Grinding wheat berries

[Deleted]

Anyone grind their own flour? Do you grind just what you are going to need at the time or grind a bunch for future use? How long does it last if you grind more than you need?

[northerngardener]

I try to grind just what I need, and if I have too much, I freeze the extra.

[Callie]

I grind it right before I make bread every week. I have a burr mill that's supposed to be a coffee grinder - it's very loud but fast. It can only grind 3 cups worth before it gets too hot and 3 cups is what I need to make 2 loaves of bread. Sometimes, I'm asked to do a bread baking class. I use my larger Retsel grinder and keep the flour in the fridge until I'm ready to teach. The retsel is much slower but I can grind all day without overheating it.

There is a huge difference in freshly ground wheat and the preground flour you buy in the store.

[hermitjohn]

I suspect best to grind wheatberries as needed. But if you want to grind flour ahead do as previous poster suggests and freeze it for max nutrition. If you dont want to freeze it, nutrition will be lower, but probably be ok tastewise, in tight canister in dry cupboard, for least couple months. I wouldnt try to use it once it gets noticable rancid or off taste.

[ohiodreamer]

I also grind what I need as I need it. The nutritional value of ground wheat drops off fast (not sure why). If I use fresh ground wheat then I count on those vitamin towards the meal. If using not so fresh ground (ie left overs from a previous grinding) then I only "count" it as fiber. When I'm making breakfast and such I want the nutrition.....I save the "old stuff" for cookies and treats.

[claytonpiano]

Like the others, I grind and freeze what I don't use. I figure if I am going to all that work, then I want to get the most benefit.

[mollymckee]

I "grind" wheat as needed. I use my blender and it works very well! Just put in a cup or so at a time and blend to desired fineness.

[Deleted]

Thanks. I have a Corona hand grinder but I also have a Oster blender and a Ninja. I may have to do an experiment to see how they all grind.

[claytonpiano]

Apr 4, 2015 20:46:01 GMT @tambo said:

Thanks. I have a Corona hand grinder but I also have a Oster blender and a Ninja. I may have to do an experiment to see how they all grind.

Arghhhhhhh! Hand grinder! Did that once. Awful. I have used the grinder for the Kitchen Aid and now use a Blend-tek. Love my Blend-tek.

[mollymckee]

My DH doesn't think we need a flour mill. The osterizer works and it could be replaced very cheaply. Of course it doesn't work if the power is off........

[manygoatsnmore]

I have a Vita-Mix and a WonderMill for electric grinding. One thing I've found with the Vita-Mill is that freezing the wheat before grinding it helps keep it from overheating (not the motor, but the wheat). I try not to grind more than I'm going to use at a time, but freeze any extra, like so many others here.

I have a hand grinder, and a hand crank blender. I haven't tried using the blender to grind wheat. The hand grinder doesn't really make fine flour...now I'm wondering if I can take the course flour and run it through the blender to grind it any finer. Hmm, I'm thinking I need to try it and see if it works.

[Callie]

yes, grinding twice will help. It's really nice to have a grinder. Really nice. We ground with a hand mill for years. I had to crack it going through once, then make it more and more fine. It took about 4 passes to get it so you weren't hitting rocks when you ate a sandwich. The Retsel can be used manually....but it wouldn't be easy!

[hermitjohn]

I dont use my Corona mill much anymore simply cause I dont use much wheat anymore. I cook most of grain I eat whole in a pressure cooker. But long ago bought a special Corona mill that had plates smoothed for finer grind (real flour in one go through) but like nearly all hand mills, it was a bee to turn. I adapted it to an old exercise bike putting a sprocket on mill instead of original crank handle. Using various bicycle sprockets, made it so I have choice of 3:1 or 2:1 gear ratio. Using the 3:1, even a small adult or child can grind flour without straining their self. 2:1 takes bit more effort but is lot faster. I only used the 3:1 ratio for very hard grains like whole kernel corn. Dont remember needing more than 2:1 for any wheat.

A Corona or Corona-clone isnt really usable, as it comes from factory, for more than cracking grain. Not unless you are some muscle bound giant.

[jassytoo]

I just grind what I need. Our mill is electric but we do have a setup for hand grinding. Don't think I'd like to do it though, that would be DHs job.

[Deleted]

Apr 4, 2015 21:53:00 GMT manygoatsnmore said:

I have a Vita-Mix and a WonderMill for electric grinding. One thing I've found with the Vita-Mill is that freezing the wheat before grinding it helps keep it from overheating (not the motor, but the wheat).

I seldom eat bread now days, but I have two electric mills (Whisper or wonder? something), a hand crank mill, and a vitamix.  I don't use the vitamix for grain because it(the grain) gets hot.  I never thought of freezing the grain first, simple solution.  Thanks!

[manygoatsnmore]

Apr 5, 2015 4:28:13 GMT @halo said:

Apr 4, 2015 21:53:00 GMT manygoatsnmore said:

I have a Vita-Mix and a WonderMill for electric grinding. One thing I've found with the Vita-Mill is that freezing the wheat before grinding it helps keep it from overheating (not the motor, but the wheat).

I seldom eat bread now days, but I have two electric mills (Whisper or wonder? something), a hand crank mill, and a vitamix.  I don't use the vitamix for grain because it(the grain) gets hot.  I never thought of freezing the grain first, simple solution.  Thanks!

You're welcome!  Glad I could be of help, Halo.

[horseyrider]

I like the idea of freezing the grain, but I think I'd only do it when the humidity is low. I would wonder if it'd attract a lot of moisture when ground so cold in the summer. Have you had any problems with it getting clumpy or moldy in hot weather? Or does the friction of milling it with the Vita-Mix eliminate that?

I have a Nutrimill and really like it. It's fast and easy, and the mill is relatively cheap and works very well. I tend to grind mostly right before making bread; but I always grind a couple of extra cups. I never know when I'm going to need to make a roux or make a breading for something, or any of those two tablespoon tasks. First in, first out; I use it up first the next time I bake.

I find it lasts quite a while, especially considering how long flour sits on grocery store shelves.

[Deleted]

I grind as I need it. Any extra leftover, I just find another use for it...but rarely do I have much left.

[Deleted]

So say your recipe takes 3 cups flour, how much wheat berries is that? Do you ever grind it for Cream of Wheat cereal?

[Deleted]

It's been awhile since I've done this...but I seem to remember that 1 cup of berries makes around 1 cup of flour, plus a little extra. So I usually guesstimate and usually end up with just about enough. If I have a little extra, maybe I add gravy to the menu that day. If I went a good bit overboard, then maybe we will grind a little bit more and have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow or biscuits for supper.

[northerngardener]

Apr 7, 2015 15:01:30 GMT @mamatiger said:

It's been awhile since I've done this...but I seem to remember that 1 cup of berries makes around 1 cup of flour, plus a little extra. So I usually guesstimate and usually end up with just about enough. If I have a little extra, maybe I add gravy to the menu that day. If I went a good bit overboard, then maybe we will grind a little bit more and have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow or biscuits for supper.

That's exactly how I figure it, one cup wheat berries equals about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 flour.

[manygoatsnmore]

Apr 5, 2015 10:07:17 GMT horseyrider said:

I like the idea of freezing the grain, but I think I'd only do it when the humidity is low. I would wonder if it'd attract a lot of moisture when ground so cold in the summer. Have you had any problems with it getting clumpy or moldy in hot weather? Or does the friction of milling it with the Vita-Mix eliminate that?

I have a Nutrimill and really like it. It's fast and easy, and the mill is relatively cheap and works very well. I tend to grind mostly right before making bread; but I always grind a couple of extra cups. I never know when I'm going to need to make a roux or make a breading for something, or any of those two tablespoon tasks. First in, first out; I use it up first the next time I bake.

I find it lasts quite a while, especially considering how long flour sits on grocery store shelves.

The friction of grinding it in the VitaMix warms it right up.  Plus, I use it right away or freeze any leftovers, so it really has no opportunity to get moldy.  Now that I have my WonderMill, I use it instead.  I also like it for grinding fresh cornmeal.  The flavor of fresh ground is amazing compared to the stuff you buy in the grocery story.

[calliemoonbeam]

I do hand grind when I need flour, which isn't often lately.  I'm trying to stay away from bread and such lately.  I have a hand grinder and an attachment for my Oster KitchenCenter (multipurpose food processor/blender appliance sort of like a Kitchen Aid) that works really well.  I also grind corn for cornmeal when needed.  Like most of you, I try to grind exactly what I need and if I go over I freeze the remainder.  

[Deleted]

We have a country living grain mill, I wanted to get a motor kit for it and just about fell over when I saw the price of them. So I built one using a 12v blower motor, 3 way switch and a 47 inch car belt. We use our solar generator to run it, but it can easily run off a jumper pack as well. People have been telling me for the last couple years that I'm going to burn up the motor. This one is still going strong after 3 years but even if I do, blower motors are cheap to replace.

[Ozarks Tom]

If you're looking for a 12V motor & pulley set up to run a Country Living Grain Mill (and probably some others) Surplus Center in Lincoln NE sells aDuoyou 785-01 12V gear motor with a TOMPBK47-B 4" pulley that will run the mill at the proper speed (approx 90 rpm).  I forget what we paid for it, but it was well priced or I wouldn't have bought it.

[Deleted]

that place is awesome, been looking at their site to build a sawmill

www.surpluscenter.com/