Rustic German Farmer’s Bread
Made with Baking Soda
A Little Background
If you look at the food traditions of Ireland and Germany, you start to notice they have quite a bit in common. Both sit in the cooler northern part of Europe where wheat hasn’t always been the easiest grain to grow. Rye, however, grows happily in poorer soils and rougher climates, so both cultures learned to rely on it for their everyday breads.
Germans are famous for their hearty rye loaves like Roggenbrot and Bauernbrot, while Irish farmhouse breads were often darker and sturdier than people expect today.
This little loaf brings those traditions together. The rye flour gives it that old-world farmer’s bread flavor, while the quick rise comes from baking soda and baking powder—leavening methods that became popular in the 1800’s as chemists in Germany and across Europe began producing these ingredients for home kitchens.
It’s a simple bread, the kind a farmer might mix up quickly, but it carries a bit of shared history from both sides of the North Sea.
Prep
Step 1
Gather the ingredients for the Soda Bread
Step 2
Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well
until you have a nice dough that is not sticky
Step 3
Mix the flours in a bowl together and make a well in the center.
Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well until you have a nice dough that is not sticky.
If it is still too moist add a table spoon or 2 of white flour.
form into a nice ball. Do not over knead it, just enough to come together.
Step 4
Lightly oil a Dutch oven and or large Soup pot and place dough in the center.
If you want you can lightly oil the top or brush it with beaten egg and sprinkle caraway seeds,
flaky salt or both.
Step 5
Cut an x or some lines in the top with a wet or floured sharp knife.
Poke about 10 holes in it with a skewer.
Step 6
Bake for 1 hour.
It is done when the bottom is crusty,
about 200-210 degrees internal temp.
Step 7
Turn out of the pot and cool on rack.
Wait a good 45 min to an hour before you cut into it.
Rustic German Farmer’s Bread Made with Baking Soda
Equipment
- 1 gallon soup pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup White Flour
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup Rye Flour
- 1 and 1/2 cup Buttermilk*
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 / 4 cup Molasses
- 1 tablespoon Caraway Seeds optional
- *You can substitute 1 / 2 cup yogurt and 1 cup milk for the buttermilk
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix the flours in a bowl together and make a well in the center.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well until you have a nice dough that is not sticky.
- If it is still too moist add a table spoon or 2 of white flour. form into a nice ball. Do not over knead it, just enough to come together.
- Lightly oil a Dutch oven and or large Soup pot and place dough in the center.
- If you want you can lightly oil the top or brush it with beaten egg and sprinkle caraway seeds,
- flaky salt or both.
- Cut an x or some lines in the top with a wet or floured sharp knife.
- Poke about 10 holes in it with a skewer.
- Bake for 1 hour.
- It is done when the bottom is crusty.
- Turn out of dish and cool on rack.
- Wait a good 45 min to an hour before you cut into it.
Final Thoughts
This dish has endless creative ways it can be prepared.
I would love to see what you come up with.
Please let me know.
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