Grinding my own Wheat......process/soak question

[Dace]

Ok I know that many of you grind your own...and I am FINALLY going to attempt it. Not sure if the grinder I have will work, but it is worth trying.

So I have soaked my wheat berries for 24 hours....then I will dehydrate in a warm oven.
Then I grind.....then I soak again? or is that necessary if I have already soaked?

 

[dacjohns]

I'm not sure what you are grinding wheat for.

I have a stone grinder and the wheat has to be dry, I don't do any soaking unless I'm going to do sprouts, which I haven't done in years.

Once you grind you have flour unless you are doing a real coarse grind then you have cracked wheat which is good for cereal.

It seems counterproductive to soak the wheat just to dry it again.

 

[Dace]

The reason to soak the wheat is to remove phytates, which are irritating to some. It also increases the vitamin and mineral availability.

My little one and Hubby have digestion issues, so I am trying to make more digestible bread for them.

 

[dacjohns]

I'm not informed on phytates but after doing a real quick read you might not need to be soaking. Other things like cooking and yeast might do the job for you.

http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C212360.html

 

[Dace]

Thanks Dac....that was interesting

 

[Javamama]

My impression is that you soak the berries to sprout them. Then you can dry, grind and use as flour. A second soaking isn't necessary. If you want to soak to remove phytates, then just grind into flour and soak. That's what I do if I think about it the night before.
There is no way I'm putting all the time needed into making sprouted flour. It takes too much advance planning and I'm not into meal planning. I like to cook as the mood hits me.

 

[freemotion]

Javamamma is right, you get a little 1/8 inch sprout, then dry it, then grind it for the utmost in digestibility and nutrients. You can do the soak for phytates as part of the rising process, as in the Artisan bread recipe or a 24 hour rise sourdough recipe, without presoaking the whole wheat berries.

Make sense?

 

[Dace]

ok, so I messed up

I soaked the berries and now have them drying in the oven.

I started two jars for sprouting some of the berries and will make some sprouted bread. Here is the recipe I am going to use.

Sprouted Wheat Bread Recipe
Makes: three 8-by-4-inch loaves

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 packages) active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of ginger
2 cups whole wheat flour (I'm using freshly milled red spring wheat)
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115)
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sprouted wheat berries, chopped
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour
Wheat germ, for sprinkling
Melted butter, for brushing

http://breadmakingblog.breadexperience.com/2009/02/sprouted-wheat-bread.html

I don't want to use dried milk....what can I replace that with. Why is it even in there??

 

[freemotion]

Just skip it and use lukewarm milk instead....Bread is a great place to use up skim milk for those who have fresh raw milk and like to skim cream for other uses. Whole milk would be great, too. Looks like a great recipe!

You could sprout more berries and grind enough into flour (after drying) to replace the bread flour, I would think.