Modern Boston Brown Bread

Name: Modern Boston Brown Bread
Ingredients: 1 cup Rye meal; 1 cup Granulated corn meal; 1 cup Graham flour; 0.75 tablespoon Baking soda; 1 teaspoon Salt; 0.75 cup Molasses; 2 cups Sour milk (Or 1 3/4 cups sweet milk or water); 1.5 cups Stale bread (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 3.25 cups Cold water (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 0.75 cup Molasses (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 1.5 teaspoons Salt (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 1.5 cups Rye meal (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 1.5 cups Granulated corn meal (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 1.5 cups Graham flour (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation); 3 teaspoons Baking soda (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)

A modernized version of classic Boston Brown Bread, steamed for a moist and flavorful loaf. This recipe provides two variations: one using sour milk and another using stale bread.

Ingredients

1 cup Rye meal
1 cup Granulated corn meal
1 cup Graham flour
0.75 tablespoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Salt
0.75 cup Molasses
2 cups Sour milk (Or 1 3/4 cups sweet milk or water)
1.5 cups Stale bread (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
3.25 cups Cold water (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
0.75 cup Molasses (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
1.5 teaspoons Salt (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
1.5 cups Rye meal (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
1.5 cups Granulated corn meal (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
1.5 cups Graham flour (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)
3 teaspoons Baking soda (optional) (For New England Brown Bread variation)

Instructions

1In a large bowl, mix together the rye meal, corn meal, graham flour, baking soda, and salt.
2Add the molasses and sour milk (or sweet milk/water) to the dry ingredients. Stir until well mixed.
3Butter a 1-quart mold or several smaller molds (such as baking powder cans). The mold should never be filled more than two-thirds full.
4Pour the batter into the prepared mold, filling it no more than two-thirds full. Butter the cover of the mold and tie it down with string to prevent it from being forced off during steaming.
5Place the mold on a trivet in a large pot. Add boiling water to the pot, allowing the water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover the pot tightly and steam for 3 1/2 hours, adding more boiling water as needed to maintain the water level.
6Remove the mold from the pot and let the bread cool slightly before slicing and serving.
7Soak bread in 2 cups of cold water overnight.
8In the morning, rub the soaked bread through a colander. Add molasses, dry ingredients (rye meal, corn meal, graham flour, baking soda, and salt) mixed and sifted, and the remaining water. Stir until well mixed.
9Fill buttered one-pound baking-powder boxes two-thirds full.
10Cover and steam for 2 hours.