I am pretty clear on the use of flour from the mill, but am curious about how long do I need to age grains that I mill at home? I have seen opinions where it needs to rest from several days to several weeks.
I use the flour right away. I used to age the flour, thinking the results would be better, but now it goes straight into the mix once it is ground. The bread bakes well and you get the most nutrition possible.
If you notice that your ground flour is getting too hot, you can place it into the freezer to get it cold and then grind. I often keep a small supply of various grains in the freezer for later use.
The whole reason I grind my own wheat is so I can get the benefits of fresh wheat germ oil. I've read that wheat germ oil goes rancid in about 3-4 days after milling the wheat. (which I believe is one of the big reasons the germ is removed from commercial flour that needs to keep for months on the shelf)
So I grind just enough wheat that I need for a recipe and start mixing my dough immediately (or within a day or two if I ground too much)
If I'm making something that I want a finer/softer texture, then I'll screen out the bran and germ and use the fine flour in the bake. And I simply eat the bran and germ by spooning it directly into my mouth and chasing it with a glass of water - so I still get the health benefits that way and the silky texture in the baked product (just for certain breads or pasta where I want it silky)
Using the bran and germ bits to feed a levain is what I've been doing all along. My previous post here was regarding when I make something special (i.e. Ravioli) that needs to be silky fine, then I eat the germ and bran so it isn't wasted.
It's not as much of a choking it down as you might think - I happen to like the taste of it and I think it's really good for you to have a tablespoon or two with a glass of water anyway. :)
I enjoy a lot of things that others don't (and don't like some things that everyone loves - like sugar). I mix up my own very hot mustard. I like very hot peppers. I will cut a thick slice of raw onion, grate some fresh pepper and salt on it and have it on a slice of warm wheat bread (with a nice beer of course --- I read somewhere that bread, onions and beer was the standard Egyptian diet back in the day).
My father ground wheat and baked bread so I've been eating 100% whole wheat bread all my life - also I'm grinding hard white (Wheat Montana Prairie Gold) so it has a lot less tannin than Hard Red.
I use the flour right away. I used to age the flour, thinking the results would be better, but now it goes straight into the mix once it is ground. The bread bakes well and you get the most nutrition possible.
If you notice that your ground flour is getting too hot, you can place it into the freezer to get it cold and then grind. I often keep a small supply of various grains in the freezer for later use.
Dan
When your water is wet.
Take a look at dabrownman’s idea. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/394458#comment-394458
That man is a bread genius.
Maybe you don’t have to choke down dry bran and chug-a-lug water to wash it down. ;-)
Dan
Using the bran and germ bits to feed a levain is what I've been doing all along. My previous post here was regarding when I make something special (i.e. Ravioli) that needs to be silky fine, then I eat the germ and bran so it isn't wasted.
It's not as much of a choking it down as you might think - I happen to like the taste of it and I think it's really good for you to have a tablespoon or two with a glass of water anyway. :)
I’ll have to give it a try.
I have been known to eat raw garlic for health benefit. I actually had to chase it with Tobasco sauce to get it down.
Dan
I enjoy a lot of things that others don't (and don't like some things that everyone loves - like sugar). I mix up my own very hot mustard. I like very hot peppers. I will cut a thick slice of raw onion, grate some fresh pepper and salt on it and have it on a slice of warm wheat bread (with a nice beer of course --- I read somewhere that bread, onions and beer was the standard Egyptian diet back in the day).
My father ground wheat and baked bread so I've been eating 100% whole wheat bread all my life - also I'm grinding hard white (Wheat Montana Prairie Gold) so it has a lot less tannin than Hard Red.