Boston Brown Bread

Submitted by Carla C.

"This bread dates back to Colonial days. Made from rye and wheat flours, cornmeal, molasses and raisins. Boston Brown Bread is always steamed (rather than baked) in a large can or mold. It is traditionally served along with a steaming plate of Boston Baked Beans."

 

• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 2 cups rye meal
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄3 cups dark molasses
• 4 cups milk
• 2 cups seedless raisins
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• hot water
• aluminum foil
• butcher's kitchen twine, and one 16 oz. coffee can, empty and clean

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Grease a 16 oz coffee can (or 1 qt pudding mold or baking dish) with butter.
3. In a large bowl, combine both wheat and rye flours, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.
4. Stir in molasses and milk; add raisins and mix to blend.
5. Fill coffee can (or mold/baking dish) with batter; it should come up to about 2/3 of the way to the top.
6. Cover top of the can with foil and tie with butcher's twine to make it airtight.
7. Place can (or mold/baking dish) into a larger, deep baking dish.
8. Using a pitcher, carefully pour hot water into the baking dish so that the water comes about halfway up the outside of the coffee can (or mold/baking dish); place in the oven.
9. Allow bread to steam for 2 hours, check water level after 1 hour and add more water if needed.
10. To check if the bread is done, carefully remove twine and foil and stick a wooden skewer into the middle and pull it out.
11. If the Skewer is clean, the bread is done; if the bread needs additional cooking time, cover with new foil and twine and allow to steam until done.
12. Enjoy!

Reviews

[oldcrow]

i made this just as printed except i used bushes bean cans the 28 oz. size.its important to not over cook them or the bread will be to dry;a great recipe thanks from a old new englander

 

[Cookworm]

This was a wow. It brought back memories of childhood. And it was easier than I had imagined. Thank you.

 

[thurstondonnie]

Worked great in the coffee can. Make sure you grease the coffee can good. We will be making this again soon.

 

[PumaNW Luna]

2 words for this: Yum and Yum. Don't let the Rye scare you away--you can't taste it. Next time, I will use 4 large juice cans, buttered generously and sprayed with Pam. I did reserve batter for one such can, and the resulting, smaller slices are much nicer for slicing a perfect round. Serve this bread with boston baked beans (Anita's, from the Allrecipes site), a potato salad and/or creamy coleslaw, and you've gotcherself a delicious meal, suitable for a picnic. Thank you, Carla!