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Soaking Grain Questions
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I have finally decided to take a big step (for me, anyway) and begin soaking our grains. I understand the soaking process makes the grains easier to digest and adds nutritional value, however I do have a few questions:
- I’ve checked GNOWFGLINS…maybe I’m not finding it, but I can’t figure out HOW to soak grains. Just stick them in water?
- Do certain grains need a certain amount of soaking time?
- Aren’t they wet when you drain the water? Do you grind them into flour after soaking?
- Do you grind the grain, then soak? What about the wetness of the grains? Does that affect the amount of liquids a recipe calls for?
See, I’m pretty confused. I really don’t have a lot of time to go researching it, when I know many of you already do this in your homes. Any tips you can give are appreciated!
Happy Resurrection Day,
Lindsey
Hey Lindsey,
I’d read this: http://info.breadbeckers.com/phytic-acid/ Also, I’m not against soaking grains, but don’t feel like you have to for your grain to be nutritious either.
Of course gnowfglins’ opinion differs, but I really trust Sue Becker, especially given her background in food microbiology and her intimate understanding of how grains “work”. She’s a really neat gal, and her articles are easy to read and understand.THAT BEING SAID:
To soak your grains, you mill your wheat (or whatever grain) then soak it with something like water or milk and apple cider vinegar, depending on your recipe. If you want to try a really yummy “soaked” recipe, try GNOWFGLINS’s soaked muffins- they’re fabulous: http://gnowfglins.com/ecourse/classes/fundamentals *I use coconut milk for mine, and they’re really yummy.
HTH,
Lindsey
In addition to apple cider vinegar, you can use lemon juice or whey. The nice part about the whey is that there is probiotic action in there, though all ways work – and if the apple cider vinegar is raw w/ mother of vinegar in it, it will also have the probiotic action. I can’t have the whey anymore and find that the lemon juice works nicely.
I highly recommend that you look into Nourishing Traditions cookbook as there are several VERY good recipes in there for soaked grains, etc. I HIGHLY recommend porridge (aka – soaked oatmeal). It is VERY good and rather than sapping your body of the B vitamins, with the soaking it actually helps provides that.
Interesting side note, most ancient cultures had some form of soaking process for their grains. It is found to be a very valuable way of unlocking the nutrients which can be bound up due to chemicals which impede their release and absorbtion. And now you know… (and yes, I am a wealth of trivial information which helps me win Trivial Pursuit and really isn’t much good for anything else. 😛 )
Sue Gregg has good info on how and why to soak grains. She calls it a “two stage process”. Here’s a good article at The Urban Homemaker: http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?page=index_v2&id=639&c=21
Usually soaking is done after grinding the grain and then soak in some acid medium such as buttermilk, plain yogurt, or if dairy free she gives directions how to use water mixed with 1 – 2 Tbls of an acid such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
I’ve soaked both wheat and kamut with buttermilk and it’s been wonderful! Soaking the grain really improves the texture of the flour for all kinds of baked goods: waffles, pancakes, bread, cinnamon rolls, etc.
I have milled my grains for years and have fought this soaking thing tooth and nail. I have talked with Sue Becker about this and have read her article. I agree with her in theory. My family has no trouble digesting the baked goods I make with unsoaked grains. However I have friends who absolutely cannot handle them otherwise. I think we all have a “weakest link” in which our bodies have issues in certain areas. For some it may be grains.
I have come to believe, however, that soaking can increase the available nutrients and so am doing some of it as well as sourdough. I don’t worry, though, if I get up one morning and crave waffles and make them from unsoaked wheat. (Again, if anyone in my family had issues with that, I would have to do it differently.) Soaking does break down the phytic acid which acts as an enzyme inhibitor and antinutrient. But there is also evidence that it acts as an antioxidant and can be beneficial. And if we have a healthy gut, making sure we get lots of probiotics, and do not have allergy or digestive issues with the unsoaked grains, we shouldn’t worry if an unsoaked grain of wheat slips into our bodies.
Also here’s a website you might check out.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/
She has free videos that teach you lots of trraditional cooking methods including soaking grains. She has a homemade cold cereal recipe on there I’m dying to try. My favorite site is GNOWFGLINS. She has SO MUCH on there and the forum is very helpful. But you do have to pay to take the courses (which I have no problem with…the laborer is worthy of his hire) but for a quick how-to, I’d check the above site.
So for those of you who do soak and use recipes that are specific to soaking grains….do you have to use special recipes, or can I still use my own recipes? I have several recipes that I absolutely love and don’t want to re-invent the wheel, know what I mean?
I guess I’m getting confused with all the liquid involved in soaking. Doesn’t that affect the amount of liquid you use in the recipe?
Blessings and Happy Resurrection Day!
Lindsey
Hi Lindsey
I’ve been soaking our grains for a couple of months now. For my pancakes, waffles, muffins ect… I usually add my flour and buttermilk (I usually just replace buttermilk when it calls for milk) and let them soak overnight.
My bread recipe I usually add my flour and water and a couple of Tbls. of yogurt and stir and let soak.
My oatmeal I add 1 cup water, 1 cup oatmeal and 2 Tbls. of yogurt and let sit overnight. In the morning I add 1 cup water to the pot and pour in my soaked oatmeal and cook as usual.
A great book to look at is Nourshing Traditions by Sally Fallon. She has great recipes and really tells you more about soaking…and SO much more.
I hope this helps. Mainly I just play with my recipes until I get the right texture that I think it should be. Here is a great blogsite too.
Of course gnowfglins’ opinion differs, but I really trust Sue Becker, especially given her background in food microbiology and her intimate understanding of how grains “work”. She’s a really neat gal, and her articles are easy to read and understand.
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