Boston brown bread is a steamed bread made with cornmeal, rye flour, and molasses, which originated in colonial New England due to limited resources. It was traditionally steamed in a cylindrical container in a fireplace and is now often steamed in a coffee can. The bread is typically served hot and is often paired with Boston baked beans. There are variations to the recipe, and it can also be baked in the oven, but steaming is what makes it unique.
Boston brown bread is an unusual bread that gets some of its flavor from molasses and has an interesting history that derives directly from the resources available in colonial New England. Early New Englanders needed a bread with the limited resources they had. Since they had more cornmeal and rye flour than wheat flour, the three combined, helping them conserve their precious grain reserves. Also, since ovens weren’t available to all settlers, bread was steamed, rather than baked.
Many settlers in New England cooked their meals in fireplaces, rather than ovens, so they found a way to cook bread in the fireplace. The bread was steamed, usually in a cylindrical container. Metal or glass molds may have been used, whereas today Boston brown bread is usually steamed in a coffee can. With ovens and stoves that are ubiquitous in modern society, the tin or other heat-resistant container containing the bread dough is usually steamed by being placed in a covered pot that holds boiling water.
After Boston Brown Bread is steamed, it is typically taken out of the can or mold, holding the shape of the container, and served while still hot. Boston brown bread is now offered pre-packaged in cans or occasionally at the bakery. The bread is often served with Boston baked beans, just like in Puritan times.
To make Boston Brown Bread, start by greasing two 100-pound cans of coffee or molds or cans of a similar size and shape. Combine in a large bowl 1 cup (237 mL) whole-wheat flour, 1 cup (237 mL) rye flour, 1 cup (237 mL) cornmeal – usually yellow – 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.4 ml) of baking soda, and a teaspoon of salt (4.9 ml). If desired, one cup (237 mL) of raisins can be added at this stage, taking care to separate any raisins stuck together.
Next, in a smaller bowl, combine 2 cups (473 mL) buttermilk and 3/4 cup (177 mL) molasses. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, stopping as soon as all ingredients are moist. Fill the greased cans with the dough and cover them with aluminum foil. To seal the cans, two layers of aluminum foil can be used, which can then be secured around the can with ties or rubber bands.
Fill a pot with water and place some type of grate in the pots, so the cans will rest on each other. Place the pot, with the rack and the cans, over a low heat and add boiling water until the water level is halfway up the cans. Cover the pot, bringing the water to a gentle boil. Steam the bread this way — adding more boiling water if necessary — for two and a half to three hours, stopping when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Gently peel the Boston Brown Bread from the can. This will be much easier if the cans were well greased before adding the dough!
There are many variations of the basic Boston Brown Bread recipe. Some recipes substitute rye flour for wheat or white flour. Other dried fruit can be added instead of or in addition to the raisins. Today, Boston brown bread can also be baked in the oven, using a skillet and cooking it at 320°F (163°C) for about an hour. However, because steaming is part of the history of Boston whole wheat bread and what makes it unique, most cooks will choose to steam their bread instead of baking it.
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