Irish brown bread is a wheaten soda bread made with whole wheat flour.
Unlike Boston brown bread which is steamed in a can, Irish brown bread was cooked in an iron bastible over an open fire in years gone by.
Table of Contents
Wholewheat Irish Soda Bread
Any tourist planning a trip to Ireland definitely needs to know about "brown bread." The choice of bread in Irish restaurants is usually "white" or "brown". Seldom is the term "whole wheat" used.
Traditionally, brown bread refers to a dense, hearty, and nutty-tasting, whole wheat version of Irish soda bread.
Anyway you slice it, brown bread is perfect for slathering with butter, and marmalade or jam. It is the perfect partner for a hearty stew, a rustic soup, and a good Irish Breakfast, which we will explore on another day.
It is used to make sandwiches in Ireland, even if they are the strangest boat shaped sandwiches ever seen. If you prefer a more traditional sandwich with a sliced wheat bread, you will need to ask for a sandwich made from "brown sliced pan."
This is the bread of my childhood. I grew up on the stuff. Back in the 60's and 70's we didn't realize what a healthy bread we were eating. We didn't care. All I knew was that I loved this bread, and still do to this very day.
Baking Irish Brown Bread in America
Replicating the brown bread of my childhood, posed a challenge for me in America. One option available, is to order pre-packaged, brown bread, baking mixes by mail, but this is a really, expensive solution.
I discovered once again, the greatest challenge faced by the Irish cook in America, is the flour. Odlums Extra Coarse Stone Ground Wholemeal flour is the Irish choice. If you are lucky to live in New York or New Jersey some supermarkets stock it. If, like me, you live in Kentucky, there aren't too many customers looking for authentic Irish flour.
American whole wheat flour is ground far finer, than its Irish counterpart. It does not produce a distinctive, large-crumb, brown bread.
My solution is to mimic the coarse grind of Irish flour by adding wheat germ, wheat bran and milled flaxseed. My mother, and grand-mothers before her, may rightly say my bread is not an authentic, traditional version, but the end product is good enough for me. My ancestors definitely never heard of "greek yogurt".
So, let me share my recipe with you. If you are planning a trip to Ireland, it is not obligatory that you actually bake a loaf. Reading this post, and familiarizing yourself with the concept of brown bread is well advised, however.
Here's a quick video tutorial to watch to show how easy it is to make this bread...
Ingredients for Irish Brown Bread
Here you’ll find a quick list of what you’ll need for this recipe. Check out the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for US and Metric equivalent versions of the recipe. There you can choose the measurement system that works best for you.
- whole wheat flour
- whole wheat pastry flour (white cake flour may be substituted for a slightly less dense bread)
- wheat germ
- ground flax seed
- wheat bran
- baking soda
- salt
- brown sugar (honey can be substituted.)
- buttermilk
- Greek yogurt
- butter
- egg
- egg white (optional - to brush top of loaf)
- oatmeal (optional - used to sprinkle top of loaf before baking)
Note: This version of brown bread is very dense and fiber rich. If you prefer a lighter version, substitute white cake flour for some of the whole wheat flour. (For a much lighter brown bread use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 2 cups of cake flour, instead of 2 cups of whole wheat and 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour .)
Directions for Baking Irish Brown Bread from Scratch
Here are my step-by-step photo instructions for baking this delicious Irish bread.
Choose a Baking Pan or Tray
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a 10-inch round baking pan. (Thinking of Irish brown bread caused my brain to revert to Irish terms. I had to ask myself over and over again: "What is a baking tin in America?" I finally remembered the word pan.)
Note: You can use a 9-inch round or an 8-inch round pan if you prefer a thicker sliced bread. The baking time has to be increased to allow the loaf to cook through. I prefer a flatter loaf, since I find it easier to ensure it is fully baked without a hard, burnt crust.
Traditionally this bread was cooked in a bastible over the open fire. Other Irish cooks bake it from a round mound of dough on a flat baking tray, and allow the bread develop its own shape as it bakes.
Since this recipe is made using American ingredients, the dough I create is a little wetter than I would make using Irish ingredients. This is to ensure a nice, moist loaf. I recommend baking the bread in a baking tin, since the dough is to wet for free form baking.
Make the Yeast Free Dough
Add the whole wheat flour to a large mixing bowl.
Sift the whole wheat pastry flour and baking soda into the bowl.
Add the salt.
Add the wheat germ, wheat bran and ground flaxseed.
Add the brown sugar and mix well together.
Measure the buttermilk. I buy powdered buttermilk and mix the amount I need whenever I bake.
I find when I buy buttermilk, I usually only use half the carton and end up throwing the rest out.
Add the yogurt, egg and melted butter to the buttermilk mixture.
Whisk them all together.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Mix together until the flour is uniformly wet. This is a fairly "wet" dough.
Most brown, soda bread recipes form a drier dough, that is kneaded gently until the dough forms a smooth ball.
This mixture is a little too wet for kneading.
Oven Baking Brown Bread
I turn out the dough straight into the baking tin (oops, I mean pan).
Now it is time to "pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake". Pat the dough down into the pan using floured hands or the back of a large floured spoon.
I over floured my hands, so the top of my loaf has a rustic, floury look.
Score the top of the loaf with a serrated knife.
Mark the top of the bread with a cross. This will help to create cutting lines for dividing the loaf into quarters or farls, once the bread is baked.
Old Irish traditions give many reasons for this step. My granny would tell us it was to let the fairies out. Others say it is to mark it with the sign of the cross.
Sprinkle the top of the loaf with dry oatmeal if desired. I over-floured my hands for the "pat-a-cake" step, so the oats did not stick too well. To help them stick, you can brush the top of the loaf with a beaten egg white, before sprinkling with oats.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes. The bread is baked when it is tapped underneath and has a hollow sound.
When the bread is cooked, remove it from the tin and swaddle it in a clean dish towel or two.
This helps trap the steam from the cooling bread, and prevents the crust from getting too hard. Cool the loaf on a wire tray.
Once cooled, the bread is ready to slice and enjoy.
I love this bread fresh from the oven with lots of melting butter slathered on it.
The texture is just like the brown bread of my childhood.
Slice up this delicious, complex, nutty-flavored bread. Don't forget the butter!
Happy Baking!
Recipe Card for Irish Brown Bread
Here is the recipe in printable format.
Irish Brown Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour white cake flour may be substituted for a slightly less dense bread
- ½ cup wheat germ
- ½ cup ground flax seed
- ½ cup wheat bran
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar add a few more teaspoons if you like a sweeter bread - honey can be substituted.
- 1¾ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium egg
- 1 medium egg white used to brush top of unbaked loaf
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal used to sprinkle on top of loaf before baking
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10 inch round baking pan.
- Add the whole wheat flour to a large mixing bowl. Sift the whole wheat pastry flour or white bread flour, together with the baking soda into the mixing bowl.
- Add the wheat germ, flaxseed, wheat bran, salt and brown sugar. Mix all of the dry ingredients well with a whisk.
- Melt the butter in a glass pitcher in the microwave (about 20 seconds on high power). Mix the buttermilk, yogurt, melted butter and egg together in a separate bowl or pitcher.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well together.
- The mixture will be a little "wet". Transfer to the prepared pan. Press lightly down into the pan with floured hands or the back of a spoon.
- Score the top of the bread with a cross, marking the loaf into four quarters. Brush the top with beaten egg white and sprinkle with dry oatmeal if desired.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The bread is baked when tapped underneath and it has a hollow sound.
- Wrap in a clean dish towel and allow to cool on a wire tray.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Now you may prefer to use a pre-mixed baking mix for brown bread which is available online in the United States from Food Ireland.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Other recipes you might enjoy...
joan schwegman
Just made your brown bread and think it tastes "just like being there". I've tried several recipes for Irish brown bread over the years but have never able to get the texture nor taste just right. You hit the high mark. Thanks for sharing!
Irish American Mom
I am so happy you liked this brown bread. It has taken many years of trial and error to come up with this balance of dry ingredients, to mimic Irish whole wheat flour. I am finally happy with my American version of Irish brown bread. My four year old little boy can't get enough of it. Once he thinks a loaf is running low, he asks me if I plan to bake "more bread today, please." Thanks for visiting my site and commenting. I really appreciate your kind words.
Nettie Scott
FoodIreland.com and King Arthur Flour Company both sell Irish style coarse whole meal flour. FoodIreland sells Odlums at an extremely good price and shipping is reasonable. They also carry authentic treacle. King Arthur's flour is more expensive, but also quite good.. I use coarse whole meal flour as a major component of pretty much all baking of cookies, scones, turnovers, crackers, biscuits, etc. One trip to explore my Irish roots and I was hooked on soda bread style cooking. I even incorporate rolled oats and cornmeal with whole meal flour for my creations. Why bother with yeast breads when these feel so much healthier?
Irish American Mom
Nettie - Thanks so much for letting us know where to get coarse whole meal flour inexpensively. It sounds like you are a true convert to the bread of my Irish childhood. I also like to avoid too much yeast bread, so just like you, I find soda bread is the perfect answer.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Marty
Also, if you are an amazon prime member, you can get the Odlum flour the next day without shipping! (I'm working to replicate the delicious bread that I found in Ireland---so if I use Odlum extra coarse it sound like I can omit the bran, flaxseed, etc??)
Jen
Hi! I was wondering... if I were to purchase Odlums Extra Coarse Stone Ground Wholemeal flour via the internet, how would I modify your recipe? Or is it not even worth it? I'd love your thoughts, and I am looking forward to recreating the delicious brown bread I recently had in Dublin!
Many thanks!
Irish American Mom
Jen - You could make the bread just using the Odlums Extra Coarse Stone Ground Wholemeal flour instead of the whole wheat flour in my recipe, but be prepared for a very coarse, healthy bread. "Good for the constitution" is how it might be described in Ireland.
Another option might be to omit the flaxseed and wheat bran and just substitute an additional cup of Odlums wholemeal flour for a total of 3 cups. If your dough is very dry just add a little extra buttermilk.
This is my best guess solution. I have not used Odlums flour since I lived in New York where it was easy to get. Let me know how it works out, because I always debate whether the expense of ordering Odlums flour might be worthwhile.
Happy Baking!
Mairead
Anne Tierney
I saw this and thought of you and this recipe.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2012/02/24/irish-buttermilk-brown-bread-whole-wheat-and-lovin-it/
Have you seen or tried this yet, and does it taste anything like real Irish Wheat Flour?
I really Love your blog and will be trying some of these recipes in the very near future.
~Anne [ an Irish girl at heart as well as by distant bloodlines]
Irish American Mom
Anne - Thanks so much for letting me know about this whole wheat flour by King Arthur. I didn't know it existed, so I'll have to give it a try. I took a look at the picture of it on their website and it did not look as coarse as the Irish kind, but pictures can be deceiving. I might order some today to check it out.
I am so happy to hear that you enjoy my blog. It is so nice to hear positive feedback and know that I am not just rambling away to myself. Come back and visit whenever you get a spare moment. I have oodles more recipes to share, but since the weather is getting warm so early this year, I'll soon switch gears to some lighter summer fare.
Have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.
Mairead
Jane Rix
This is a great recipe. I'll be making this a lot in the future 🙂
Irish American Mom
Jane - It's a pretty healthy bread too with lots of fiber. I make it at least once a week.
Mairead
Monica O'Sullivan
Thanks so much Mairead for this awesome recipe. I still miss the brown bread from home and I agree this is the closest I have come to tasting it here. It was a great hit at our St Patrick's Day party.
Monica
Saskatoon. SK
Canada
Irish American Mom
Monica - I am delighted to hear my brown bread recipe was a success at your party. Hope you had a lovely time. Best wishes!
- Mairead
David
Wow, just read your brown bread article. Powdered buttermilk, I never thought of that. And I have the same problem as you about using half the carton of regular buttermilk. I buy my Odlum's from a website in Texas, but they may not have the Extra Coarse, and it's expensive. I just came back from Eire with a package of it in the suitcase. I use the spring pan approach too with Pam spray. Going to try your recipe with Odlum's Extra Coarse. Thank you!
Irish American Mom
David - If you use the Odlum's Extra Coarse flour instead of American whole wheat flour you may not need all the wheat germ, flax and wheat bran that I use. They are my key ingredients to create a coarser bread when using American flour. You may want to use 2 and 1/2 cups of the Odlums, 1 cup white or whole wheat white and then 1/3 cup each of wheat germ, flax and wheat bran. You may have to do some trials to find the right balance to get a good texture. You may end up with a very wholesome, fiber-filled bread. Hope it turns out good and thanks for stopping by and commenting.
All the best!
Mairead
Debra
oh, I am so glad I found this! I ate it every day when I was on our trip! I had no idea that the flours were that different. I will definately give this a try 🙂
Irish American Mom
Debra - I hope you enjoy this bread, as much as I do. It's pretty close to the real thing. I had to come up with this recipe, because brown bread is the one thing I really missed when I came to live in America. Hope you had a wonderful trip to Ireland.
Best wishes,
Mairead
Marilyn Thompson
I cannot wait to try this recipe! I have one question...no shortening in the tin?
Thank you so much for all of your Irish recipes for me to try.
Irish American Mom
Marilyn - My mother always greased the inside of the tin with a butter wrapper. I now use the flour infused oil spray called "Bakers Joy". I find it works great to prevent the bread from sticking.
So glad you found my site and hope you enjoy all my recipes. I have many, many more to share, so come back and visit whenever you can.
Best wishes,
Mairead
Jennifer
Hi!
I will be preparing this for Thanksgiving this year. Can I make it in advance, or should I bake it the day of?
Thanks, and happy Thanksgiving!
Irish American Mom
A day in advance should be fine, especially if you don't cut it open until Thanksgiving Day. The crust is thick so the inside doesn't get dry if it is not sliced. Have a lovely Thanksgiving.
Mairead
Jennifer
Hi Mairead,
Thank you so much for the recipe! We had it on Thanksgiving (with Irish butter), and everyone said it tasted exactly like the bread we loved in Dublin! It was a hit!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Jennifer
Irish American Mom
So glad you liked this brown bread, and that it got the seal of approval from your family who actually tasted the real thing in Ireland.
We too had a lovely Thanksgiving. It was just hard for the kids to go back to school yesterday. They are really looking forward to their Christmas break.
Take care,
Mairéad
Mairead
Powdered buttermilk ! I had never even heard of this but I will have to look in the store today. I too find that i always end up throwing out part of the carton. Recently someone told me they freeze their buttermilk. I have not actually tried but I guess its a possibility. Growing up we always froze the cows milk for the calves.
BTW I am receiving " establishing a connection error" on a few of the pages. I'm not sure if that is my computer or the site.
Irish American Mom
Mairead - Powdered buttermilk is a life saver for me. I probably threw away gallons of spoiled buttermilk in the years before I discovered it. I now always have buttermilk on hand for bread and pancakes. I hope you can find it in a grocery store near you.
Thanks for alerting me about receiving "establishing a connection error” messages. The problem is on my end with the servers getting too many queries at the same time. I'm going to need to review my hosting plan this week, especially since my site will only get busier in the weeks coming up to St. Patrick's Day. I often wish I had a little more technical knowledge than I do, to help solve these problems. Fingers crossed I get to the bottom of it this week.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairead
Mary Anne
Does anyone know which stores in New Jersey carry Odlum's Odlums Extra Coarse Stone Ground Wholemeal flour?
Irish American Mom
Mary Anne - It is over twenty years since I lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, so I am afraid I am not familiar with the stores that might carry Odlums flour. Hopefully, a reader might see your comment and be able to help out.
All the best,
Mairéad
Mary Anne
Thanks for the reply. Hoping someone knows if I can buy it locally. I live in Union county but willing to travel aways to find some and stock up!
Karen
Do you ever come to NYC? The Butcher Block in Sunnyside, Queens--a stone's throw from Midtown Manhattan--has a very good selection of Odlums flours and mixes; I buy both the Extra Coarse and the Cream. Both freeze really well, so you could stock up if your freezer has room. Also, for those using Irish flour, there's a nice (and extremely easy) brown bread recipe @ http://www.sodabread.info . Pay attention to Mairéad's techniques!
Irish American Mom
It's a while since I've been to NYC, but I know The Butcher Block in Sunnyside - great selection of Irish foods.
Thanks for all these wonderful tips.
Have a lovely Christmas.
Mairéad
Danielle
Thank you so much for your site! My husband and i visited Dublin last year and we fell in love with the brown bread. I couldn't find the traditional flour to use when i got back to the states but i ordered the odlums brown bread mix online and it is delicious. I was scared at first because my dough was very sticky but looks like your pictures. It never dawned on me to flatten it in the pan. Again, thanks!
Irish American Mom
Danielle - I am so happy to hear you enjoyed your trip to Ireland last year. Our brown bread is pretty unique, and a hearty, wholesome treat. Glad my little tricks of the kitchen trade were helpful to you in figuring out how to handle this sticky dough.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and yours.
Mairead
Margaret
Thank you for posting. I made the brown bread and the Irish Stew today. The family loved both! Yum! I think I will have to make them again way before St. Patrick's Day 2014.
Irish American Mom
Margaret - Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know your family enjoyed their taste of Ireland today. I hope you had a lovely St. Patrick's Day celebration.
All the best,
Mairéad
John
Hello. Wonderful blog - just wonderful!
What store(s) do you get your ingredients?
Irish American Mom
Hi John - I buy my ingredients for this bread in Kroger or Meijers. Everything used for the bread is fairly easy to find in America. Thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Shana Proffitt
Just wanted to thank you for your delicious Irish brown bread recipe! I love the brown bread that I've eaten on my many trips to Ireland and crave it constantly as there is nothing even remotely similar to it where I live in Florida. As a result, I have created my own version that is good tasting, but is too crumbly and doesn't quite make the mark. However, I made your brown bread recipe last night, serving it with my own version of Shepherd's Pie (I put lots of veggies in mine - leeks, shallots, parsnips, green beans, lima beans & corn), and it was absolutely perfect! It was even better, I dare say, than many of the brown breads I've eaten in Ireland! I'm so thrilled and can't thank you enough! It is very easy, totally satisfying and I will be making it whenever my brown bread craving arises. I will also try your version of Shepherd's Pie as I love Guiness and and will try several of your other recipes as well.
Thanks again for your great site, entertaining blogs and clear and delicious recipes Mairéad!
Shana
p.s. I loved your blog about being asked for a drink/tea in America vs. Ireland! Also, where are you from in Ireland, if you don't mind my asking?
Irish American Mom
Dear Shana - I'm thrilled to hear my brown bread recipe was a success in your house. It's lovely to hear from readers who enjoy my recipes and ramblings.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and for your kind words.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Anne Hirshfield
Mairéad, ever since I returned from our trip to Ireland this October, I have been trying to replicate the delicious wheaten bread we enjoyed at almost every meal. I've tried many recipes from the web but none of them came close. I was worried that, because our flours here are so different from those in Ireland, I would never be able to produce a loaf that tastes right. However, your recipe did the trick! Thanks so much. This will be a staple at our house.
Irish American Mom
Anne - It took me a few years to develop this recipe, with many trials and errors before I was satisfied with my Irish American brown bread. The difference in flours between Ireland and America is quite significant, but I think using wheat germ and flaxseed adds the right balance to compensate for the different flour textures. I'm so glad your family has given this bread their seal of approval.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Jennifer Hurley
I just googled "where to get coarse wholemeal flour in Ca" when your website popped up. I am fed up having to order Odlums flour because with shipping and tax, it is ridiculously expensive. It is also always near its expiration date. I was delighted to read your bio. and discover that we have lot is common. I came over here in 1987 and worked as a Physical Therapist at Stanford for 15 years. I trained in Trinity, class of 1986. I too came over for a year at my husbands request but he refused to return to Dublin so here I am also having lived more years here than in Ireland. When people ask what I miss most I always reply, apart from my family and friends, I miss the sound of the birds in Dublin. I look forward to trying your brown bread recipe as soon as I finish my last bag of Odlums extra coarse wholemeal flour.
Irish American Mom
Jennifer - Thanks so much for your comment. We definitely have a lot in common. I graduated from Trinity too, and believe it or not we probably met one another. I graduated just one year after you, in 1987. I drank many cups of tea in the break room by the library in the old School of Physio. I have such fond memories of my years in Trinity. I came to America soon after in 1988. I returned to Ireland for a year, but then returned in 1990. I planned to only stay one year and before you know it one year, changed to five, then ten, then twenty. Time just flies.
I hope my brown bread recipe solves your flour dilemma. It took me many years to find the right balance of ingredients to create the correct texture.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Hazel
Mairéad,
I have been trying for as long as I have been here (16 years!!) to replicate my mothers brown bread with American ingredients and little success. You bread looks perfect, I can't wait to try it! Thank you!
Irish American Mom
Hazel - I hope my brown bread gets your seal of approval and that it tastes like your mother's own recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Sheila McTeague
I bought the powdered buttermilk that you have. I notice you measure the powder buttermilk to the measurements that you have. Example 1 cup buttermilk you measure 1 cup powder buttermilk. That's easy enough but on the canister of the powder it gives other directions. Example 1 cup buttermilk only needs like 4 tablespoons of powder and a bit of water. To me that doesn't sound right. What do you suggest to do? I want to make your soda bread and don't want to start to use til I find the right thing to do.
Irish American Mom
Sheila - On the package of the powdered buttermilk they recommend adding the powder to your dry ingredients and then adding the appropriate amount of water to your wet ingredients. This is to avoid lumps. Of course I break all the rules by pre-mixing the powder with the water. I whisk it a little to make sure there are no lumps. For this recipe I add 6 tablespoons of powder to a glass measuring pitcher and add water to make 1 and 3/4 cups. Give it a good whisk to remove lumps and then use it like you would use regular buttermilk. Hope this recipe turns out well for you.
All the best,
Mairead
Jane Rix
Just checking in to thank you for the brown bread recipe. I make it about every 2 weeks. I freeze it and take a piece or two to work to snack on. It smells heavenly while it's baking.
Irish American Mom
Thanks to you too Jane for leaving your feedback here. It's always lovely to hear from readers who enjoy my recipes.
All the best,
Mairead
meaghan
What a great recipe! My hubby is from Newry, Co Down. I've been trying to make a wheaten bread that gets hi approval. Your recipe is the winner!! We are in Chicago so there are several Irish grocers who sell wheaten bread. This is so much healthier and fresh! Thank you so much !!
Irish American Mom
So glad this bread gets a thumbs up from your family, especially your husband who probably grew up eating the real thing. Best wishes for a very happy St. Patrick's Day.
Mairead
Sean
Mairead,
Made brown bread from your recipe again, essential for Paddy's Day. Even splashed out on some Kerrygold!! Happy St Patrick's Day.
Sean
Serena
Delicious! I was so excited to try this bread that I sliced it right out of the oven, being too impatient to let it cool. I think 45 minutes might have been a bit too long, however, as the crust is rather thick and hard.
Irish American Mom
Serena - I'm so glad you liked this bread. The crust may have hardened a little too much, since you sliced it straight away, thereby releasing the steam from inside the loaf. When you wrap the freshly baked and unsliced loaf in a clean tea cloth, the rising steam from the cooling loaf helps to soften the crust.
Thanks so much for stopping by,
Mairéad
Mary Harris
Wonderful! My sister and I just returned from a trip "home" and I am dying to try your recipe! Donna isn't much for bread anywhere, but I love my starch! And the brown bread at all the B&Bs we stayed at were uniformly delicious! What a treat!
Irish American Mom
Mary - I hope you enjoy this brown bread as much as my family does. I'm delighted you had a lovely trip to Ireland and that you enjoyed brown bread each morning for breakfast in the Irish B&B's you stayed in.
Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world wide web.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Conor
Hey Mairead
Just hit on your blog. Really well done. I am from N Co Dublin here in US since 83 so similar to your self
On the brown bread, what I have been doing is grinding my own hard wheat which you can find at good shops (whole foods etc) I bought the grinder attach for the Kitchen Aid and it works great, with easy adjust for coarseness. Adds more earthyness when you mill your own wheat too, good bragging rights 🙂
All the best
Irish American Mom
Conor - I know what I want for Christmas now - that grinder attachment for my Kitchenaid. Thanks for this great tip for grinding my own flour. I'm sure your brown bread is delicious.
All the best from one Dubliner to another,
Mairead
Conor
Mairead
Its the Mill Grinder you want versus grinder in case you get the meat one by mistake. I am using the meat one/sausage stuffer attach to reproduce the dublin butchers sausage. Still a quest not quite perfected but getting there!! ever try that? Mace, whitepepper, + combo havent got exactly right yet
Irish American Mom
Thanks Conor. It definitely is the mill grinder I'll be putting on my wish list. Replicating Irish sausages is difficult. Check out the spices I use for my Irish sausage rolls - here's the link - https://www.irishamericanmom.com/2011/12/12/sausage-rolls/
I must try adding a little mace next time to see if I can get a little closer to a Dublin butcher's flavoring.
All the best,
Mairéad
deirdre
You mention being able to buy the flour in NJ/NY -- Im trying to find it for my Irish mother but have had no luck. By any chance do you know the name of any shops that might have it?
Thnks,
Karen
Can you get to Queens? The Butcher Block, in Sunnyside, has a good selection of Odlums flours. Take the 7 local to the 40 St. stop. You can find the exact street address online but it's right around the corner from a Burger King that's visible from the train. It's a great little Irish grocery and they take credit cards, too. I don't eat meat but they're very well known for their meat and sandwiches. If you're driving, it's worth the trip--you can stock up and keep your flours frozen.
Irish American Mom
Thanks Karen for this great information and directions. It's over twenty years since I lived in the Northeast so my information is a little dated. My aunt used to get it in Kings Super in NJ, but who knows the name of that supermarket now. I used to drive up to Yonkers to buy Irish foods, but I can't remember the name of the store.
Best of luck, Deirdre on your search for Odlum's flour.
Mairéad
Karen
My pleasure, Mairéad. You were lucky to have had a car--most of us here in Manhattan don't! I hope Deirdre posts back once she has gotten her flour and baked her bread. Deirdre, pick up both the Extra Coarse and the Cream--you might want to mix your flours a bit and you might also get the urge to bake a loaf of white soda, for which you'll need the Cream. Both flours make lovely bread.
Irish American Mom
Karen - I lived in Hoboken but worked in the city back then. I was lucky to have a room mate with a car - the best kind of car in the city. Thanks for all the bread making tips.
Mairead
Nancy
I doubt my information will be of use to the original commenter - since so many years have passed - but it may be helpful to others. I get Odlum's flour at Prime Cuts at 4338 Katonah Ave. in the Bronx. Also, Butcher's Fancy at 961 McLean Ave. in Yonkers carries some types of Odlum's, but not always the extra coarse which I prefer.
Irish American Mom
Hi Nancy - Thanks so much for these shopping tips for anyone in the New York area.
All the best,
Mairéad
Alissa
This summer I was in Ireland with my family. We noticed that most of the hotels served this delicious hearty bread, but did not know what it was. When we asked we were told "Brown Bread". When we got home I never figured that if I goggled "Irish Brown Bread" I would actually find a recipe, but here yours was! I made it today and it is precisely the kind of bread that we all loved. Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU! The instructions were simple to follow and now I have a loaf that I don't even want to share with the rest of my family. (Good thing I have enough ingredients for more). I want to try it in a Loaf tin next to see if that fits in the toaster better, since I like it hot and fresh out of the oven, or gently toasted. Thanks again for a fabulous recipe!
Irish American Mom
Alissa - I'm so happy you found my recipe and that your brown bread was just like the bread you enjoyed so much in Ireland last summer. Like you, I LOVE Irish brown bread. It took many trials to create this recipe. It was difficult to get the right mix of ingredients so that I was satisfied with the end product, and could safely say it was like a taste of home.
All the best, and thanks so much for checking out my recipes.
Mairéad
Maureen O Hanlon
Thank you Mairead, im going to make this,
All the best.
Maureen
Irish American Mom
Maureen - This may not work out using Irish ingredients. It's designed for using American whole wheat flour which is far finer than a coarse ground Irish whole wheat flour. I add flax meal and wheat germ to American flours to try to mimic Irish flour.
All the best,
Mairéad
Aly
A trick for you to try, try soaking the whole wheat flour with the buttermilk overnight (refrigerate) The soakeing tend to soften the tough edges of the whole wheat and when making the bread tends to lighten up the bread as the tough sharp edges do not 'cut' the gluten as you knead the bread. This is a trick from Americas Test Kitchen and has finally elevated my whole whea bread to a whole new height literally. Also try using "Sprouted Wheat' flour. It is expensive but I think it gives the bread a whole new depth of flavor. Just some ideas for you.
Irish American Mom
Hi Aly - thanks for these wonderful tips. I'll definitely have to try them. I love to watch America's Test Kitchen - they share so many tips and tricks and all are tried and tested and backed up with a logical explanation of why they work.
Best wishes, and happy baking.
Mairéad
Karen
That's a good idea for bread made with strong flour and yeast but authentic soda bread and brown bread are made from soft (i.e. low-gluten) Irish wheat, raised with baking soda, and aren't kneaded. In fact, the dough (which resembles to extremely thick, dry-ish batter) needs to be put into the oven to bake ASAP after the ingredients are combined in order to rise properly. There's no gluten development (the purpose of kneading), punching down, or rising time involved with these breads.
Maury
Hi Mairead! I switched out one cup of whole wheat flour for a cup of Teff flour in my last two batches. It really enhanced the bread...thought you might like to give it a try! I found the Teff flour in a local bulk food store and found that it is very nutritious and from Ethiopia. Everybody loves your brown bread recipe!
Irish American Mom
Hi Maury - Thanks for letting me know about Teff flour - I never heard of it before. Isn't it wonderful how the internet let's us share these little pieces of valuable information and knowledge. I'm so happy to hear your family give this brown bread recipe their seal of approval.
All the best,
Mairéad
Carol
Mairéad,
I am very much a novice at baking bread, and although I realize that it's ambitious to begin with your brown bread, it's exactly the kind of healthier bread we would like. My question is: after baking and resting under a towel, how do we store it until it is eaten? Thanks for any advice you have in slicing and storing brown bread.
Carol
Elaine Baltzer
Mairead,
A group of us just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland/Ireland 6 days ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did not have any issues with my "gluten intolerance while there and had bread at every meal. Upon googling to see if there was a difference in wheat in Canada and Ireland, your post came up and I am so happy to see your recipe for that delicious bread we enjoyed there. I, too, cannot wait to try making your recipe. Thank you for posting.
Elaine (from Nova Scotia , Canada)
Ana
Great bread
Irish American Mom
Hi Ana - Brown bread is the best - and healthy too.
Take care,
Mairéad
ana from cork
Freshly baked brown bread with a sharp cheddar cheese makes a delicious snack!
Irish American Mom
Hi Ana - Brown bread and cheddar cheese - now that's a real taste of Ireland.
All the best,
Mairéad
Frieda
Love this healthy bread. I make it all the time.
Irish American Mom
Hi Frieda - Irish brown bread is a traditional treat in our house, and definitely a healthier bread than most breads available in America.
All the best,
Mairéad
Edi
Well, these comments have been going on for years! My mum used to make Irish soda bread in the United States. Now i live in Australia. I discovered Odlums Brown Bread flour is available in the Woolworths chain if food stores here. Odlum flour makes excellent bread, i discovered. Looking forward to trying your brown bread recipe
Irish American Mom
Hi Edi - It's great to hear from others who have discovered Odlum's flour. Great to hear it's available in Woolworths in Australia. Their brown bread flour is wonderful and makes delicious soda breads.
Thanks so much for stopping by and joining this ongoing discussion about Irish bread.
All the best,
Mairéad
Merryellen Towey Schulz
I have made this and it is wonderful! my grandsons love it.
Irish American Mom
Hi Merryellen - Thanks so much for letting us know that this recipe turned out well for you. Lovely to learn your grandson loves it. Such an amazing versatile bread, that's pretty good for you too. I love to serve brown bread with soup.
All the best,
Mairéad
Karin McHugh Miller
I made this yesterday and it was exactly like I remembered the brown bread I had in our honeymoon in Kenmare! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Irish American Mom
Hi Karin - Thanks for taking the time to stop by and rate this recipe. I'm delighted to hear it was a success for you, and reminded you of the brown bread you had in Ireland. Lovely to hear you honeymooned in Ireland.
All the best,
Mairéad
Shaun
In Crosshaven it was always called Soda Bread, and because it was a fishing village it was served alongside fresh fish dishes because the course texture was ideal for forcing down any fish bones you may have lodged in your throat! Fortunately a local supermarket here in England makes a very authentic Soda Bread daily. A couple of slices of buttered soda bread dipped in Cullen Skink is my go to supper dish.
Irish American Mom
Hi Shaun - Great to hear you've found a good soda bread at a local shop. Such a perfect pairing for soups and stews. I love your explanation of how it helps to dislodge stray fish bones in the throat. Cullen Skink is probably a recipe from the British Isles I should share someday. Thanks for the inspiration.
All the best,
Mairéad
BJ
Can this be baked in a normal loaf pan? If so, does it change the baking directions?
Irish American Mom
Hi BJ - Yes, this bread can be baked in a loaf pan. It may take about 5 minutes less to bake, but test it by making sure you get a hollow sound when you tap the baked loaf.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Jeannette
This is the only recipe I've found that truly tastes like the brown bread I loved in Ireland! Thank you for sharing it!
Irish American Mom
Hi Jeannette - Thanks so much for your seal of approval for my recipe. I experimented for a long time before I settled on these ingredients. I agree that it tastes really close to Irish brown bread. Thanks for rating my recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Judie Jamison
Hi Maraid, I've made your raisin scones several times & they are great. Also the blackberry whiskey jam (though once with whiskey, once with blackberry brandy which I liked better). I had brown bread in Ireland & loved it. I followed the recipe to a T. It kind of tasted good but it was SO dry. It looked beautiful, not burned. I covered with dish towel. I just ended up throwing most of it out today. Any ideas what went wrong?
Irish American Mom
Hi Judie - Sorry to hear your brown bread was not a success. The mixture should be very wet when putting it into the baking tin. You probably needed more buttermilk. Are you living at altitude? This can change the baking time and cause the dough to dry out even more when baking. Extra buttermilk may be needed to solve this problem.
All the best,
Mairéad