Flour: vacuum pack? Etc.

[Mathematician]

So far I haven't any flour in my preps because in ordinary life I often seem to end up throwing out old flour (I'm fussy about it, and don't like to use stale-smelling flour on the rare occasions I bake) and I'm trying to prep with things I can rotate. But now I've ordered a lot of cheese so I have an incentive to work out how to store bread-making ingredients :-) Help?

It appears that any flour I buy will come in 1kg paper bags (i.e. I can't get it in sacks). I have a vacuum packing machine, and a small, permanently nearly-full freezer. This is my plan:

- buy mostly white bread (strong) flour, for longest life;

- put the whole paper bag unopened into a plastic vacuum-pack bag and vacuum pack it

- then put the bag in the freezer for 48 hours to kill weevil eggs

- then store the bag in the larder

Given what I have is this the best I can do? (Or, for example, is there a reason to do the freezing bit before the vacuum packing?) And how long after purchase can I reasonably expect to use this flour and not think "yuck, stale" as I use it?

TIA!

PS I already have a lot of rice and lentils stored, in the plastic bags it came in, but I haven't done any freezing on those bags because I've never observed bugs in rice or lentils - maybe the packages we buy here (UK) have been irradiated? Or have I just been lucky and should I start treating these bags in future?

[jlw]

Hi,
The freezing of your flour is to keep it fresh and the bugs out of it. They say flour keeps upto a year in the freezer, I use it even if it has been in there longer and it has always been fine just like when it was first opened. I always keep my flour in the freezer even after it has been open. As for any of your dry goods such as rice lentals , beans all of them can be stored in the freezer.
It is a good idea though if you can vaccume seal them into a plastic bag then put into freezer. This way if you have no way of keeping your freezer going then they will still be dry, sealed, and fresh. I hope this helped.........jlw

PS there is no reason for you to freeze them , before you vaccume pack them, just do it after you put them in the plastic bags.

[homestead]

My experience has been (in the USA) that all my 5 lb. bags of regular flour easily last one year after being placed in the freezer for 24-48 hr. and having a good quality plastic bag (not a grocery bag) over them. I store them in my kitchen cupboard. Like you, I'm fussy about how my flour tastes because I love to bake breads, bagels, cookies and cakes and I make my own noodles, too. Bugs haven't been a problem.

Since we don't have the equipment, I haven't done any vacuum packing.

Ever since tiny black wormy things appeared in my 2 lb. bag of white rice earlier this year, I've been putting all my rice into the freezer for a couple of days before I store it. I never had bugs in rice before and didn't even think it could happen, but there they were, and the bag was only a few months old. Now that I'm buying it in 20 lb. bags, it's not easy to hoist it in and out of the chest freezer, let alone find room for it, but I hate to take a chance that I'll find little friends in it later on.

Hope this helps. Best wishes for your projects!

[DRJJ]

Because Flour is ground so finely, It is impossible to remove as much air as necessary to preserve the flour outside of the freezer. Put a small piece of dry ice in the bottom of an upright bag and then add the flour. After the dry ice has evaporated, place a coffee filter on the top of the bag to prevent the flour being evacuated and vacuum seal the bag. It is not necessary to freeze it, because insects will not survive without oxygen. Alternately, you can use an oxygen absorber.

[sharon sanders]

Welcome Mathematician.

[Wisdom]

Thanks for starting this thread! I was at Walmart this past weekend looking at containers for storing Flour and such. I have just a few small bags of flour and was wondering how to keep everything fresh and neat in my pantry. I haven't bought anything yet, but you guys really freaked me out about the bugs in the rice...ugh..Should I put mine in the freazer for a couple of days and then take it out and put it back in the pantry? I haven't had any problems with bugs and sure do not want to start...thanks

[Shannon]

Vacuuming is almost impossible with finely ground foods. I did use it for dried milk but it eventually ruined my machine. Someone long ago suggested putting a piece of paper toweling on top of finelly milled foods before vacuuming to help prevent as many fine particles as possible from being sucked into the machine. It works for a while but then the pump will eventually fail. So, my advice is to not use it unless it was a dire situation and the loss of your machine was a secondary consideration.

[Laidback Al]

Vacuum sealing is an excellent way to extend the shelf life of some food items. Of course it has other less obvious uses such as sealing batteries, old photos and documents, etc. Anything that is damage by oxidation can benefit from vacuum sealing.

There are several Yahoo group dedicated to tips and techniques of using vacuum sealing equipment. Here is the main one:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodSaver/

[Lynda]

I vacuum pack my flour (cornmeal, & corn masa mix for tortillas) in a vac bag, but I buy it in regular 4 lb bags so I can vac it inside the paper bag it comes in. Simply wipe the bag off, slip in into the vac bag, and seal. Very little dust. It literally turns into a brick!

I have some sealed for two years now, and it's still fine.

I have some in the freezer, too. Honestly, inside the vac bag, I have no idea how long it will keep in the freezer, but I think it's a loonnngggg time.

I freeze everything for two days, then I let it dry completely before sealing. I do this because I read that some buggies can last for a long time in a vac bag. There are air spaces between the food particles.

I think that the only way you could improve on this is to use 1/2 gallon canning jars.

Amazingly, a 1/2 canning jar will vacuum inside the tallest Foodsaver canister! I vac everything from tiny pimiento jars to 1/2 gallons.

All of my meds are vac sealed.

I also make silver/crystal/stone earrings, and I keep the earring parts sealed to prevent tarnish.

[DRJJ]

I adore my canning jar attachment to my vacuum food sealer. I also use it very frequently, in all sorts of ways. Understand that jar sealing flour and grains does not really remove all the oxygen. It does reduce it substantially. Placing a piece of dry ice (Carbon Dioxide is heavier than air) will slowly fill the jar or bag from the bottom, displacing the air along with its oxygen (about 20%)) This jar can then be evacuated and sealed

The same thing can be done with Nitrogen, however, you will need a flow from a tube inserted into the bottom of the container and allowed to fill up and push out any air. It takes some flow of Nitrogen because Nitrogen and air are about the same density. An oxygen absorber (food grade) can be added to scarf up any remaining oxygen molecule.

Insects will not grow in the absense of oxygen.

[4-ABBA]

My wife and I have quite a large supply of wheat berries, as well as beans and rice. As we also have a hand powered grain mill, we plan to keep the grain as is (sealed in double high density plastic containers) until we need it. Buggies or going rancid are non-issues. It's always fresh--and even after 7 years, in storage, it still sprouts.

We have enough to feed quite a few other households--for at least a few months.

[Mathematician]

Originally Posted by jlw

Hi,
They say flour keeps upto a year in the freezer, I use it even if it has been in there longer and it has always been fine just like when it was first opened. I always keep my flour in the freezer even after it has been open. As for any of your dry goods such as rice lentals , beans all of them can be stored in the freezer.

That's the problem, though, I don't have the freezer space for that - as I said, I only have a small, always nearly-full freezer. I can just about find space to freeze one bag at a time for 48 hours, but storing those things in the freezer is a non-starter. (No room for another freezer, either.) The advice may help another reader though!

[Mathematician]

Originally Posted by homestead

Ever since tiny black wormy things appeared in my 2 lb. bag of white rice earlier this year, I've been putting all my rice into the freezer for a couple of days before I store it.

That's what I was afraid someone would say - but thanks for saying it anyway :-)

[Mathematician]

Originally Posted by 4-ABBA

As we also have a hand powered grain mill

Ah, that might well be my next gadget, so can I ask how much you've tried using it and what the experience is like? I was a bit wary that it might be impractical to actually grind enough flour for bread regularly with one.

[Mathematician]

Originally Posted by Shannon

Vacuuming is almost impossible with finely ground foods. I did use it for dried milk but it eventually ruined my machine. Someone long ago suggested putting a piece of paper toweling on top of finelly milled foods before vacuuming to help prevent as many fine particles as possible from being sucked into the machine. It works for a while but then the pump will eventually fail. So, my advice is to not use it unless it was a dire situation and the loss of your machine was a secondary consideration.

Did you try or consider sealing things like flour in their original paper bags, as suggested by Lynda? I don't want to ruin my machine but it sounds as though that worked for her... I take everyone's point that you can't get all the air out though.

[Mathematician]

Replying to every individual message is probably overkill, but thanks everyone for your input, very useful!

[Shannon]

Hand grinding wheat is a very labor intensive operation. You will gain a whole new perspective and appreciation for anyone who does this on a regular basis. It will give you some good exercise however when you are closeted at home. There are models that are easier to crank but the trade-off is it takes far longer to grind the flour. Our model has a handle that can be adapted so two people can turn the crank at one time.

[4-ABBA]

Originally Posted by Mathematician

Ah, that might well be my next gadget, so can I ask how much you've tried using it and what the experience is like? I was a bit wary that it might be impractical to actually grind enough flour for bread regularly with one.

It works just fine. We have used it off and on for 8 years. I believe you can find them at a store called "Down to Earth" online.

[kr105]

Hi,

I purchased flour in 5 lb bags (in US) and vac packed it (using a foodsaver from Tilia). I did not freeze it, since I believe the insects need oxygen to live. So far it's all been fine. When I've opened a bag (almost a year later) it has been bug free and fresh.

[Jonesie]

I just found this article on flour consumption. I thought it was interesting:


Wheat: Background


Wheat’s Role in the U.S. Diet Has Changed Over the Decades

U.S. consumption of wheat products—such as breads, pastas, and pizza—dropped sharply beginning in 2000, reversing a three-decade trend of growth in per-capita consumption. Wheat consumption fell from an estimated 146 pounds per person in 2000 to 133 pounds in the mid-2000s, a change that may reflect public interest in lowering carbohydrate consumption. Interestingly, the rise in wheat consumption that started some 30 years ago was also triggered by health concerns. In the 1970s, American began shifting from animal products to grain-based foods, including wheat products, because of concerns about cholesterol and heart disease.

Historical data indicate that there have been previous periods of growth and decline in wheat consumption. From a low starting point in the 1600s, consumption of wheat flour rose to about 225 pounds per capita in 1880, and then fell to about 110 pounds a century later. These shifts reflected supply-side factors—including changes in wheat production, milling, and transportation—in addition to demand for more diversified diets.



Yeast Breads Limited in Colonial America

Wheat production was difficult in New England and in much of the South in the colonial era (1600s and 1700s), making wheat flour too expensive for regular use. High transportation costs also made long-distance transport of wheat and flour from regions better suited for wheat growing unprofitable. Therefore, colonists in these regions turned to other crops, especially corn. The wealthy were the principal consumers of wheat bread.

The high cost of wheat flour was not the only factor favoring cornmeal breads. Most baking took place either in Dutch ovens or in reflector ovens placed in the fireplace until the invention of the cast-iron, wood-fired cook stove in the 19th century. For homes without these stoves, it was easier to deal with cornmeal and nonyeast bread products prepared as baked-hearth flat breads.

Flour Cost Begins Falling in 18th Century

Milling costs dropped when Oliver Evans developed an improved milling system in 1790. This system took the wheat to the top of the mill by mechanical power, and carried it down by gravity through the grinding process. The Evans system reduced the labor needed in a mill by more than half. It also increased the flour extraction rate from wheat. Cyrus McCormick’s invention of the reaper in 1834 and John Deere’s steel plow in 1837 reduced production costs and stimulated wheat production. The reaper eliminated manual cutting of the crop and the steel plow greatly accelerated the rate at which the heavy prairie soils could be tilled.

In addition, early improvements in transportation infrastructure helped reduce flour cost to U.S. consumers, especially in areas where wheat was not widely grown. One early improvement was the Erie Canal. Later, railway expansion made a substantial difference. At mid-century, rail transport was one-tenth the cost of hauling grain overland by road.

New Hard Wheat Flours Support Consumer Demand in Second Half of 19th Century

Demand for bread was stimulated by the introduction of hard wheats and new milling techniques that changed the quality of the flour. Because hard wheats have higher protein content (see box), they were better suited for making bread than soft wheat.

Protein and Bread Making

The essential ingredients for leaven bread are flour, water, and yeast. As these ingredients are mixed together, enzymes in the yeast and flour cause starch to break down into simple sugars. Yeast metabolizes these simple sugars and releases carbon dioxide. With kneading, unique proteins in wheat flour form a sticky, stretchy substance called gluten. If the dough has a strong gluten network, the released carbon dioxide bubbles are held within the gluten, thereby inflating the dough. This rising of the dough creates the airy texture of bread. If the protein level of the wheat flour is too low, little gluten is formed, the carbon dioxide will escape and the dough will not rise enough to create the desired texture. About 11.5-percent wheat protein is necessary for common pan bread.

Until the 1870s, nearly all U.S. wheat production consisted of soft wheat varieties. A hard spring wheat variety (originally from Central Europe) with a higher protein content was introduced in Minnesota in mid-1800s. Westward expansion of the rail system allowed increasing quantities of hard wheat flour to move to the East after 1865. A little later, Mennonites from the Crimea brought with them a hard winter wheat variety when they immigrated to Kansas, where the main crop was corn. By 1890, Kansas was becoming an important wheat-producing State by growing hard wheat. Milling durum wheat produced in North Dakota began in 1904. After a few years, U.S. macaroni manufacturers switched away from imported durum.

When the new hard spring wheat was introduced, U.S. millers initially milled this grain with millstones. The resulting flour was not very desirable. When wheat was ground between millstones, all parts of the kernel were ground down together. When the resulting product was sifted through cloth, some of the smaller brownish particles of bran and the more yellowish parts from the germ (or embryo) also passed through. The stone-ground flour was therefore creamy in color with flecks of brown.

In 1880, millstone grinding was replaced by steel roller mill technology from Hungary. Roller mills provided a cleaner separation of the starch from the outer bran layers of the kernel, and the nearly complete removal of the germ and its oil. The result was finer, whiter flour that was highly valued by bread consumers. In addition, removal of the oil in the germ, which spoils quickly, and bran, which absorbs moisture, made a flour with longer shelf life.

New Wheat Products Change Breakfast in America

Historically, economic development has been accompanied by the substitution of meat for grain in the diet, and this was true in the United States starting in the 1870s. However, breakfast-food manufacturers promoted the opposite for breakfast. They convinced people to substitute highly processed grains for meat as healthy and convenient.

John Harvey Kellogg began experimenting with breakfast cereals in the 1870s, introducing a whole-wheat breakfast cereal in 1880 as a health-food product. This breakfast cereal was eventually named granola. Later, the Kellogg brothers created a wheat-flake breakfast cereal, called Granose, also as a health-food product. C.W. Post developed Postum in 1895 and then Grape-Nuts in 1898.

Cooked grain (porridge) was a common dish among the European immigrants in America in Colonial times. The Quaker Oats Company produced oatmeal, the first successful ready-to-cook cereal, in the 1870s. Later, Thomson Amidon discovered coarsely ground wheat could also be cooked into a breakfast cereal. Because of its color, he called it Cream of Wheat.

With new technologies, new products, and improved infrastructure—and the resulting lower costs—flour consumption rose during the 19th century. During the closing decades, consumption remained at very high levels as new and improved wheat products were introduced.

Flour Consumption Declines for the First Two-Thirds of the 20th Century

From 1890 until 1920, the greatest increase in food consumption occurred with sugar, and the greatest decrease was in cornmeal. Rising prosperity led to a pronounced shift from cornmeal to wheat flour, especially in the South, and an equally important substitution of sugar for wheat flour. Sugar prices had been dropping sharply since the 1850s with the development of improved refining technology.

After 1920, the substitution of wheat flour for cornmeal slowed, but per capita wheat flour consumption continued to drop. Part of the reason was a decrease in total per capita food requirements as fewer people engaged in heavy physical labor. Another factor was further substitution of sugar for flour in the diet. Moreover, diets were becoming more diversified to include more eggs, milk, fruits, and vegetables. Prices of these items fell as agriculture became more mechanized and transportation improved, making distribution more efficient. Refrigerated railway cars, for example, were especially important for perishable foodstuffs. This more expensive diet was also supported through rising consumer prosperity and increased awareness of the health benefits of a more diversified diet.

The decline in per capita wheat consumption slowed during the Great Depression and the world wars. After World War II, the decline resumed as people continued to diversify their diets. Supermarkets offered an increasing range of foodstuffs, and rising incomes allowed consumers to diversify their diet with more expensive food items.

A striking change in wheat flour use occurred in the past century. At the turn of the 20th century, home baking accounted for 90 percent of total flour consumption, with commercial bakeries accounting for 10 percent. By 1945, the bakery portion rose to 60 percent as home baking dropped with the entry of women into the workforce. By 1990, less than 10 percent of flour was consumed in the home.

Wheat-Product Consumption Starts to Rise Again in the 1970s

The decline in wheat consumption slowed during the 1960s, partly because consumers became increasingly aware of possible links between a diet high in animal products and cholesterol. Wheat products were viewed by many consumers at the time as a healthy, alternative food choice.

The rapid expansion of the fast-food industry also boosted per capita consumption of wheat products. These businesses, providing items such as sandwiches, hamburgers, breaded chicken, pizza, and bagels, spread rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s.

Fast food’s popularity stemmed from many factors, including:

• Reduced food preparation time, which became increasingly important as more women entered the work force,
• Greater number of people living alone and lacking the incentive to cook for one,
• Convenience of fast-food restaurants, particularly for lunch,
• Rising disposable incomes, and
• Relatively reasonable prices.

These trends helped increase per capita wheat product consumption in the United States for the last quarter of the 20th century.

Wheat Product Consumption Levels Out as the United States Enters the 21st Century

Since the late 1990s, growth in per capita wheat consumption appears to have ended. Wheat flour consumption per capita has dropped about 12 pounds in the past half decade to 134 pounds per capita. The decline likely reflects, in part, the increasing numbers of weight-conscious consumers following diets that include fewer carbohydrates.

Another force reducing flour usage is the expanding production of extended shelf life (ESL) bread. New ESL technologies can double or even triple the shelf life of a fresh loaf, from several days to 10 or more. As a result, U.S. bakers reduced "stales" (bread that does not sell and is taken back by the baker) from as high as 15 percent of sales to less than 8 percent. Fewer stales directly reduces the quantity of flour required to supply the same level of consumer demand.


For more information, contact: Gary Vocke
Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: July 21, 2006

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Wheat/consumption.htm

With very little baking being done in the home, the transition to home baked goods will be very difficult during a pandemic. Many people lack the skills to do it.

There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

[Sally Furniss]

MILLING - GRAINS - BAKING TIPS

Freshly milled grains, made into fresh breads & foods are the staff of life.

Twenty-five vitamins, minerals and proteins, as well as the high fiber benefit of bran are available only in freshly milled flour from whole grain berries. Because grain is naturally preserved in it's shell, it is important to preserve the whole grain until the last moment - the way nature intended in order to get the most nutrition out of your foods. Also, naturally occurring vegetable oils are encapsulated so that they do not become rancid easily in the whole grain kernel. Once milled, flour can become rancid in a relatively short amount of time, since the vegetable oils are released. Some studies have shown that vitamin loss begins as quickly as 3 hours after milling. For the most healthful breads, mill and bake within a 3 hour period. Flours that have been left on the shelf for many months have lost portions of their B Complex and C Vitamins.

HARD WHEAT/SOFT WHEAT AND DURUM WHEAT
Hard Red Winter and Hard White Wheat have a high gluten content necessary for bread making. They have the nutty, wheat flavor that produces delicious "brown breads".
Hard White Spring Wheat (called Golden 86 or Prairie Gold) also can be used for bread making. It is a hybrid - The bitter compounds in the bran have been bred out. It is sweeter and lighter. Good for pizza - French bread - where you want lighter or whiter bread.
Soft White Winter Wheat is called pastry wheat - for pastries, pies, biscuits, cookies, cakes and muffins - when you need flaky and delicate.

Durum Wheat is high in protein, but makes a lemon yellow mealy flour called Semolina, it is for making pastas.
High gluten grains include: Hard Wheat, Spelt and Kamut. These are high protein and make high rising breads.
Hard wheat can make yeast bread. Spelt grain and Kamut grain can also make yeasted breads. There are many other nutritional grains, but all others must be combined with wheat (for its gluten) to make yeast bread.

By varying the grains used, one can precisely tailor a flour for a specific recipe for example:

• A mix of 3:2 hard red wheat and soft white wheat makes soft yeasted rolls.
• 10 - 20 % rice flour makes for crunchier cookies. (You can make rice flour by grinding rice.)
• A 3:1 mix of soft wheat and oat flour makes a cake flour suitable for the most delicate chiffon cake.

All the other flours, whether beans or grains may be substituted for wheat flour in a bread recipe, which in turn will manifest its own unique characteristics. These flours (except Spelt and Kamut) do not contain enough gluten in them for successful high rising yeast bread making. Add or substitute 1/3 to 1/6 cup of Wheat flour to your mixture in order to get high rising breads.

Wheat flour contains the highest amount of gluten. Gluten is a protein. It is that part of the grain that develops elasticity, when it is kneaded. It is the substance that traps the carbon dioxide given off by the fermenting yeast thus expanding and stretching, giving texture and rise to your bread.
The germ and the bran are the components that cause so much difficulty in bread making with 100% whole-wheat flour. This can easily be overcome! Wheat bran, although it is very nutritious and high in dietary fibers, after milling has rough sharp edges that can damage the gluten framework (which traps the gas causing rise), as it’s being kneaded and during rising. The nutrition in wheat germ is also very valuable, however it contains among other things a substance called Glutathione that breaks down the gluten in whole wheat bread dough.

Lets look at a few things that can give us help with this.
Yeast is a living plant, a microscopic fungus that as a by-product of it's existence makes the bread rise. It needs warmth, moisture and food to grow. Warmth - 100f - 110f for best results; moisture – Water is good; and food - sugars, honey or molasses are especially good.
Yeast ferments sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxides gas. The gas is trapped in the gluten network and causes bread to rise until the oxygen is used up or you kill the yeast (by baking or over fermentation).
There is two types yeast commonly available nowadays. Regular active dry yeast and instant yeast. Both have been dried to deactivation, but the yeast cells are not killed.
Instant yeast being dried at lower temperatures; so it produces more live cells and quicker more vigorous action when added to flour and water. Unlike active dry yeast it does not need to be "proofed" (or dissolved) in warm water, but can be added along with the flour after the first of the 2 cups of flour have been incorporated.
Active dry yeast has a hard outer shell that needs to be softened in warm water with some sweetener for 5-10 minutes before adding to other ingredients. There are fans of both types of yeast.
Remember the substance call Glutathione in wheat germ, which breads down the gluten? It is also present in yeast (small amounts). It will not affect the quality of your bread as long as it stays in the yeast cell. Only under adverse conditions will it leak out. When using active dry yeast, be careful that your dissolving water is no cooler that 100f. Glutathione will leak out of the yeast cells rapidly in cool water, causing your dough strength to be weakened. With instant yeast make sure your dough "batter" or flour temperature is at least 75f when adding the yeast. If your freshly milled flour is very warm, over 120f, make sure the liquid in your recipe is a little cooler that 90f so you do not overheat the dough and kill the yeast.
Vitamin C to the Rescue! By using vitamin C, Ascorbic Acid, in your dough you will help to counteract the negative effects of Glutathione. Vitamin C will not only help prevent the gluten bonds from breaking down; but will help repair gluten bonds that have already been broken. Vitamin C helps sustain the leavening of bread loaves during baking. It also promotes yeast growth causing your yeast to work longer and faster and helps produce the acidic atmosphere in which yeast grows best.

Use 1/4 tablespoon of vitamin C crystals (powdered) or a 250mg tablet crushed in a tablespoon added to liquids per 4-loaf recipe.


LIQUIDS

Water - cheapest, easiest, fastest! The flavor of the grain will be more apparent and the texture chewy.

Milk - Bread will rise higher, toast more evenly and quickly. Bread will have a finer texture and keep longer. Scald all milk (heat to just below boiling) except canned milk. This is to kill enzymes that interfere with the activity of the yeast. Milk proteins also compliment the protein in wheat for added nutritional value.

Buttermilk - dough will be more tender and have a nice flavor. Scald like regular milk and use no more than ½ liquid requirement or it can make the bread too tender.

Potato Water - the liquid reserved after boiling potatoes not only gives greater volume, but gives a coarser texture, one that is good for holding spread butter after toasting. Also adds moistness. Use no more than ½ your liquid requirement.

Yogurt - adds tang. Substitute for ½ liquid requirement.

Vegetable juices or Broth - tomato juice, apple juice, seed sprouting soak water or whey (by-product of cheese making). Use any of these as part of your liquid requirement for added nutrition and varying tastes and textures.

Eggs - can be another liquid - adding protein, color and loft. They also add to the keeping quality of bread; due to the preserving quality in the lecithin in the egg. If eggs are added in addition to required liquid amount, then decrease liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each large egg. You can use 1-2 eggs per loaf. 1 extra large egg equals about 2 ounces. 4 extra large eggs or 5 large eggs equal about 1 cup liquid.

Oils - Canola, olive oil, any good quality (cold pressed oil) or the cream off of whole fresh milk. Oils tenderize the dough, increase elasticity and produce a more tender crumb. Volume increases, bread browns more evenly and it enhances keeping quality. Never use too much, as it will shorten the gluten strands, making it crumbly and cake like. A minimum of one tablespoon oil or fat for each 4 cups flour. I use 1/3-cup oil or melted butter for a 2-loaf recipe.

Pizza dough and French bread has hardly any oil.

First measure your oil and add it, then use same cup to measure and add sweetener to recipe. This is particularly helpful with liquid sweeteners like honey or molasses.
Sweeteners - add flavor, adds moistness, especially honey. Feeds yeast and adds to keeping quality. Preferred: Honey, molasses or barley malt syrup. Be careful of high temperatures when using honey as it tends to over brown and scorch. I use 1/3-cup honey per 2-loaf recipe.
Salt - Enhances flavors and controls the fermentation process. Bread with no salt is usually tasteless and flat. Never add it to the liquid in which the yeast is dissolving as it inhibits yeast growth. Use unrefined sea salt or "real Salt" if possible, (earth mineral salt). I use 1 tablespoon per 2-loaf recipe. Many recipes call for less, but this is my preference to bring out flavor in bread.

EXTRA INGREDIENTS:
Lecithin - Derived from soybeans, it helps bread remain moist and soft by slowing down oxidation of its liquid components and acts as a binder. It comes in granular, liquid or powdered form. 1 ½ tsp. of liquid or granular per loaf is sufficient as a binder. If you use powdered follow directions on can.
Vital Wheat Gluten or Gluten Flour - This is extracted from high protein wheat. It is also a binder, making dough more elastic and gives it a boost. If your flour is less than 16% protein you will need to add gluten. It also helps to compensate for the damage done to the gluten in your bread dough due to the bran’s jagged edges, which occur during the milling process. 1-2 tablespoons per loaf should be enough. Too much gluten flour will make bread tough and rubbery.
Malt, Diastatic Malt Powder or Barley Malt Syrup - These are sweet derivatives of toasted barley. They add nutrition, improve appearance, texture and keeping quality. Replace 1-tablespoon sweetener in recipe with ½ - tsp. power or 2 tablespoons syrup. Too much will make you bread gummy, dense and either too sweet or bitter.
Whey - Powdered or liquid - A dairy by-product (from making cheese), rich in protein, minerals and milk sugar. Aids in browning, adds nutrition, adds flavor and slightly sweetens. Good for promoting beneficial bacteria in colon (like yogurt). Use ½ cup powdered to any recipe. I use 1-cup liquid whey to replace water in a 4-loaf recipe.
Mashed Potatoes - A good source of yeast food and natural vitamin C. Acts as a dough enhancer and adds moistness. Makes for a lighter, better textured bread. Use up to 1/4 cup per loaf. Instant potato flakes or granules help, but not as good as the real thing.
Oats or Oatmeal - They add crunch and moistness, makes good toasting bread. 1 cup rolled oats per 2-loaf recipe. Pour 1-2 cups boiling water over rolled oats, mix and let cool before incorporating to yeast mixture; then decrease liquid requirements by 1-2 cups.
Nuts and Seeds - Chopped or ground nuts, ground or whole seeds.
Dried Fruit, Sprouts, Spices, Herbs, Cheeses, etc. - Adds nutrition, crunch, flavor, variety, fun, and adds to appearance. Once you have gotten the "feel of the dough", start experimenting and be creative. Your family will thank you! Dried fruit can be used as is, but it does help to soak in boiled hot water first.
Other Flours - Rye, Pumpernickel, Triticale, Corn, Barley, Soy (except Kamut and Spelt), do not produce enough protein in themselves to make successful risen yeast bread. These flours must be used together with high protein wheat flour. Some vital wheat gluten added would not hurt either. Excellent results can still be obtained by replacing wheat flour with your choice of flours up to 1/4 - 1/3 the total amount of flour. Kamut flour and Spelt flour are exceptions. They both contain adequate gluten to make yeast breads with cohesiveness and loft. Kamut is an alternative for many persons allergic to wheat. Persons with Celiac Disease may substitute with Lentils, Sorghum Milo and Millet for a high protein bread, that is low in gluten (will not rise, like a wheat bread, but is full of protein.)

MORE TIPS

MORE USEFUL INFORMATION ON GRAINS AND BAKING.

• 45 Pounds of wheat berries in a 6 gallon pail yields 158 cups ground flour
• 1 pound or 3 cups berries yields approximately 4 cups ground flour
• A rough approximation - a scant 2/3 cup berries = 1 cup ground flour
• When rolling or flaking oat grains, it is ½ cup groats = 1 cup flaked grain
• The Family Grain Millgrinds 3 cups berries into fine flour in about 4 minutes
• A yeast bread recipe using 3 cups flour fits into a medium loaf pan 8 1/2 x 4 1/2; it will give you a nice rounded top.
• The larger loaf, commonly available in stores, 9x5 is really for quick bread recipes, such as banana and zucchini bread. They do not work as nicely for the traditional 2-cup loaf recipe.
• For recipes using 1/4 cup or more sugar (sweetener) to 3 cups flour, increase yeast.
• The oils and milk in the recipe make chewy bread.
• Browning of crust comes from the sugars caramelizing.
• Bread made with little oils or without fats are wonderful fresh, but stale quickly such as with French or Italian type breads. Wrap in plastic wrap or zip lock after cooled to prevent drying out.
• Oil and lecithin (liquid) is the best combination for greasing pans - not straight oil. 2 parts lecithin to 1 part oil or 1 part lecithin to 2 parts oil, you experiment.
• A wire cooling rack is very helpful. Popping the bread out of pans onto the wire rack right away will avoid soggy steamed crusts.
• Refrigeration will retard mold, but accelerates staleness.
• Freezing loaves after they have completely cooled will keep loaves almost just baked fresh for up to 3 months. Just place in a zip lock bag, push out the air and freeze.
• Courtesy of AAOOB Products

[tygerkittn]

Annez, that was wonderful, thanks so much! I got a bread machine for Christmas and it really sparked my interest in making bread.
Do we have a recipe thread? I have some great recipes from "Bread Machines for Dummies." There are two that turned out soooo good. "Spaghetti bread" and "chili bread."

[unpathedhaunt]

math, Walton Feed sells SP pails of flour. http://waltonfeed.com/cart/all.html

A heavy, plastic bucket with a metalized nonporous mylar bag. The bag is filled with the product & 2 oxygen absorber packets to remove O2. The bag is vacuum sealed and the bucket is sealed with a lid. This bag protects the product from light, moisture and oxygen. If stored in a cool place, grains & legumes will last for many years.
Each can has one oxygen absorber packet which almost always assures contents remain 99.5% oxygen free. #10 cans use a 500cc absorber, #2.5 cans use a 300cc absorber.
SP (Superpails) and cans give the best storage protection. Paper bags offer the least.