Recipe: Boston Brown Bread with Sourdough

Boston Brown Bread is a bit dense when sliced, but that provided concentrated nutrition for early settlers to take into the field.

This is a “thirded” Boston brown bread, meaning it is made with equal amounts of whole wheat and rye flours and cornmeal because wheat was too scarce and expensive to use on its own in colonial times. It is cooked in a pressure cooker to save time, but could be steamed in a dutch oven for a comparable result. (It’s inspired by this recipe which gave me the idea of using the Instant Pot.) Most recipes use baking soda or yeast, neither of which would have been available in colonial times. Makes one hearty loaf, about 2 lb.

Ingredients:
Sourdough preferment, made from ¾ c water and ¾ c whole wheat flour mixed with 2 T active sourdough starter
1 c buttermilk
1/3 c milk or water
½ c molasses
3 T butter, melted
¾ c whole rye flour
¾ c cornmeal
1 t kosher salt
1 c raisins or other small dried fruit

Method: make the preferment by mixing wheat flour, water and sourdough starter. Proof overnight or until bubbly. Mix in all other ingredients and proof 8 to 12 hours or until the surface “cracks” from rising. (It will not, however, rise as much as regular bread.) Butter a heatproof dish with ½ gallon or larger capacity and pour in the batter.

To cook in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker: add 4 c water to interior pot and place dish with batter. Set pressure on high with 50 minute cook time. Release pressure naturally when done. Cool completely before unmolding onto a serving plate. To cook in dutch oven: follow same instructions, using 4 c water for steam, but cook on stovetop or in 350 degree oven for 3 or more hours until surface is firm.