Irish Brown Bread

Irish brown bread is bread made with whole meal and all-purpose flour.  It is a wholesome, rustic loaf and is one of the best recipes to serve on St. Patrick’s Day or with homemade stews or soups. Because minimal kneading is required, it is easy to make and perfect for new bread makers just like this Irish Soda Bread Recipe.  This no-yeast bread tastes so good, you will wonder why you never made it sooner!

In this blog post, you will learn how to make Irish brown bread.

How to Make Irish Brown Bread

First, preheat your oven and grease a loaf pan to make Irish brown bread.

Next, whisk together the whole-meal flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly begin to pour in the buttermilk mixing as you go.  Once the buttermilk is mixed with the dry ingredients, pour the dough out onto a floured surface.  Knead the bread a few times, not for long, and gently shape the bread dough into the shape of the loaf pan.

If the dough is getting sticky on your hands, lightly sprinkle flour over the dough and rub some flour onto your hands.

Place the brown bread dough into your greased loaf pan and cut a line down the centre of the loaf with a sharp knife.  This will allow the bread loaf to bake evenly.  Then place it onto the bottom rack in your oven.

Bake for 45 minutes.  If you are unsure if the bread is finished baking, you can remove it from the loaf pan and knock on the bottom of the loaf.  If it sounds hollow, then it is finished baking.

Lastly, let cool on a wire rack, cut, and enjoy!

Storage

Make sure that the loaf of bread has completely cooled before storing to prevent condensation build-up which will make the bread soggy in its container.

Irish brown bread can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  Make sure that it is wrapped in plastic wrap or placed into an airtight sealed container to preserve its freshness.

Brown bread can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Ensure that the loaf is wrapped well in plastic wrap and placed into an airtight freezer-safe container.

To thaw, remove the bread from the freezer and let sit at room temperature or heat in the oven.

Ingredients

Whole Meal Flour:  whole meal flour is the cornerstone of this Irish brown bread recipe.  Also, it has a hearty and nutty flavour with a dense and wholesome texture which adds fibre and nutrients.

All-Purpose Flour:  all-purpose flour balances out the whole meal flour as well as providing a lighter structure and softer crumb for the bread loaf.

Granulated Sugar:  granulated sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the bread.

Baking Powder:  baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the bread rise.

Baking Soda:  baking soda gives additional leavening and works with the buttermilk acidity.

Salt:  salt enhances the overall flavour of the bread.

Buttermilk:  buttermilk provides a rich and tangy flavour and adds moisture to this recipe.  Buttermilk mixes with the baking soda and causes the bread to rise.  I would not recommend using plain milk in this recipe only buttermilk.

Tips

• If the bread dough is getting to sticky to work with, lightly sprinkle some all-purpose flour onto the dough and rub some onto your hands.
• Before freezing, cut the bread into individual slices and wrap separately so that you can remove the exact amount of bread that you want to use at one time.

Irish Brown Bread

This Irish brown bread recipe is easy to make and a great bread recipe.  Its minimal sugar content allows the natural flavours of the grains to shine, making it a versatile bread that pairs beautifully with butter, jam, or savoury soups and stews. Simple yet satisfying, Irish brown bread is a staple of traditional Irish cuisine.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 46 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Irish

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

• 3 c. whole meal flour
• 2 c. all-purpose/plain flour
• 3 tbsp. sugar granulated
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6. Grease a loaf pan with either butter or non-stick spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk the whole meal flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
• Slowly pour in the buttermilk, mixing as you go. Once the buttermilk is mixed in, pour out the dough onto a floured surface and gently shape it into a loaf pan shape. You can gently knead it here but kneading is not necessary really. If the batter is becoming too sticky, sprinkle a scant amount of all-purpose flour on top of the loaf.
• Place the loaf into a greased loaf pan and cut a line down the centre of the bread loaf with a sharp knife. Then bake for 45 minutes on the lowest shelf of the oven. To test if the bread is done, remove it from the pan and knock on the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, then it is finished baking.
• Let cool on a wire rack then cut and serve!

Notes

Nutritional Information                                                                               Servings 10

Calories 293                           Carbs 67g                   Protein 7g                  Fat 7g

Nutritional Information is automatically calculated and should only be used as a guide.

Keyword Brown Bread, Irish Bread, Irish Brown Bread

In this blog post, you learned how to make Irish brown bread.

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