# Bread in a jar -- Neat idea



## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

*Bread in a jar -- Neat preservation idea*

Just came across this idea and never heard of it before, but it really pretty cool and would be great if the grid was down.

Basically, fill mason jars with bread dough, bake in oven, then screw the lid on the jar so it vacuum seals as the bread cools. The recipe claims it will store for weeks in a pantry, makes sense since the oven heat would kill off most microbes and the jar would prevent a loss of moisture.

Making bread by hand is a lot of work, being able to store it for weeks without a freezer would be nice. Seems like something our forefathers would have figured out.









How To Make Delicious Bread In A Jar | The WHOot


----------



## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Good tip.


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Excellent idea.



Sonya said:


> Just came across this idea and never heard of it before, but it really pretty cool and would be great if the grid was down.
> 
> Basically, fill mason jars with bread dough, bake in oven, then screw the lid on the jar so it vacuum seals as the bread cools. The recipe claims it will store for weeks in a pantry, makes sense since the oven heat would kill off most microbes and the jar would prevent a loss of moisture.
> 
> ...


----------



## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Cool post , Thank you .


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

I think it is called Boston Brown Bread, . . . but there is a molasses bread recipe out there that used to be made in a can.

I think I have the recipe somewhere, . . . I know when I saw it I meant to print it.

I love molasses, . . . so I'm about to up and try that, . . . but this one looks good too.

May God bless,
Dwight


----------



## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

I would think it would work for cornbread, cake/brownies, zucchini/breakfast breads etc... It would be especially good for single people or small families that want smaller portions when the mood strikes.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Cool idea thanks. Thinkng maybe the leavening best be just right to be able to get the the lid on the jar. Or maybe you just squish it down on there it if sticks our the top? Now I am wodering how to get the bread out of the jar? Eat it with a spoon maybe? Yall drive me crazy around here sometimes.


----------



## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

bigwheel said:


> Cool idea thanks. Thinkng maybe the leavening best be just right to be able to get the the lid on the jar. Or maybe you just squish it down on there it if sticks our the top? Now I am wodering how to get the bread out of the jar? Eat it with a spoon maybe? Yall drive me crazy around here sometimes.


With bread dough using yeast it would be pretty easy to estimate since it doesn't rise a whole lot once it hits the oven. For other stuff you would have to learn through trial and error, though I don't see why you couldn't cut off the top if it was too high and slap the lid on, as long as the lip of the jar was clean so it could make a good seal.

Or if you are splitting one batch into a few jars, bake one jar and see how much it rises, then fill the other jars to the appropriate level.

If you use a wide mouthed jar and grease it before putting the dough in it is supposed to slide right out in a little round loaf.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Ok..well most of that makes sense. We dont eat much bread but will put it on the agenda for one of these days. Thanks.


----------



## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

dwight55 said:


> I think it is called Boston Brown Bread, . . . but there is a molasses bread recipe out there that used to be made in a can.
> 
> I think I have the recipe somewhere, . . . I know when I saw it I meant to print it.
> 
> ...


We ate Brown Bread a lot growing up in Maine. It's steamed, in a can, in an oven, for two hours.


----------



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Have made that before. Better than a person might guess.


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Sonya said:


> ......... being able to store it for weeks without a freezer..........


Makes me wonder how long it will last in the jar if it's in the freezer.


----------



## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Makes me wonder how long it will last in the jar if it's in the freezer.


I think the only big advantage to freezing bread in a jar would be if the freezer went out the bread would last at room temp for a few weeks. I freeze all my bread now, I don't use a lot so I will buy 2 or 3 loaves, freeze it immediately and use it a couple of slices at a time, even 2+ months later it thaws out like fresh.

On a side note, since we are discussing bread, if anyone makes bread with yeast and they haven't tried the water roux method you definitely should. So easy and it makes the bread so light/fluffy inside, it is supposed to keep it fresh a couple of days longer too, but since I freeze mine right away I can't speak to that.

Takes about 2 extra minutes and makes a big difference, if you activate your yeast in water use much less water than normal, the roux will add a lot of moisture to the dough: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/39723/my-tangzhong-roux-faq


----------



## deserth3 (Oct 11, 2015)

Robie said:


> We ate Brown Bread a lot growing up in Maine. It's steamed, in a can, in an oven, for two hours.


Wouldn't happen to have a recipe and instructions would you?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk


----------



## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

I have some of my grandmother's old cookbooks...I'll look in the next day or two.


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

dwight55 said:


> I think it is called Boston Brown Bread, . . . but there is a molasses bread recipe out there that used to be made in a can.
> 
> I think I have the recipe somewhere, . . . I know when I saw it I meant to print it.
> 
> ...


Since the blood in my veins is 100% Maine, B&M Brown Bread has been a staple in my life since childhood. :tango_face_smile:
There are a number of cans in the pantry at this very moment.

B&M® Brown Bread Plain* | B & M Beans

Ladle some B&M Boston Baked Beans on top and you have New England Yankee Soul Food. :vs_cool:


----------



## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Yup...Saturday night dinner in Maine for us.

Baked beans...baked all day in a bean pot with salt pork
Brown bread
Hot dogs
Homemade biscuits with butter and honey drizzled over them
Potato salad
Hot apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, slice of sharp cheddar cheese and a cup of coffee for dessert

Man...my Mom and Dad and both grandmothers could cook some great meals.


----------



## Sonya (Oct 20, 2016)

Okay so I tried this, made banana bread dough and split it into 3 pint jars.

*Pros:* Bread came out very moist and evenly baked. Great texture. The jars sealed very firmly after just a couple of minutes of cooling, had a hard time getting the lids off. No noticeable "crust" on bread, just a bit darker on the outside. Slid right out of the jar (which was greased) and slides right back in. Slices up nicely. Bakes in half the time of a loaf.

*Cons: *Not visually appealing in the jar. The bread shrinks when cooling and leaves a film on the inside of the glass, the overall effect looks like something you would suspect was old or spoiled if you didn't know better. But the bread itself looks fine.

I will definitely use jars again for banana bread or maybe even cake. Even half used jars keep the remaining half very fresh/moist. IMO better than trying to keep a partial loaf from drying out with plastic or refrigerating it. Probably not good for french bread type recipes where a crispy crust is desired. Also the top half baked faster than the bottom, so that would be something to check.


----------



## Georgey_A (Nov 26, 2016)

Sonya said:


> Just came across this idea and never heard of it before, but it really pretty cool and would be great if the grid was down.
> 
> Basically, fill mason jars with bread dough, bake in oven, then screw the lid on the jar so it vacuum seals as the bread cools. The recipe claims it will store for weeks in a pantry, makes sense since the oven heat would kill off most microbes and the jar would prevent a loss of moisture.
> 
> Making bread by hand is a lot of work, being able to store it for weeks without a freezer would be nice. Seems like something our forefathers would have figured out.


This is genius i love it!!!!

and this
http://www.bmbeans.com/products/bm-brown-bread-plain/


----------



## Economic Survivalist (Dec 21, 2016)

I wonder how hard it is to get the bread out of the jar without crumbling it?


----------



## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

Last week at the store I noticed bread in a can by B&M it was pretty cheap, and had a shelf life of about 2.5 years. I thought it was interesting but did not buy any because they only had cinnamon raisin and I don't really like raisins. Googled it when I got home and found that they have other varieties, so I may order to see what it is like, but really looking for more protien rich foods to store.


----------



## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

I like the B&M bread myself. My wife doesn't. YMMV.


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Update: I made some cornbread in some jars back in October. It came out rather crumbly, but that may be due to it being a generic/store brand. I still have one jar sitting on the counter (no refrigeration) and so far, it still looks edible.


----------



## jojo64155 (Jan 15, 2017)

dwight55 said:


> I think it is called Boston Brown Bread, . . . but there is a molasses bread recipe out there that used to be made in a can.
> 
> I think I have the recipe somewhere, . . . I know when I saw it I meant to print it.
> 
> ...


I haven't been thru all the posts yet, so if you've posted it, forgive me, but I'd sure like to get that recipe if you find it. Thank you.


----------



## jojo64155 (Jan 15, 2017)

Robie said:


> Yup...Saturday night dinner in Maine for us.
> 
> Baked beans...baked all day in a bean pot with salt pork
> Brown bread
> ...


Oh man did reading that menu make me hungry, I'm going to talk to momma about dinner later this week!


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

jojo64155 said:


> I haven't been thru all the posts yet, so if you've posted it, forgive me, but I'd sure like to get that recipe if you find it. Thank you.


Well, . . . spent an hour or so, . . . still have not found it, . . .

Will let you know if I do. Wife will be gone for a couple days this week, . . . I usually do some cooking/baking then, . . . maybe run across it.

May God bless,
Dwight


----------



## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Ladle some B&M Boston Baked Beans on top and you have New England Yankee Soul Food. :vs_cool:


Don't forget the coddies (fish cakes) I am from RI originally and that was a staple for us poor peasants.

al


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

agmccall said:


> Don't forget the coddies (fish cakes) I am from RI originally and that was a staple for us poor peasants.
> 
> al


My ancestors were all from Maine, back before the Revolution.
Mom used to make a dish that involved salt codfish in a cream sauce.
Welsh rarebit was a staple when it came to peasant food.


----------



## agmccall (Jan 26, 2017)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Mom used to make a dish that involved salt codfish in a cream sauce.


My grandmother used to make that. You would get the codfish in a wooden box. Then you would soak it for a whole day changing the water a few times and the last time you would soak in milk then flake and make the cream sauce. You can still get the salt codfish in the wooden box in RI but like anything else the "foodies" think is hip the price is now through the roof.

al


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

agmccall said:


> My grandmother used to make that. You would get the codfish in a wooden box. Then you would soak it for a whole day changing the water a few times and the last time you would soak in milk then flake and make the cream sauce. You can still get the salt codfish in the wooden box in RI but like anything else the "foodies" think is hip the price is now through the roof.
> 
> al


I actually have one of the wooden boxes out in my barn that my late father used to store nails in. It has to be 60 years old, or more.
Mom used to make a lot of New England dishes from the "old days". Salmon stew was one of my favorites. And baked swordfish.


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

jojo64155 said:


> I haven't been thru all the posts yet, so if you've posted it, forgive me, but I'd sure like to get that recipe if you find it. Thank you.


Well, . . . I found it, . . . and it it the Boston brown bread recipe:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rye flour

1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup black raisins

Pre-heat the oven to 375, . . . grease a clean 1 pound coffee can

In a large bowl, combind the flours, cornmeal, soda and salt, . . . stir in the oil and molasses just to combine

Add the buttermilk and egg and mix to combine, . . . stir in raisins

Spoon into the can. Leave about 1 1/2 inches of clearance above the batter for the bread to rise, cover the top of the can tightly with greased foil

Place the can in a large pot whose rim is hogher than the top of the can, . . . pour in enough hot water to come half way up the can.

Bring the water to a bare simmer, then cover pot and steam 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, until toothpick inserted in the top of the loav comes out clean

Replenish the water if needed while steaming, . . . cool on a baking rack for at least 10 minutes, then unmold.if the bread will not come out the top of the can, cut off the bottom of the can and push the bread out. Slice into thick rounds and serve while still warm.

Can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

____________________

I did not have the rye or whole wheat flour last night so I used 1 cup of all purpose flour.

I also substituted sorghum for molasses.

I also used 4 wide mouth pint jars because our coffee comes in plastic containers. Covered each very tight with aluminum foil.

I didn't use the oven either, . . . put the 4 jars in a large stockpot, . . . with a trivet in the bottom, . . . got the water boiling, . . . turned down to 3 on our stove, . . . 90 minutes later it was done.

Good??? You betcha, . . . and even better with a covering of soft butter on it.

Put lids on two of the jars as soon as I got them out of the steamer, . . . sure enough, . . . both sealed in about 10 minutes. They go into the pantry for a while. Probably open one in a month, . . . the other in about 90 days, . . . see how it all comes out.

May God bless,
Dwight


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

I baked some cornbread in mason jars back in late November. So far, the last one (which has just been sitting on my counter since I baked it!) still looks edible:


----------



## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Back Pack Hack said:


> I baked some cornbread in mason jars back in late November. So far, the last one (which has just been sitting on my counter since I baked it!) still looks edible:
> 
> View attachment 38457


Back Pack, . . . did you steam em in a can, . . . or bake em in the oven?

AND, . . . when did you put the lids on ???

Thanks, may God bless,
Dwight


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

dwight55 said:


> Back Pack, . . . did you steam em in a can, . . . or bake em in the oven?
> 
> AND, . . . when did you put the lids on ???
> 
> ...


Poured the dough right into the jar and then straight into the oven. I put the lids on a couple minutes after they came out of the oven. It took about 4-6 minutes for 'em to pop down, then I put the rings on.


----------



## jojo64155 (Jan 15, 2017)

Sweet, thank you Sir, I do appreciate it.


----------



## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

I'd be reluctant to bake in my mason jars, which is a shame because I'd love to have a flat or 10 of homemade banana bread if SHTF. 

I question if the temperature would be high enough, long enough to to be safe to store at room temp. I'd also worry about losing my jars to thermal shock. Baking temps are hotter than the jars are designed for, and in the immortal words of Private Hudson "it's a dry heat." Risk for pressure breakage too if you put the lid on while the bread is still steaming.

Baking, cooling and pressure canning could solve the food safety issue. Not recommended for dense foods, but your circus, your monkeys. I'd still hate to risk the jars. I've got a lot of jars and a crazy number of unused lids, but I can envision a situation where it would be hard, if possible to replace them. 

I may have to experiment with a dozen and track the jars for a couple of canning sessions to see if I get breakage.


----------



## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

Great post Sonya!


----------



## Survival For The Poor (Feb 11, 2017)

I have been looking for B&M Canned bread for the past 10 years with no luck. I think I live in the wrong region. I will have to try this!


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

OrneryOldBat said:


> .............I question if the temperature would be high enough, long enough to to be safe to store at room temp. I'd also worry about losing my jars to thermal shock........


It's not like you're immersing them in 350°F water. The dough will absorb a lot of heat as well (same principle that allows boiling water in a paper cup).


----------



## OrneryOldBat (Feb 10, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> It's not like you're immersing them in 350°F water. The dough will absorb a lot of heat as well (same principle that allows boiling water in a paper cup).


Good point. I was thinking more of the change from oven temperature to counter top temp.


----------



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

OrneryOldBat said:


> Good point. I was thinking more of the change from oven temperature to counter top temp.


Would basically be the same as going from the counter into the oven, only in reverse.


----------



## fancy (Mar 6, 2017)

Hello all. Just wanted to chime in on canning breads. This is my first post, so please be gentle! About five years ago I canned ginger bread using the methods posted earlier. It was something that we did back in scouts in the 60-70's. I had extra boxed ginger bread mixes from an after Christmas sale. Anyway, I saved back four jars and left them on the shelf. Every January one was opened for four years straight. My kids knew to leave my "counter cakes" alone. I was the tester, yep, keep your mitts off my ginger bread! Actually, I really wanted to know for myself, my own experience, if they'd keep. Yes, by year four it was only slightly drier than what I remembered the prior years. I made one more batch at the same time, and it was indeed slightly drier (compared to freshly jarred). Nice ginger flavor, not "flat" like I expected. So, there you have it, I survived! Oh, if you like the B&M breads, Amazon has both plain and raisin. We keep a couple of flats for convenience.


----------



## TomFR (Mar 26, 2017)

Nice idea, I believe that it lasts that long, similarly to pumpernickel type breads.


----------

