Brown Bread # 2

This is heritage baking stripped down to its bones. No yeast, no kneading, no rising time. Whole wheat flour, brown sugar, sour milk, eggs, lard, and leavening get mixed together in one bowl and baked until dark and dense.

Sour milk is the quiet engine of this bread. It reacts with the baking soda to create lift in the heavy whole wheat batter, and its acidity tenderizes the crumb so the bread doesn’t turn into a brick. If you don’t have sour milk on hand, stir a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

The lard (or butter) keeps the inside moist against all that whole wheat flour. This isn’t a fluffy sandwich loaf. It’s a sturdy, slightly sweet bread meant for thick slices spread with butter or cream cheese.

Kitchen Tips

• Mix everything just until combined. Over-mixing whole wheat batter makes it tough and gummy.
• The bake time range is wide (45 to 60 minutes) because ovens vary. Start checking at 45 minutes with a toothpick in the center.
• Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out. Whole wheat breads are fragile when hot and crumble easily.
• Lard gives a more tender crumb than butter, but butter works fine if that’s what you prefer.

Variations

• Add ½ cup of raisins or dried currants for a sweeter, more traditional brown bread.
• Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg for a spiced version.
• Replace ½ cup of whole wheat flour with rye flour for a darker, earthier loaf.