Rahn Salt-Rising Bread

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Servings: 6 Difficulty: Advanced
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A traditional, naturally leavened bread with a distinctive tangy flavor and tender crumb.
Rahn Salt-Rising Bread recipe image
Rahn Salt-Rising Bread recipe image
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Rahn Salt-Rising Bread

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 6 Calories: 1854.5

Description

Salt-rising bread is a unique, naturally leavened loaf that relies on wild bacteria rather than commercial yeast for its rise. This method produces a bread with a distinctively tangy flavor and a tender, moist crumb that is unlike any other homemade bread. The process involves creating a starter from cornmeal, water, and salt, which is then incubated to encourage bacterial fermentation. This rustic bread is perfect for hearty breakfasts, pairing with soups and stews, or simply enjoying warm with butter. While it requires patience and a warm environment to ferment properly, the result is a deeply satisfying, artisanal loaf that showcases the beauty of traditional baking methods.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat 1/2 pint of water to 130&# 194;°F.
  2. Stir 2 tablespoons of cornmeal into the hot water until dissolved.
  3. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix thoroughly.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a jar or crock, cover, and place it in a pan of water maintained at 160ðF.
  5. Keep the starter in a warm place overnight to ferment.
  6. Warm 1 quart of milk.
  7. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the warm milk.
  8. Mix in enough warm flour to create a heavy batter consistency.
  9. Gradually add the fermented overnight cornmeal mixture to the milk batter and beat well for a few moments.
  10. Cover the mixture and keep it in a warm place for about 2 hours to rise.
  11. Gradually add more flour and beat the mixture until it forms a very soft dough.
  12. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until it is elastic and smooth.
  13. Divide the dough equally into four portions.
  14. Mold each portion into a loaf and place into greased bread pans.
  15. Cover the loaves with a clean cloth and let them rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
  16. Bake in a 350ðF (177ðC) oven for 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1854.5kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7.3g12%
Saturated Fat 2.7g14%
Cholesterol 4.8mg2%
Sodium 7419.2mg310%
Total Carbohydrate 378.2g127%
Dietary Fiber 13.1g53%
Sugars 13.7g
Protein 56.4g113%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Salt-rising bread relies on specific bacteria (Clostridium) for leavening, not yeast. The success of the bread depends heavily on maintaining a consistent warm temperature during fermentation.

Ensure the water for the cornmeal starter is exactly 130ðF; water that is too hot will kill the bacteria, while water that is too cool may not activate them.

The overnight fermentation step is crucial. If the starter does not develop a pleasant, slightly tangy smell, it may not have fermented properly.

Use all-purpose flour for best results, but bread flour can be substituted for a chewier texture.

Keep the rising environment draft-free and consistently warm (around 85-90ðF) for the best rise.

Keywords: bread, homemade, salt-rising, no-yeast, fermented, cornmeal, starter, rustic, traditional, leavened, artisan, flour, milk, baking, loaf, vegetarian, comfort-food, whole-grain, scratch
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