- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
Salt Rising Bread is white bread that was made by early settlers in the Appalachian Mountains areas. It is bread that uses no yeast. Yeast was not available commercially until the 1860s. Early pioneer women figured a way to make this bread without any rising agent. The tradition of making Salt Rising Bread is kept going by a relatively few individuals and bakeries in the mid eastern United States. It is popular in some parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Western Pa.
My Granny (from Kentucky) made the best salt rising bread. I remember smelling it as she prepared it and then baked it. We could make a lunch off her bread with butter on top. It was delicious.
Here is an old Kentucky recipe for making this bread.
Sponge: 1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2nd Sponge: 1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
2 cups sifted flour
Dough: 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
Scald milk, then cool to lukewarm; add cornmeal, salt, and sugar. Pour into bowl. Cover and place in warm place. Let stand 6 to 7 hours, or until signs of fermentation (gas bubbles) appear. Then add ingredients of 2nd Sponge. Beat thoroughly and again cover and place in pan of hot water (120 degrees). Let rise until very light; then add remaining flour gradually, until dough is stiff enough to be kneaded.. Knead 15 to 20 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in greased pans. Brush tops with melted shortening. Cover and let stand until more than doubled in size. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) 10 minutes; then lower heat to 350 degrees, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
My Granny (from Kentucky) made the best salt rising bread. I remember smelling it as she prepared it and then baked it. We could make a lunch off her bread with butter on top. It was delicious.
Here is an old Kentucky recipe for making this bread.
Sponge: 1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2nd Sponge: 1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
2 cups sifted flour
Dough: 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
Scald milk, then cool to lukewarm; add cornmeal, salt, and sugar. Pour into bowl. Cover and place in warm place. Let stand 6 to 7 hours, or until signs of fermentation (gas bubbles) appear. Then add ingredients of 2nd Sponge. Beat thoroughly and again cover and place in pan of hot water (120 degrees). Let rise until very light; then add remaining flour gradually, until dough is stiff enough to be kneaded.. Knead 15 to 20 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in greased pans. Brush tops with melted shortening. Cover and let stand until more than doubled in size. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) 10 minutes; then lower heat to 350 degrees, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.