Beer Forum

spiderwrangler wrote:have you read the book? I haven't, just wondering what you thought.

Yes bought it a few months ago.

I will be trying some hopefully this winter after I get an appropriate baking vessel (Le Crueset, Lodge, or something similar)

With this no-knead recipe, I had two quick questions:

1) The Cup of Grain added, would that be substituting flour (add 1 Cup grain, remover 1 cup flour)?

2) Once on the final stage before adding to the over, can these be frozen? Maybe then I could make a few batches and freeze them and just pull out in the morning and thaw all day baking before dinner?

maul - I've got a Le Crueset, it's awesome.

drinker - the grains I add I don't swap out flour (by the way, I prefer BREAD flour) since my grains are wet when I add them. Plus, you're just going to be adding in enough water to get it to the right consistency, so the flour doesn't really need to be adjusted. For the size crock I have, I do a double batch, and I'm using weights for all of my things. I've done lots of loaves with all sorts of other things added into it, various grains, and flours, seeds, dried fruits, garlic, herbs, beer, wine, etc, etc. Once you have the basic recipe and technique down, you can pretty much try adding anything you want to it.

If you want to freeze, do it after baking, otherwise I think you'd knock your yeast down to the point that it won't do anything. I do all my raises in large food prep (6 qt) tubs. Since it's such a long rise, it's the closest to fermentation of any other breads I've made.

spiderwrangler wrote:maul - I've got a Le Crueset, it's awesome.

drinker - the grains I add I don't swap out flour (by the way, I prefer BREAD flour) since my grains are wet when I add them. Plus, you're just going to be adding in enough water to get it to the right consistency, so the flour doesn't really need to be adjusted. For the size crock I have, I do a double batch, and I'm using weights for all of my things. I've done lots of loaves with all sorts of other things added into it, various grains, and flours, seeds, dried fruits, garlic, herbs, beer, wine, etc, etc. Once you have the basic recipe and technique down, you can pretty much try adding anything you want to it.

If you want to freeze, do it after baking, otherwise I think you'd knock your yeast down to the point that it won't do anything. I do all my raises in large food prep (6 qt) tubs. Since it's such a long rise, it's the closest to fermentation of any other breads I've made.

What % hydration are you using for this recipe? The original recipe seems to be 98%, if they're using 4.25 oz cups.

Also, I think beerdrinker could probably get away with freezing the dough after step 1 / bulk fermentation in the recipe. Portion, freeze and later thaw in the fridge overnight. Thawing on the counter for a few hours might work too. Like in this recipe, page 4, step 10. It's a cheap experiment, at any rate.

I don't go for any particular hydration percent... I've made enough of these that I just go by feel. It should be moist enough that it can be easily incorporated with a large spoon, but not so we that it's goopy.

I haven't tried freezing any of these, I just make it as I need it. If I had a larger apt and more storage space, I might try making a larger mother to portion off of.

To go a totally different direction...

I have yet to do my first all grain batch, but I am sure my chickens will turn the spent grains into eggs for me.

Bruce g

I know that our composting worms love them!