Boston Brown Bread Baking CANS?

[Whiskadoodle]

We used to use soup cans or vegetable cans to bake Boston Brown Bread.

But what can one use today? I don't think there is a bit of tin in a tin can.

I tried doing the google search, and Williams Sonoma websites. They sell lots of specialty bakeware. Didn't find.

Some recipe links say to use a coffee can, but I'm looking for something with a smaller diameter.

Also, do you bake Boston Brown Bread in the oven or is it steamed?

Thanks.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Memories... My Mom made Boston brown bread a couple of times. She steamed it in her electric roasting pan - kind of like a Nesco roaster, but hers also had a cabinet that served as its stand. I sort of remember her reusing the empty cans from when she bought B&M Brown Bread at the store. Eventually, she decided it was just easier to buy the canned bread. That's what I do these days.

If you want something a bit more elegant for baking yours, Fantes in Philadelphia offers these:

Boston Brown Bread Pot and Bain Marie Insert

BTW, if you are ever in Philly, you must spend time wandering around Fantes - a wonder multi-floor toy store for cooks. Love!

 

[tenspeed]

I would be hesitant about using a can for baking bread. Pretty much all cans are lined, and while the lining may be safe at canning temperatures, they may not be at baking temperatures.

 

[GotGarlic]

According to Cooks Illustrated, it's not very difficult to find BPA-free cans. 28-oz. tomato cans appear to be a popular size. https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/364-bringing-back-brown-bread

 

[dragnlaw]

I'll have to check out my older editions of Joy of Cooking. I remember several recipes for breads baked in cans. We had to do them in G. Guides (or Scouts).

 

[Katie H]

We used to use soup cans or vegetable cans to bake Boston Brown Bread.

But what can one use today? I don't think there is a bit of tin in a tin can.

I tried doing the google search, and Williams Sonoma websites. They sell lots of specialty bakeware. Didn't find.

Some recipe links say to use a coffee can, but I'm looking for something with a smaller diameter.

Also, do you bake Boston Brown Bread in the oven or is it steamed?

Thanks.

I did a little searching and I think I may have discovered a contemporary solution for you. Once again the fine folks at King Arthur provided the information you might like to try. Check out this link for an explanation.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Try using straight sided Ball canning jars.

I think they come in 8, 16 and 24 oz. sizes.

Good luck!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Memories... My Mom made Boston brown bread a couple of times. She steamed it in her electric roasting pan - kind of like a Nesco roaster, but hers also had a cabinet that served as its stand. I sort of remember her reusing the empty cans from when she bought B&M Brown Bread at the store. Eventually, she decided it was just easier to buy the canned bread. That's what I do these days.

If you want something a bit more elegant for baking yours, Fantes in Philadelphia offers these:

Boston Brown Bread Pot and Bain Marie Insert

BTW, if you are ever in Philly, you must spend time wandering around Fantes - a wonder multi-floor toy store for cooks. Love!

Now stop that!!! As if I didn't have enough places to spend money...talk about a rabbit hole.

 

[Katie H]

If you want something a bit more elegant for baking yours, Fantes in Philadelphia offers these:

Boston Brown Bread Pot and Bain Marie Insert

BTW, if you are ever in Philly, you must spend time wandering around Fantes - a wonder multi-floor toy store for cooks. Love!

Omigosh! I love Fantes! I haven't been to their store but I've dropped plenty shopping online on their website.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

PF and Katie, if Himself and I ever get back home, you are both welcome to visit us. We'll do a day trip down to Amish country - including my favorite bulk food store and the incomparable Lehman's Hardware. Then we'll do a girls' trip over to Philly to shop at Fantes. We all could get into some serious trouble.

 

[dragnlaw]

Joy of Cooking - not quite the rabbit holes of the internet but darn close.

Working back to front:
Under 'Pressure Cookery' page 893, there are 3 different recipes for Boston Brown Bread.
1. uses two 1 pint greased molds or tin. Covered with foil or 3 thicknesses of waxed paper secured with string.
2. 2 well-greased No. 2 tin cans**. (covered as above)
3. in a greased baking tin or mold.

Under 'Desserts' page 723, there is 1 recipe, and a 2nd variation with Apricot. uses a baking dish, covered, baked, uncovered browned.

Under 'Breads' page 537
Pour the batter into a buttered 2 quart pudding mold. Fill it 2\3 full. Steam for 3.5 hours (see page 731 to steam). This batter may be steamed in smaller molds or baking powder cans for 1.5 to 2 hours.

** No. 2 tin cans hold 20 oz. in weight or 2.5 cupfuls.

Have no idea which edition this one is as the front pages are missing.

 

[msmofet]

Try using straight sided Ball canning jars.

I think they come in 8, 16 and 24 oz. sizes.

Good luck!

+1. Wide mouth Ball jars are straight top to bottom.
I have never made BBB but was thinking of trying to do some on the steam mode in my Instant Pot using wide mouth Ball jars.

Anyone have a TNT recipe and how full can/should I fill the jars? I want to make small ones probably using 8 oz. jars.

 

[dragnlaw]

Two of the recipes I see fill 2/3rd - others don't say.

 

[msmofet]

Two of the recipes I see fill 2/3rd - others don't say.

Thank you.
Now all I need is a TNT recipe.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Joy of Cooking - not quite the rabbit holes of the internet but darn close.

Working back to front:
Under 'Pressure Cookery' page 893, there are 3 different recipes for Boston Brown Bread.
1. uses two 1 pint greased molds or tin. Covered with foil or 3 thicknesses of waxed paper secured with string.
2. 2 well-greased No. 2 tin cans**. (covered as above)
3. in a greased baking tin or mold.

Under 'Desserts' page 723, there is 1 recipe, and a 2nd variation with Apricot. uses a baking dish, covered, baked, uncovered browned.

Under 'Breads' page 537
Pour the batter into a buttered 2 quart pudding mold. Fill it 2\3 full. Steam for 3.5 hours (see page 731 to steam). This batter may be steamed in smaller molds or baking powder cans for 1.5 to 2 hours.

** No. 2 tin cans hold 20 oz. in weight or 2.5 cupfuls.

Have no idea which edition this one is as the front pages are missing.

You used to could call the public library - reference section with a question, and they would actually go look up the info and call you back, if they didn't just set the phone down on the desk and tie up the line for however long. That was before google. I am amazingly thankful you take the time to check out all the angles in your JOC.

You answer why the wide variation in steaming time that I was starting to scratch my head about when looking at several recipes.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Thank you all for your replies and assistance.

I am going to use straight sided one pint jelly jar(s). Large enough to fit my hand to butter the inside. I think I will cover them with tin foil and tie with string around the jar top threads. And use my canning kettle to set the jars on the metal insert thingie that keeps the jars from tipping over.

CG-- I book marked the Fantes website. Well for the BBB baking tin, which I originally asked about, and to go "window shopping" on their site. I would need to leave my credit card behind if I visited there. Not so easy to do if shopping on-line.

I used to get Lehman Hardware catalog, I had completely forgotten about them. They get the bookmark stamp of approval too.

Katie, I copied the Baked ( quick bread) recipe. I've looked at several recipes now. This one compares very closely with steamed recipes, except for the cooking method.

If I forgot to acknowledge you by name, please know I appreciate your comments.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

This is the recipe I think I will use for round one using a round canning jar.
It uses sour cream instead of butter milk or milk. I think that should be ok.

From Yankee Magazine Dec 2015.

1 cup graham flour (or use whole-wheat flour)
1 cup rye flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup molasses
2 cups sour cream
1 cup sultanas or raisins (optional)
Unsalted butter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and sultanas, if you like, and stir to form a smooth batter.

Butter the mold thickly and add batter (to about one-third of the way).

Cover the pan with buttered foil and tie it in place with a string.

Place the mold in a steamer pot over 2 inches of rapidly boiling water (you'll need to add more water as it cooks). Cover and cook 2-3 hours, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Unmold on a cooling rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm, slathered with butter.

 

[dragnlaw]

Whiska' that is the exact recipe from the Joy of C. According to them it makes

Two 1 pound loaves.​

Quote: " Pour the batter into a buttered 2 quart pudding mold. fill it 2/3 full. Steam it for 3+1/2 hours (see page 731). This batter may be steamed in smaller molds or baking powder cans for 1+1/2 to 2 hours."

I find it strange they do not say "pour into the 2 molds..." especially after saying it makes two 1 pound loaves, they just mention the 2 quart mold in the instructions.

Good baking steaming to you and please keep us up to date!

 

[dragnlaw]

Further jumping up to 1962 Edition of Joy of C. Recipe was hard to find - thought perhaps it had been eliminated but found the Dessert one and finally 'Boston Steamed' under Quick Breads and Coffee Cakes.

Instructions are much more precise. I don't mind typing out if you wish.

 

[RPCookin]

This is the only way I ever had Boston Brown Bread, and it's probably been 55 years since I last had this. My grandmother loved it (as did I) and we had it occasionally when staying with her for lunch with it's natural partner, B&M Baked Beans. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never even thought of making it myself. B&M doesn't seem to exist around here - I don't think I've had it since we left Minnesota in 1964.