I do have a grain mill and grind flour for bread, my goal was to make an "all whole wheat" loaf with my own flour.

Unfortunately, I was not very successful. The loaves were dense, didn't rise well, didn't have great flavor. I also made the worst cookies I've ever eaten, LOL. I starting making loaves with 75% whole wheat and 25% King Arthur all purpose and they were much, much better. It did make some pretty good pancakes, though.

Between caring for my Mother, being Township Clerk and trying to keep up on the farm, I just don't seem to have time or patience to keep trying for the 100% whole grain loaf. Maybe this winter I'll get back to it.

Good luck!

Annie

I made another loaf of 100% whole wheat bread, and I had to grind the last of the wheat berries that I had to get enough whole wheat flour. I used the dry container for my Vitamix blender, but the grains never got to a fine powder. Perhaps they would have if I had kept at it longer, but it was just taking too long.

The bread did not taste any better than bread I've made with 100% whole wheat flour that I've bought, and I swore that I would never buy wheat berries again to grind. I might grind other grains, but not wheat.

There are other ways to improve the flavor of bread than grinding your own wheat. However, if you will be grinding multiple grains, then you can get something different (and perhaps better) than just plain whole wheat.

Search on ”Grainlady” in this forum for all kinds of thoughts on milling bread. I had to give up on the whole grain for health reasobs, but there's nothing better than the bread, pizza and pie crusts that I made with freshly milled bread.

You do have to relearn how you make your bread. The bran can cut the gluten threads, and it doesn't really recover, so single knead, single rise (before shaping) recipes work best (or no knead), and don't over handle during shaping.

Start with recipes specifically for 100% whole wheat, because the proportions and timing are different. Or adapt your favorite recipes using up to 40% whole wheat. Once you have a feel for it you can move up to 60%, and further adapt to a greater percentage, adjusting the hydration, etc., as you go.

Whole grains should be ”soaked”. That is, combine the flour and water for at least eight hours before mixing the final dough. Part of this can be a preferment for the yeast/starter.

I’m out of time today. Do read Grainlady. I can look up some resources and recipes for you tomorrow, if you want them.

Grainlady was an 'old school' bread baker. Then gave up gluten years ago, 15?. She never could embrace the modern bread methods myth busted. Forkish pinch-fold for example. Like ann_t and i use. I stock summer and winter wheat for grinding. Love it fresh as a grain like rice. Chewy and firm. Fresh grain ground in the grain blender, then through my hand grinder that takes it to a fine flour.

She did insult a few here by being so set in her decades old ways. Old timers tend to do that witout looking forward.

But she had lots of good information about milling grain.

Here's an great blog post for inspiration. I haven't actually made her baguettes, but she showcases successful 100% whole wheat baking really well. https://www.alittlebaker.com/2014/04/how-to-make-100-whole-wheat-baguette.html

We used to do that back in our old hippy days. I could not be bothered to do that anymore.

There are several good whole grain flours that are perfectly fine.

There are too many other things to do in life that offer more rewards.

The resulting bread was always heavy and it was so tedious to grind those wheat berries.

I just cant see that it is worth it unless you reallly just want to do that.

It’s an electric mill, so not tedious like an old crank mill. The heaviness of the bread has to do with the recipe and rise, and current electric mills make nice, fine flour. The great advantage of milling on the day is that the flour is sweet and doesn't require honey or other sweetener.

"There are too many other things to do in life that offer more rewards."

The consistent parental negative tone is unsavory. Why cruise a 'cooking' forum searching for a subject to dimiss. I'm sure you could find something more rewarding to do with your time.

Modernist breads i learned from Ann_t, are not ye olde hippie doorstops.

The flours, the freshness, the grind, the method, does mater.

Ann_t's breads and methods, HERE

Especially the artisan pictoral. We don't agree on all breads as i use a different recipe for buns and focaccia...but the pizza and boule and baquette i use the same.

The mill came on Wednesday and has been put to good use already. I made a 100% spelt sourdough, which had a great flavor but was a little too dense. Last night I made a 60% hard white wheat and 40% bread flour sourdough boule, which I baked this morning. It was excellent and will create a base to experiment from. The mill is incredibly fast and efficient - really no more work than purchased flour.

Fast, simple to use, and takes up only a small footprint.

100% spelt

60% milled hard white wheat, 40% bread flour -- This one was excellent, a good balance between healthy and tasty. I milled some of my dried herb mix along with the wheat, which added nicely to the flavor. It was perfect with some EVOO.

Thanks for the link to Ann T's blog. Lots of good information there.

Those look delicious! Congrats on your new acquisition!

Spelt has less gluten than modern wheat. If you monkey with the hydration, rise times, etc., you should be able to figure out a lighter loaf. Or you might add some VWG. :)

sleevendog,I have an opinion about it, just like you do, and an interest in it, as well.

My "tip" is that there are already perfectly fine flours to use.

I have had experience with grinding grains. We used to buy wheat berries in the big bulk of at least 25 pounds.

I used to bake all of the bread for my family. although using commercial flours.. I still bake on a less regular basis. I did this because I find that it is rare to find a good loaf of bread unless you are one of the fortunate few who may have a good bread bakery around. Most of us dont.

A friend of mine recently used another friends milling equipment and she also came to the same conclusion that it was not worth it, to her.

The poster asked for tips and this is mine. I found it to be more work that reward.

There are so many beautiful loaves of bread being produced by many in their own homes with commercially milled flours.

If the poster likes to do this, by all means, do it.

One thing about so many specialized appliances is that they will do what they are intended to do, on a limited basis, until there is a breakdown of parts or it just becomes way too much work to get out the machine that you put away in the closet, intending to get it out and use when you wanted to, but now never do.

Who does not have these things in their closets? I know that I still have a electric ice cream maker in my closet despite that I detest ice cream.. Why do I have it? I dont know why. I bought it intending to make frozen yougurt for hubs who was complaining of the quality of what he was buying. But, I found out that it does not work well for just yougurt, so there it sits. To get that texture of the commercial frozen yougurt is beyond the capabilites of my electric churn. It even survived the latest purge of non essential material items and still remains.

I put that old grain mill in the recylced metal.

I generally agree about 'single use' machines and I have purged my share of them. I am fortunate to have a larger kitchen, including an entire wall for machines. I do expect everything there to earn its keep. So far, so good, on the mill. It is easy to use, can be cleaned by throwing a handful of cheap rice through it, takes minimal space and produces a flour that is healthier and tastes better than anything store bought. My last two bakes, which were 60% and 75% whole grain were gobbled down by my husband and son. A win in my book.

I also think Sleeve has a point. When I first started posting some time back, my initial few posts were met with a negative tone. I have a thick skin and realized that I had much more to gain from those with more experience, so I stayed. Many novices come here, post once, have a bad experience and never come back. That is unfortunate, as I think we have a better community with people of all experience levels.

I forgot to take a picture of my latest bake, but it was also really good. I milled 25% Hard White Wheat, 25% Spelt, 25% Barley with my dry herb mix, then added 25% bread flour. I topped it with some "everything" bagel seasoning. I don't think I will ever get to 100% whole grain, and that is ok. I am happy that I am learning and progressing.

Just a head up for all you grain grinding connoisseurs. The August 12th USDA crop report has determined Durum wheat production this year will be 50% below last year and Spring wheat will be down a 41% over last years production numbers. Winter wheat looks OK and actually up 13% over last year. What this means is specialty wheat is going to get expensive and a good chance supplies will become exhausted.

Last year over 50% of durum wheat was exported to Asia so if any farmer's Durum wheat is under contract for export it won't make it to the domestic markets, and I really believe the USA will run out of durum first. You all know what Durum is used for so watch those products.

FWIW the Oat Crop took a bath this year too and predicted to be down 37% over last year, so if you love your Oatmeal get it while it's cheap. Make a lot of Oatmeal cookies? Better stock up now. I'm not trying to be a Debbie downer and only stating the facts in this USDA august crop report. Crop comments starting on page 42 and gives the status of each crop.

I have seen that whole wheat flour is getting scarce. Just went shopping today and could not find any . Have not seen it at the grocery store in a long time and the co op where I shop ususally has Bobs, but not today.

Kevin, thanks for the info. Good thing whole wheatberries keep a lot better than flour!