Two Oatmeal Bread Recipes from James Beard
Last week the Borzoi Cooks made Maryetta’s Oatmeal Bread from James Beard’s definitive bread bible, Beard on Bread. However, I went around telling everyone that the Borzoi Cooks made Oatmeal Bread with Cooked Oatmeal from the same book, confusing everyone! Therefore, in the spirit of fairness and anti-obfuscation, I am going to post both recipes right here. First, here’s a printable e-card for James Beard’s Oatmeal Bread with Cooked Oatmeal:
(Click on the image to download a PDF of the recipe card)
And now here’s the recipe for Maryetta’s oatmeal bread:
NOTE: This is as good an oatmeal bread as I have ever eaten, and it makes wonderful toast. The recipe yields a great deal more than the previous one, so it is good if you have a large family or want to give a loaf away as a gift.
It is essential to leave the dough uncovered during the two risings.
Ingredients
4 cups boiling water
3 cups rolled oats
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, approximately, preferably unbleached
2 packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons salad oil
1/2 cup molasses
1. Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal in a large bowl and leave to cool.
2. Then stir in 2 cups of flour and the yeast. Place in a warm, draft-free spot and allow to rise, uncovered, until doubled in bulk.
3. Punch down and work in the salt, salad oil, molasses, and enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead, adding extra flour if necessary, to make a smooth, pliable, firm dough—about 10 minutes, but you cannot knead too much.
3. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, and form into loaves to fit three buttered 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf tins. Allow to rise again, uncovered, until doubled in bulk.
4. Bake in a preheated 350º oven 40 to 60 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when removed from the tins and rapped on top and bottom. Cool on racks before slicing.
YIELD: 3 loaves
(Recipe excerpted from Beard on Bread by James Beard. Copyright 1973 by James Beard. Copyright 1973 by James A. Beard. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.)