Freshly Milled Flour Sourdough Irish Soda Bread

Close view of a freshly baked sourdough Irish soda bread loaf sliced open to show the soft crumb and golden crust.

5 from 3 votes

Freshly Milled Flour Sourdough Irish Soda Bread

This freshly milled flour sourdough Irish soda bread uses hard red wheat berries, sourdough starter, and buttermilk for a golden, nutty brown bread with a surprisingly tender crumb. No commercial yeast, baked in a cast iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking sheet for a rustic farmhouse loaf perfect for soups, stews, and St. Patrick's Day tables.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Additional Time1

Total Time1 55

Course: Sourdough

Cuisine: Irish

Servings: Boule

Calories: 3567kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 Grain Mill
1 Digital kitchen scale
1 Cheese grater
1 Instant read thermometer
1 12-in cast iron pan or a baking sheet

Ingredients

3¾ cups hard red wheat berries (freshly milled) unsifted, 535 grams
1½ cups buttermilk (full-fat) 355 grams
⅓ cup sourdough (starter or discard) 100 grams
5 tablespoons salted butter (frozen or cold) 71 grams
3 tablespoons honey 39 grams
1 large egg (room temperature) 33 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
1 teaspoon sea salt 6 grams
1 teaspoon cream of tartar 3 grams
½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams

Instructions

Preheat and prepare the baking surface – Set the oven to 350°F and place a baking stone, baking sheet, or 12-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat along with the oven. A preheated surface gives the bottom crust extra crispness and color.
Mill the flour – Weigh 535 grams of hard red wheat berries and mill on the finest setting without sifting. The flour goes straight from the mill into the mixing bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk the freshly milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sea salt together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined. Even distribution means an even rise.
Grate and coat the butter – Grate the frozen or cold butter on a box grater directly into the flour mixture. Using the lobster claw method, rub the flour into every piece of butter until no bare butter remains and the mixture looks like coarse, uneven crumbs.
Mix the wet ingredients – Whisk the buttermilk, sourdough starter or discard, egg, and honey together in a separate bowl until fully combined.
Combine wet and dry – Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a fork until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and sticky. Stop stirring the moment it comes together.
Rest the dough – Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. This is where the freshly milled bran fully absorbs the liquid and transforms the dough into something shapeable.
Shape the loaf – Turn the rested dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently shape into a round about 6 inches across and 2 inches high. Handle it as little as possible.
Score and set up for baking – Remove the preheated baking surface from the oven and set the shaped loaf on it. Cut a cross about ¼ inch deep across the top, running the cuts nearly to the edges.
Bake until golden – Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown, the internal temperature reads 190°F, and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes if the top darkens too fast.
Rest and serve – Transfer to a wire cooling rack and rest for at least 1 hour before slicing. Slice with a sharp serrated knife and serve warm with salted butter, alongside Irish stew, or toasted for breakfast.

Video

Notes

Flour and berry weight – With most home grain mills, 535 grams of hard red wheat berries yields 535 grams of freshly milled flour. If you are unsure about your mill, weigh the flour after milling to confirm before mixing.

Starter or discard – Both active sourdough starter and sourdough discard work equally well here. The sourdough adds flavor and tenderness without contributing to any rise, leavening comes entirely from the baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

Freezing – Slice the fully cooled loaf and layer parchment paper between each slice before freezing in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Pull individual slices and toast directly from frozen.

Storage – Wrap the cooled loaf in a clean tea towel and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or transfer to an airtight container for up to 3 days total. Refrigerate wrapped tightly for up to 5 days and warm slices in a 300°F oven or toaster before serving.

Nutrition