - thank you for being willing to post it. I am really looking forward to preserving the nutrition in the wheat for our bread moving forward. My family loves fresh bread (who doesn't?) but knowing that it's so unhealthy the way I make it takes some of the joy out of it.

Cool.
I'm looking forward to your, and your family's, reaction to bread made with freshly-milled flour.

Hand-cranked mills are popular with the end-of-timers since there may be no electricity.

 

[kenny]

Woooo! Shortly after I posted I got an email that the MockMill is back in stock. How's that for timing? I went ahead and bought it. Now my journey begins... I have to find berries and a recipe.

The German MockMill looks like a really beautiful product, and I like that it uses stone instead of steel, and doesn't heat up the flour.
But unlike the WonderMill, I see no MockMill apparatus to contain the airborne flour that milling generates.
I'm curious whether some airborne flour settles onto your countertop.

Perhaps the dusty mess associated with making bread is just accepted by many.
Or perhaps the MockMill's design using stone, and perhaps slower rotational speed, minimizes the dust.
I must say, after using the WonderMill (with two flour-capturing things within the separate container that the flour is sent into) there is no flour dusting my countertop.

 

[Rfisher]

Kenny, I can't believe that you write in the margins of your recipe books like a crazy person! Aaaggghh!

Is this bad?
How does one keep track of any tweaking of the recipe?
I would love to have my parents/grandparents recipe books that had this.
Plus, baking by weight instead of volume, I automatically do this As not many baking cookbooks are weight.

Thank you @kenny for mentioning the mixer you use. My kitchenaid is on it’s last legs and this looks intriguing if it cannot be refurbished, never heard of it.
Do you ever age your whole wheat dough in the fridge overnight for added flavor?

 

[stracci2000]

Is this bad?
How does one keep track of any tweaking of the recipe?

I was just teasing! Kenny likes a good tease.
Of course it's not bad. I do it sometimes, too!
If I make too many changes, I re-write my tweaked recipes on note cards and stick the card between the pages.

 

[rainydaze]

kenny thank you so much!

I have ordered some hard red and hard white berries. I can't wait to get started, and your recipe looks like a good one to dive in with!

I share 'my' recipes much like you do, lots of practical details, specifics, and with as much info as possible. I also write all over my recipes; I need to remember exactly what worked, what didn't, how I fine-tuned it, what settings on my personal equipment worked, etc. Is this a no-no for some people @stracci2000 ? I didn't know that!

ETA: Ah! Just saw your response @stracci2000 . Lol, and phew!

 

[kenny]

...
Thank you @kenny for mentioning the mixer you use.
My kitchenaid is on it’s last legs and this looks intriguing if it cannot be refurbished, never heard of it. ...

Yes, it's a strange bird, and an expensive one, but I read on fora for bakers that many posters claim it is their dream machine for making bread.
Many posters complain the plastic gears in KitchenAides don't last long when kneading heavier whole wheat doughs, especially large batches.
The Ankarsrum can knead 9 pounds of dough without straining the motor.

There are lots of YT videos on the Ankarsrum mixer but IMO this 16-minute one does the best job, by far, of thoroughly explaining the unique benefits of this very-different mixer.
Yes of course it's a sales video as this company sells them, but I've found everything stated to be true, and then some.

... Do you ever age your whole wheat dough in the fridge overnight for added flavor?

I'm not sure whether you mean refrigerate while the dough is rising, or after the bread is baked.
I have heard when deciding what temp to rise (proof) the dough ... the higher the temp the faster the rise, but the lower the temp the better the flavor.

FWIW, after baking I let it cool to room temp (check with probe) then I refrigerate it two hours in a paper lunch bag rolled closed.
Then when I slice the whole loaf for sandwiches it doesn't crumble.
Then I put each loaf in a gallon-sized Zip Lock Freezer bag, suck the air out, seal, and store in freezer.
When I need a couple slices I pop em in the toaster for only 30 seconds, unplug the toaster, cover with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.
Bread comes out perfect like freshly baked.

 

[kenny]

As a child in the midwest in the 60s we were taught that books were practically sacred and never to be written in.
I could understand if it's a library book, but if it's mine and a working book like a cookbook? ... Pfffffff.

 

[kenny]

I was just teasing! Kenny likes a good tease. ...

My favorite is when you tease me with your feather duster in my special nono place.

 

[kenny]

Opps.
I forgot to add the groovy mixer video to post #22 above.

Now it's added.

 

[stracci2000]

My favorite is when you tease me with your feather duster in my special nono place.

Yeah baby!

 

[kenny]

@kenny, check out nuts.com for the lecithin.

I have never used soy lecithin with my whole wheat bread, but am interested in trying it. How much do you add, for how large a loaf?

Thanks for the referral.

The recipe I posted makes two standard-size sandwich loaves.
It calls for two tablespoons lecithin.

But or some reason long ago I noted that I cut that in half - I don't recall why.
But if the recipe called for two it wouldn't hurt to try that.

 

[kenny]

FWIW, Honeyville now has in stock the 5 lb air-tight, long-lasting cans of Hard Red Wheat if anyone else with a mill wants to stock up without buying 50 lbs.
But in those cans, per pound, it's over 3 times the price of the 50 lb bag.

Price per pound for each size:

50 lb, $0.92 - Comes in one huge paper bag
40 lb, $1.50 - Comes in a nice BPA-Free Heavy Duty air-tight storage bucket.
30 lb, $2.70 - 6 of the below 5-lb cans
5 lb, $3.00 - Comes in in an air-tight can

But Wait!
The price per pound of the 50 lb bag is even cheaper because Honeyville has a flat shipping rate of $8.99 - regardless of what you buy.
If, over time, you were to buy 50 lbs in ten 5 lb cans, one can at a time, your shipping would be $89.90, not the $8.99 it is if you buy the same amount in one bag.

Hard Red Wheat

Hard Red Wheat comes from specially selected winter wheat, is known for its long term storage qualities, and can be used to bake delicious breads, rolls, cookies, pastries, and more.

shop.honeyville.com

 

[AGBF]

Very good thread. I have been saying we needed a thread on bread baking. The thread on items that have become scarce due to covid19 also has some posts about bread making in it.

 

[kenny]

Very good thread. I have been saying we needed a thread on bread baking. The thread on items that have become scarce due to covid19 also has some posts about bread making in it.

Timely post Deb; Just now they finally delivered the last ingredient, lecithin, that I needed to make yum yum bread.
Now I have 50 pounds of wheat kernels, fresh yeast, vital wheat gluten, and lecithin.

Thanks to perlsandgems for recommending nuts.com for the lecithin.

I had been using those last 3 ingredients for many years (stored vacuum sealed in freezer) and the bread was just not rising well anymore.
Plus even after it finally rose, it would collapse in the oven.
Still tasted good, but looked pretty sad.

I'm anxious to make a double recipe, 4 loafs, tomorrow.

Here's 50 lbs wheat kernels in a 6-gal and a 2-gal bucket.



The other 3 hard to find ingredients: