Boston Brown Bread

1. 1

   Prepare Steaming Equipment

   • Generously grease the inside of two 1-pound coffee cans or two 28-ounce clean, empty food cans with softened butter. Dust lightly with flour, tapping out the excess.
   • Place a metal rack or trivet in the bottom of a large stockpot with a tight-fitting lid. The pot must be tall enough for the cans to stand upright with the lid on.
   • Pour 1-2 inches of water into the pot. The water should come about a quarter of the way up the sides of the cans.
2. 2

   Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients

   • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
   • In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk and molasses together until smooth.
3. 3

   Combine Batter and Fill Cans

   • Pour the wet molasses mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix; the batter will be slightly lumpy.
   • If using, gently fold in the raisins.
   • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cans. Fill them no more than two-thirds full to allow space for the bread to rise.
4. 4

   Cover Cans for Steaming

   • Cut two squares of aluminum foil large enough to cover the tops of the cans with some overhang. Grease one side of each foil square with butter.
   • Place the foil, greased-side down, over the top of each can. Press the foil down around the rim to create a secure seal. Use kitchen twine to tie the foil in place.
   • For easier removal later, you can create a foil 'handle' by folding a long strip of foil and placing it under the cans before putting them in the pot.
5. 5

   Steam the Bread

   • Carefully place the sealed cans on the trivet in the stockpot. The water should be simmering gently.
   • Cover the stockpot with its lid. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle, steady simmer for 2 hours.
   • Check the water level every 45 minutes, carefully adding more boiling water if it gets too low. Avoid letting the pot boil dry.
6. 6

   Cool and Serve

   • Turn off the heat. Carefully remove the hot cans from the pot using tongs or the foil handle. Let them stand on a counter for 10 minutes.
   • Remove the twine and foil. A wooden skewer inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean.
   • Run a thin knife around the inside edge of each can to loosen the bread. Invert the loaves onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This prevents crumbling.

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