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Farm Kitchen:  Grinding wheat?  |
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EverGreen Girl
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Tara
Smoot
WY
20 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 06 2006 : 1:31:14 PM
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Hello,
I would really appreciate some feedback on the topic of grinding wheat. Can I grind up a big batch and keep it on hand to use as needed? Currently, I am grinding wheat each week when I go to make bread. I try to grind only what I'll need because I was told the excess would go bad quickly. But when I'm cooking/baking at other times, it would be so nice to have some extra ground wheat to use, instead of going for the store bought all-purpose flour. It just isn't practical for me to get out the grinder each time I need a bit of flour. Or, maybe there are times when I shoudn't be using my fresh ground and use the store stuff instead?
Thanks! |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2006 : 2:42:49 PM
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| Well I am no expert as I have nothing but problems with my bread when I use fresh ground flour but I do know that it will go rancid very fast. You need to keep it in the refrigerator if you will use in a few days or in the freezer if you're not going to use it for a little while. I haven't been able to get a loaf of bread turn out right yet with fresh ground wheat. Do you have any secrets? |
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Alaska farm girl
True Blue Farmgirl
123 Posts
dorothy
skagway
Alaska
USA
123 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2006 : 7:31:37 PM
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| I grind my own wheat by hand.It's sometimes easier when the kids have friends over and they think it's alot of fun.Then I get a few more cups! The finest grind you can get is best,and yes do put excess(if there is any) in the fridge. I have had luck adding some unbleached white(my preference),flax seed,wheat germ,and soy flour(not much,tho).My family doesn't like my bread if its too heavy.One problem I was having was holes in the middle of my loaves.My friend suggested mixing the water\yeast mixture,(after it had worked into a sponge),with the mixed flours before adding all the other ingre.(I add honey,powdered milk,salt,etc.)It is working,My wheat grinder has a big wheel on it and is one of my prized kitchen possessions. |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2006 : 8:31:27 PM
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I have tried to grind it pretty fine and even sift it several times to get the big hunks out but for some reason the bread always flops. Two days ago I tried to make lemon tea bread out of a fresh whole grain cookbook and the middle sank and the texture was like cornmeal! The recipe called for soft white wheat berries and when I grind it on the finest setting nothing comes out so I sifted it and thought it was ok to use but I guess not. I'm so frustrated right now with the whole thing and feel like the 100.00 I spent on grain and the mill is wasted!! I know all purpose flour isn't the least bit healthy but it's the only way I can get my bread to turn out right! |
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Alaska farm girl
True Blue Farmgirl
123 Posts
dorothy
skagway
Alaska
USA
123 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2006 : 10:03:49 AM
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| Hmmmm, are you using gluten flour,or maybe baking powder? Are you opening the oven door and checking progress. Sometimes the temp. change affects the cooking and stuff "falls". I am going to ask my friend,a professional baker for some suggestions.Hang in there! |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2006 : 1:51:39 PM
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| This may be ridiculous to ask but I wonder if I could get it ground finer with say a food processor. I know they can't grind it fine enough to just stick berries in there as the berries would be too hard and with the centrifigal (sp?)force it would just spin it around but if I ground the wheat with my mill as fine as I could and then in the food processor do you think that would help? |
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JerseyCowFan
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Michelle
Colville
Washington
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2006 : 11:16:02 AM
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Food processors don't grind it as fine as a mill would.
Michelle
Spirited Rose Jerseys
Colville, WA |
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JennyWren
True Blue Farmgirl
201 Posts
USA
201 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2006 : 3:28:12 PM
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Dorothy, Please could you tell me what brand your wheat grinder is?
Thanks!
Carla...
If you treat an individual as what he is, he will stay that way, but if you
treat him as if he were what he could be, he will become what he could be.
-- Goethe
www.jennywrensurbanhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2006 : 05:30:12 AM
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I add a few Tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to my bread. It "lightens" the loaf and has some preservative qualties too.
As for the wheat, I grind at my friend's as I only have a small hand grinder in my emergency stuff and it would take way too long. I've not had problems using the wheat, but I do usually go with part (unbleached) white flour too because that's the way the family likes it. I store my extra wheat flour in the freezer.
Keep trying :)
Sharon
Life is messy. Wear your apron! |
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Farm Kitchen: Grinding wheat? |
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Grinding wheat?
