Boston Brown Bread

• rye meal↗2 cups
• cornmeal↗2 cups
• whole wheat flour↗2 cups
• baking soda↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• dark molasses↗1 1⁄3 cups
• milk↗4 cups
• seedless raisins↗2 cups
• unsalted butter↗4 tablespoons
• hot water
• aluminum foil
• butcher's kitchen twine, and one 16 oz. coffee can, empty and clean

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. 2

   Grease a 16 oz coffee can (or 1 qt pudding mold or baking dish) with butter.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine both wheat and rye flours, cornmeal, baking soda and salt.

4. 4

   Stir in molasses and milk; add raisins and mix to blend.

5. 5

   Fill coffee can (or mold/baking dish) with batter; it should come up to about 2/3 of the way to the top.

6. 6

   Cover top of the can with foil and tie with butcher's twine to make it airtight.

7. 7

   Place can (or mold/baking dish) into a larger, deep baking dish.

8. 8

   Using a pitcher, carefully pour hot water into the baking dish so that the water comes about halfway up the outside of the coffee can (or mold/baking dish); place in the oven.

9. 9

   Allow bread to steam for 2 hours, check water level after 1 hour and add more water if needed.

10. 10

    To check if the bread is done, carefully remove twine and foil and stick a wooden skewer into the middle and pull it out.

11. 11

    If the Skewer is clean, the bread is done; if the bread needs additional cooking time, cover with new foil and twine and allow to steam until done.

12. 12

    Enjoy!