Recipes

Yeast Free Bread Making: Soda Bread

Let’s talk about a touchy subject:

Yeast.

It is very, very hard to source to buy still, and has been for weeks, across the United States. Online people lament and cry about hoarders buying it all, but the truth is something different. The real issue is yeast isn’t a product that normally sells large amounts in stores. Ever notice in most grocery stores it is on the top shelf? That is where the not-so-popular items go to get dusty. Yeast is an item that people buy before Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. When people have time and want to make homemade bread, rolls and goodies. The rest of the year? Not so much. Most Costco stores only carry bags of yeast around Fall and early winter.

And “hoarding” is subjective. A typical Holiday Baker™ looks at a the normal 3 pack of yeast as plenty. A person who homesteads, such as me, looks at that 3 pack in aghast. That is literally 3 loaves of bread, not even a weeks worth of baking. I have long bought my yeast at restaurant supply stores. Does that make me a hoarder? Not by any means. Hoarding is wasting an item, where as if you are using it to feed yourself and family, that isn’t.

Yeast is trickling back into grocery stores, but the supply will take a lot of time. If they make too much, then it just sits in stores. Thanksgiving is a long, long way from April.

But there are other ways to make bread! Sourdough is one way, but there are plenty of savory (not sweet) quick breads that use baking powder or baking soda or a combination of both to leaven the bread. It might not be quite the same as a loaf of yeast bread, but it smells wonderful and tastes amazing.

This loaf of bread can be used as sandwich bread (it’ll just be a bit smaller is all).

Soda Bread

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams weighed)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 cups milk + 2 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°, lightly oil a 9×5 metal bread pan.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, whisk together.

Add lemon juice or vinegar to milk, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then whisk in the egg, and melted butter.

Pour over dry, mix to combine. Scrape into prepared pan.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden on top and a knife comes out clean when inserted in middle.

Let cool on rack a bit, loosen sides and flip out. Let cool fully on rack, then store wrapped in a plastic bag.

Do not cut until fully cooled, to prevent crumbling.

Makes 1 loaf.

~Sarah