Baking bread for sandwhiches

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I just read the frugality thread and someone talked about baking their own bread. I LOVE to bake bread and the family loves it, too, but when it comes to sandwhiches it just seems too....thick and chewy. The crust in particular is REALLY chewy and doesn't seem to lend itself to sandwich-making.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Oh, and how do you slice it thin enough for bread? I just have a cheap bread knife and it doesn't do anything with precision. :confused:

[milovany]

I just read the frugality thread and someone talked about baking their own bread. I LOVE to bake bread and the family loves it, too, but when it comes to sandwhiches it just seems too....thick and chewy. The crust in particular is REALLY chewy and doesn't seem to lend itself to sandwich-making.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Oh, and how do you slice it thin enough for bread? I just have a cheap bread knife and it doesn't do anything with precision. :confused:

 

:bigear:

 

I want to know this too. I stopped baking bread because of this. We eat a lot of sandwiches.

[BikeBookBread]

I just read the frugality thread and someone talked about baking their own bread. I LOVE to bake bread and the family loves it, too, but when it comes to sandwhiches it just seems too....thick and chewy. The crust in particular is REALLY chewy and doesn't seem to lend itself to sandwich-making.

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Oh, and how do you slice it thin enough for bread? I just have a cheap bread knife and it doesn't do anything with precision. :confused:

 

Re: Cutting: get a GOOD bread knife...I have a Henckels 4-Star that I love. It was close to $100, but it is now 14 years old and used many times a day. I'm sure there are knives of equal quality for less money, but don't skimp on quality.

 

Re: recipe. I have a basic "American White Bread" recipe that always turns out from Cook's Illustrated (you have to have a membership to view the recipe, but you can get a free 14 day trial on their website). Crust is not chewy...very "white bread"-ish. Is this what you're looking for?

 

My normal sandwich bread is 100% whole wheat using a two-stage soaker method (Marilyn's Famous... from the Urban homemaker site). Makes for a lofty whole wheat -- your family won't know it's 100% WW!

 

ETA:

 

Here are some more websites! (I LOVE breadbaking...it's my passion -- remember THAT thread?)

http://www.thefreshloaf.com

http://www.breadtopia.com

 

Books:

Get a copy of Peter Reinhart's book, "Bread Baker's Apprentice" from the library -- he has three SIMPLE white bread variations that have perfect crust, and are not overnight, multi-stage recipes like his other wonderful recipes.

 

I bake all of our bread...have a loaf rising on the counter as we speak! Once you get into the groove, it's a simple thing.

Edited November 5, 2009 by BikeBookBread

[dirty ethel rackham]

I use this recipe with my KitchenAid Professional series mixer and the bread turns out great 99% of the time. http://www.familyresource.com/health/healthy-eating/successful-whole-wheat-bread-baking I replace about 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup ground flax seeds. Sometimes I have to let it rise a little longer than they say.

 

I have some rising right now. The kids are getting impatient:).

 

ETA: I have a couple fairly cheap bread knives and they do OK. I would like a good bread knife, but have no place to put it right now:).

[Pippen]

Adding soured milk or yogurt in place of some of the water makes a tender crust.

 

My Favorite Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

1 ½ C very warm water

1 ½ T yeast

1 tsp sugar or honey

1. Place water into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast on surface; repeat with sugar/honey and let sit for about ten minutes until foamy.

1 C milk

2 tsp vinegar

2. Add vinegar to milk and let sit for a few minutes to sour milk

3. Place the following ingredients into a large mixing bowl:

3 C whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons salt

¼ C honey

¼ C oil

4. Add soured milk and dissolved yeast to flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add about 1 ½ to 2 C white flour at ½ C intervals beating and scraping sides of bowl between each addition. The dough will be ready to knead when it has just pulled away from the sides of the bowl and no longer is glistening wet. Add only enough flour to make it possible to handle—it will still be quite sticky.

5. Moisten a clean counter with a damp dishcloth and spread ½ C flour over about a 12 inch circle. Turn dough out onto flour and then flip it over so all sides are coated with flour. Knead for about 5 minutes adding only enough flour to keep the dough workable. Total flour when done will be 3 C whole wheat plus about 2 ½-3 C white.

6. Grease or non-stick spray a large bowl. Place the dough into the bowl and flip over so that the side facing upwards also has a thin oil coating. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise until double (about 30 to 60 minutes).

7. Moisten the counter again with a damp cloth and spread a very thin coating of white flour onto the surface. Punch down the dough with your fists and turn out on the counter. Divide dough into two even portions and push down to eliminate large air pockets. Shape into two loaves, again being careful to eliminate air pockets.

8. Place loaves into two loaf pans that have been coated with shortening or non-stick spray. Set pans into the oven and let rise until double—about 10-15 minutes.

9. Bake in 350 degree oven until tops of loaves begin to turn golden brown—about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and dump onto cooling racks. Coat top crust with melted butter and let cool.

[Tam101]

:lurk5:

 

I'm asking for a bread maker for Christmas.

[Crissy]

Re: Cutting: get a GOOD bread knife...I have a Henckels 4-Star that I love. It was close to $100, but it is now 14 years old and used many times a day. I'm sure there are knives of equal quality for less money, but don't skimp on quality.

 

Re: recipe. I have a basic "American White Bread" recipe that always turns out from Cook's Illustrated (you have to have a membership to view the recipe, but you can get a free 14 day trial on their website). Crust is not chewy...very "white bread"-ish. Is this what you're looking for?

 

My normal sandwich bread is 100% whole wheat using a two-stage soaker method (Marilyn's Famous... from the Urban homemaker site). Makes for a lofty whole wheat -- your family won't know it's 100% WW!

 

ETA:

 

Here are some more websites! (I LOVE breadbaking...it's my passion -- remember THAT thread?)

http://www.thefreshloaf.com

http://www.breadtopia.com

 

Books:

Get a copy of Peter Reinhart's book, "Bread Baker's Apprentice" from the library -- he has three SIMPLE white bread variations that have perfect crust, and are not overnight, multi-stage recipes like his other wonderful recipes.

 

I bake all of our bread...have a loaf rising on the counter as we speak! Once you get into the groove, it's a simple thing.

 

You are my bread-baking hero, Stephanie!

[Kathleen in VA]

Thanks for all the links and recipes - I too, am trying to make bread for sandwiches and finding it a bit of a challenge.

 

I'm reading The Bread Baker's Apprentice right now - excellent suggestion. I've learned a lot about what I've been doing wrong and I'm only about 1/3 of the way through.

[Allearia]

I got one of those bread cutting guides at a thrift store, so it holds the bread and has slits to cut the bread with the knife to get the slices thinner and more even. It isn't 100% effective as the plastic bends slightly but is better than I can do just eyeballing it. It works best to cut the whole loaf at once so people can just grab slices to eat or for sandwiches just like store bought bread.

[BikeBookBread]

You are my bread-baking hero, Stephanie!

 

:blush: Thanks!!!!!!

[Carol in Cal.]

for true, sandwich style white bread in Crescent Dragonwagon's cookbook "Soup and Bread". It is the one with three rises instead of two.

 

Also, to cut bread better, the Laurel Kitchen Bread Book recommends a ham slicer with a serrated edge--and they are right. Light strokes back and forth with almost no downward pressure are required.

 

Open faced sandwiches can use thicker bread slices. With homemade bread that's usually the direction I take. But lots of kids really prefer closed sandwiches. I have to admit that I mostly use whole wheat bread from Costco for sandwiches, and make homemade bread for other uses.

[BikeBookBread]

BTW, Peter Reinhart has a brand new book (released 10/17) that is being described as "Reinhart Lite" -- might be a GREAT place to start for newbie artisan bread bakers. It is called "Artisan Breads Every Day"

 

ETA: I keep thinking of stuff that I wish people had suggested to me when I was a newbie bread baker...I'm self taught. NO ONE in my family ever baked bread, not even Grandma. She grew up in an urban neighborhood and bought all her baked goods from the bakery wagon/truck - I'm old, born to an old mom who was born to an old mom :) So here is some more advice:

 

Having a kitchen scale made a huge difference in the quality and consistency of my bread. I have a mechanical scale that goes up to 8 pounds. I would love a digital one, but the mechanical one looks nice and kind of retro, too sitting on my counter. Weighing your dry goods accurately is so much better than relying upon "dip and swipe" or other methods. Settling can make a HUGE difference in the amount of flour you use. Most good bread recipes are weight-based anyway for dry ingredients...even the salt and yeast (which I don't weigh) are listed by weight.

 

Use the best flour you can find and afford. I buy King Arthur for my all purpose and bread flour, and grind my own whole wheat (the grinding is a NEW thing!). KA is readily available at my local Kroger brand store, and even at the Base Commissary. Before I started grinding, I bought King Arthur whole wheat which was very good. If you can get it, Wheat Montana flour and wheat berries are the best I have EVER used!!!! We order our wheat berries from our local Wheat Montana distributor. I had to stop buying their flour because the cost of shipping was more than the cost of the flour itself, and they began requiring a $50 minimum purchase in flour alone.

 

The King Arthur website is a goldmine of techniques, recipes and supplies.

 

Sorry for the rambling. It's JUST MY PASSION and besides my family, my friends aren't "breadies" so you guys are stuck with me!

Edited November 5, 2009 by BikeBookBread

[wulfbourne]

I got one of those bread cutting guides at a thrift store, so it holds the bread and has slits to cut the bread with the knife to get the slices thinner and more even. It isn't 100% effective as the plastic bends slightly but is better than I can do just eyeballing it. It works best to cut the whole loaf at once so people can just grab slices to eat or for sandwiches just like store bought bread.

 

I had something like that. I worked great until the plastic bits started snapping off.

 

I don't suppose anyone knows of a really sturdy bread cutting guide? I'm really bad at cutting bread and I feel like I 'waste' so much because I can't get even cuts, or they're too thick, or to thin and I only get part, etc.

[kewb]

I turn the loaf upside down to slice it. And a good sharp bread knife is a must.

[Janice in NJ]

This makes the BEST bread for sandwiches. Ever. Thin slices that don't fall apart. At first I thought, "Huh? Forty bucks for a PAN!"

But it has been worth it. Great bread.

I've since moved onto to experimenting with ceramic baking.

BUT this pan really does make terrific sandwich bread. And when you figure that a decent loaf at the supermarket without all the junk costs about $3.49, it doesn't take long to make up the cash when you're noshing through a loaf a day.

 

 

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/pain-de-mie-pullman-pan

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

[BikeBookBread]

This makes the BEST bread for sandwiches. Ever. Thin slices that don't fall apart. At first I thought, "Huh? Forty bucks for a PAN!"

But it has been worth it. Great bread.

I've since moved onto to experimenting with ceramic baking.

BUT this pan really does make terrific sandwich bread. And when you figure that a decent loaf at the supermarket without all the junk costs about $3.49, it doesn't take long to make up the cash when you're noshing through a loaf a day.

 

 

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/pain-de-mie-pullman-pan

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

Do you use the lid?

[milovany]

And when you figure that a decent loaf at the supermarket without all the junk costs about $3.49, it doesn't take long to make up the cash when you're noshing through a loaf a day.

 

This is where I get "stuck." I can purchase 100% whole wheat bread, with NO high fructose corn syrup (i.e., the good kind), for $1.33 per loaf at the most and often for .50 a loaf. Is it really worth it to make my own when it adds stress to my life to try fitting it in?

[4kiddies]

I cut mine with my electric slicer to get those nice thin cuts for sandwiches.

[Ravin]

There is a recipe for 100% whole wheat bread on the 5 lb. bag of King Arthur Whole Wheat flour that is absolutely fabulous for sandwich bread. Not too dry, not too chewy.

 

I don't bother often, though. I can get loaves for $.50 and $1.00 at the Alpine Bakery bread outlet. A lot of it is organic, it's high-end, healthy bread that retails for $4 a loaf or so in the grocery store. The outlet sells day-old returns at slashed prices. I go about once a month and stock up, throw it in the freezer. Cheaper than flour.

[Guest Katia]

My homemade bread turns out great for sandwich bread, and I just dump the ingredients into my el-cheapo bread machine.

 

I use a mix of whole wheat flour and oatmeal. The oatmeal makes the crust nice and soft and gives the bread a more 'sandwich' texture, IMO.

 

And I only ever cut my bread with an electric knife. You can get really thin slices that way.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Here is the sandwich bread recipe I use. It makes a lovely sandwich loaf with 100% ww flour that isn't too dense and holds together very nicely.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5716.0

 

Scroll down to see reviews.

[FriedClams]

I cut mine with my electric slicer to get those nice thin cuts for sandwiches.

 

:iagree:

[Janice in NJ]

Yes. You remove it for the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the crust. The lid controls the rise so the loaf is a bit more compact than regular bread.

 

Peace,

Janice

[jfletcher8091]

I cut mine with my electric slicer to get those nice thin cuts for sandwiches.

 

 

:iagree: and I also use one of the cheap plastic guides that I got at a thrift store. I can't bake it fast enough around here!

[Joy at Home]

Here is the sandwich bread recipe I use. It makes a lovely sandwich loaf with 100% ww flour that isn't too dense and holds together very nicely.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5716.0

 

Scroll down to see reviews.

 

Okay, what's turbinado?

 

thanks!

lisa

[Starr]

Electric knives work well for bread.

[BikeBookBread]

Okay, what's turbinado?

 

thanks!

lisa

 

Raw sugar. The most recognizable brand is "Sugar in the Raw" but you can get in bulk bins at lots of grocery stores, too.

[Joy at Home]

Raw sugar. The most recognizable brand is "Sugar in the Raw" but you can get in bulk bins at lots of grocery stores, too.

 

 

Thanks! I'm going to try this. I think I'll try 1/2 white and 1/2 ww flour.

 

Blessings,

Lisa

[Joy at Home]

What do you think the equivilant of a packet of yeast is? I buy my yeast in bulk. Is it 2 tsp?

 

Blessings,

Lisa

[BikeBookBread]

What do you think the equivilant of a packet of yeast is? I buy my yeast in bulk. Is it 2 tsp?

 

Blessings,

Lisa

 

 

Per King Arthur it's 2 1/4 tsp -- I have one of their "packet" scoops...I store it right in my bulk yeast container in the fridge.

[stacim]

This makes the BEST bread for sandwiches. Ever. Thin slices that don't fall apart. At first I thought, "Huh? Forty bucks for a PAN!"

But it has been worth it. Great bread.

I've since moved onto to experimenting with ceramic baking.

BUT this pan really does make terrific sandwich bread. And when you figure that a decent loaf at the supermarket without all the junk costs about $3.49, it doesn't take long to make up the cash when you're noshing through a loaf a day.

 

 

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/pain-de-mie-pullman-pan

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

 

Janice,

 

Would you mind sharing you recipe that you use in your pullman?

 

Thanks!

[Joy at Home]

Per King Arthur it's 2 1/4 tsp -- I have one of their "packet" scoops...I store it right in my bulk yeast container in the fridge.

 

Thanks!! I'm adding that scoop to my list of nifty kitchen gadgets.

 

Blessings,

Lisa

[momee]

this brand of yeast

http://www.amazon.com/Safmex-Instant-Yeast-16/dp/B000NY31WW/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1257472357&sr=8-7

 

I have found is the best! Much better results in a test and in actual bread. It gets my money, I don't even bother with the Sam's brand (Red Star) anymore. When I tested them side by side the SAF was one and a half times that of the other.

Edited November 6, 2009 by momee

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions!

 

I don't have a bread machine. I bought one used over a decade ago, but it was missing a part and never actually used it.

I use my KitchenAid mixer to mix it up. I will try all of the suggestions/recipes!

[chickenpatty]

I have another suggestion for using homemade bread for sandwiches...

 

I like soft bread, but it is hard to get the right texture for slicing for sandwiches. So, instead of baking loaves in pans and slicing them like sliced bread from the store, I shape the dough into long french bread loaves and bake them on a sheet. Then, once they are cool, I hold my knife parallel to the sheet/cutting board and slice all the way down the middle of the loaf. Think Subway. Then I cut vertically however long I want each person's "sub" to be. Even soft, sweet bread can hold a lot of sandwich fixin's this way.

 

HTH!

[Melissa in Australia]

I have made all of our bread for about 14 years. I make bread rolls( buns), and then we don't have any slicing problems.:001_smile:

[Joy at Home]

I have made all of our bread for about 14 years. I make bread rolls( buns), and then we don't have any slicing problems.:001_smile:

 

Care to share your buns;)

 

Seriously, I would love your recipe.

 

Blessings,

Lisa

[chickenpatty]

I have made all of our bread for about 14 years. I make bread rolls( buns), and then we don't have any slicing problems.:001_smile:

 

LOL, I knew there was an easier way to explain it!:D

[Amber in AUS]

So with the Pullman Pan could you not just put a baking tray on top of a normal loaf tin weighted down and then remove for the final 10 mins?

 

I normally just use my bread maker because it is quick and easy. I have used my bread tin in the past but wasn't always pleased with the results. Maybe baking time? Maybe oven temp? I have a new oven now and am inspired a bit by all the bread threads to give it another go. Any tips you can share?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I have another suggestion for using homemade bread for sandwiches...

 

I like soft bread, but it is hard to get the right texture for slicing for sandwiches. So, instead of baking loaves in pans and slicing them like sliced bread from the store, I shape the dough into long french bread loaves and bake them on a sheet. Then, once they are cool, I hold my knife parallel to the sheet/cutting board and slice all the way down the middle of the loaf. Think Subway. Then I cut vertically however long I want each person's "sub" to be. Even soft, sweet bread can hold a lot of sandwich fixin's this way.

 

HTH!

 

 

What a great idea! Oh, and btw, your screenname never fails to make me HUNGRY! :drool:

 

Everytime I see your screenname I always think, "her first name is TastesLike". :lol:

[Melissa in Australia]

Care to share your buns;)

 

Seriously, I would love your recipe.

 

Blessings,

Lisa

here is my recipe, actually it is my mother in laws recipe.

in a big bowl . put in 41/2 cups of lukewarm water, sprinkle on top 2 tablespoons of yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 cup of oil. add 7 cups of flour, and mix in with wooden spoon. then add flour one cup at a time, kneading as you add the flour until it is the right consistency. it will have a total of between 10-12 cups of flour depending on the weather. cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place until double in size. shape into rolls with your hands, being careful not to work the bread to much, place on baking trays ( covered in baking paper) and leave in a warm spot to rise again, bake in an oven that is 200 oC cook for about 15 minutes until nicely browned. take off trays immediately upon removing from the oven.

I make 3 batches of this every weekend and freeze the buns in bags.

I use the same recipe for pizza base, raisin bread and current buns. for raisin bread I add mixed fruit and cinnamon.

[Amber in AUS]

Are you using bread flour Melissa?

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Okay, what's turbinado?

 

thanks!

lisa

 

That's just sugar. I use an equal amount of honey. You could use anything, really.

[Melissa in Australia]

Are you using bread flour Melissa?

yes.

I use Perfection Bakers Flour. it isn't a bread mix flour, just a flour made with durum wheat. I buy it in 25 kg bags, one bag lasts just over a month.

plain flour works as well. that is what my mother in law uses. I did accidently make bread with self raising flour once. it tasted a bit like scones.

[Amber in AUS]

Great thanks Melissa :)

[Tani]

home ground WW flour? I am trying to come up with a good sandwich bread using this. The buns sound like a great idea and so does making "sub" bread.

Hmmmm, will need to do some experimenting this week :D

[cjzimmer1]

Here is the whole wheat recipe I use. If you try to cut it while it is warm, you will not get pretty looking slices but it sure does taste great. You have to let it cool a few hours and then it slices great for sandwiches.

 

http://tadmitchell.com/cookbook/wheatbread.html

[Tani]

:001_smile: