Boston Brown Bread Recipe? (Portland, Eastport: move, cottage, rated)

[Moxie]

I was reminising about my Eastport great grandmother making Boston Brown Bread but I don't have her recipe. I looked on the web but there were so many. Does anyone have a authentic recipe they love?
thanks

[mollysmiles]

2/3 c. sifted flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour or corn meal
1 egg
2/3 c. molasses
2/3 c. evaporated milk and
1/3 c. water and
2 t. vinegar, mixed

sift white flour with sugar, soda, and salt. Add whole wheat flour. In separate bowl, beat egg, add molasses. Create milk mixture, and add to egg and molasses. Stir this mix into dry ingredients. Pour into grease loaf pan. Bake in slow oven (300-325) until firm, about 1 hour.

(when you pour this into the loaf pan it's quite soupy, but have faith, it will bake up! this recipe is delicious! I got it from one of my best friend's grandmother--a fellow Eastporter! )

[Eastport4me]

Mary,

Can't wait to try this recipe...sounds yummy!! We are suppose to get some cooler weather this weekend in North Florida. My 28 year old son has asked for Chili...but I was thinking of Irish Stew to go with the bread. Thanks for the recipe, I look forward to the baking.

I don't know how I did this...think I had two threads open at the same time...the attachments were for Moughie...sorry guys...pictures of the inside of the cottage in Eastport.

[Moxie]

Look forward to some cooler weather down here in North Carolina. We had an 81 degree record breaking day and the fall leaves are still falling. Saw a woman getting leaves out of the gutter in a tank top and shorts. It feels really weird to have all the Christmas lights and tree. We are supossed to have cold and rain Saturday and I look forward to making the brown bread with the boys all cozy inside!

[Unhappycamper]

This is the Massachussettes thread, right?

[dmyankee]

B & M is a major employer in Portland!

[msina]

The Brown Bread I remember was steamed. My mum went on a bit of a kick making Brown Bread and Pumpkin Bread when those can openers that take the lids off cans without leaving a sharp edge first came out. Unsing that type of canopener allows you to set the lids back on the top. When my kids were small we made the Pumpkin Bread in the fall. We would wrap the cans in gift wrap and they would give it as gifts at Thanksgiving to Their teachers and relatives. I can't find the recipe we had, but this is probably the same.

1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. med. rye flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. raisins (opt.)
2 c. buttermilk, room temp.
3/4 c. molasses

Generously grease 2 (1 pound) coffee cans or 3 (1 lb.) vegetable or fruit cans; set aside. In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Add raisins, if desired. Toss to separate and coat with flour mixture.
In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk and molasses. Stir into flour mixture only until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn into prepared cans, filling evenly. Cover cans tightly with 2 layers of foil; tie with string. Place a rack in a large kettle. Place cans on rack. Place kettle over low heat. Add boiling water until halfway up cans. Cover; bring water to a gentle boil. Steam bread 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Add more boiling water during steaming, if necessary. Carefully remove bread from cans. Cool on racks at least 30 minutes before slicing. Makes 2 or 3 small loaves.

[moughie]

msina,
I am intrigued by your recipe!!

However, I am stumped by the following:

"Place a rack in a large kettle. Place cans on rack. Place kettle over low heat. Add boiling water until halfway up cans."

What is meant by a kettle? Do I place it in the oven or on the stovetop?
Thanks in advance for the clarification.

[Bydand]

Both of these sounds real close to how my DW's family makes their versions of Brown Bread. They came from outside of the Boston area, and can make some killer Bread, beans, and Boston cream pies. I really like going for a visit. The DW tries, but... let's leave it at that, OK.

[mollysmiles]

lol.......