Storing grain and flour

[Longjohns]

I started thinking, before I joined UKP at all, about breadmaking and how I'd like to be able to look after myself in that respect, not just post-SHTF, but actually before. It's still a pipe dream for now - I have nothing like the money needed to buy a property with a large garden, but if I did, part of the garden would be turned over to very small scale veg production, another part to wheat.

Without straying into the whys and wherefores of it all, I know that I want to be able to produce my own bread at some point and, to this end, I would like to be able to store grain or flour for a long time.

So, does anyone know if it's possible and if so, how?

[Northern Raider]

We chatted about this on UKPv1 its possible to store flour in plastic tubs for a fair amount of time, but IIRC the trick is to put the flour in sealed tubs in the freezer for a week, that kills off any weavil eggs in it. Then seal in suitable tubs and store in cool dark place.
My wife bought a nice bread maker about a month ago and now all breads and cakes are home made.
I think the only weak link is obtaining and storing yeast long time, but one of the mob will have an answer to that as well.

[Magz]

This might answer a few questions

https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/info ... _foods.htm

[Magz]

So far I've cheated, Ive frozen a load of the ready made bread mixes just add water and bake.

[Carrot Cruncher]

The best way for long term storage of flour would be to store the whole grain and grind it as required. The grain if stored properly in mylar bags with 02 absorbers etc will last years, flour wont last nearly as long although freezing it for a while will help but it will still only last months rather than years

CC

[Brambling]

The best way to make bread is the sourdough method. This method precludes the need for storing yeast. Here's a method for getting the starter going, keeping it alive and making bread with it. Great stuff!

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm

As long as you keep your starter in good condition and well fed, Sourdough doesn't taste sour!

[Magz]

I used to make Irish soda bread, no yeast required, ment to make it with butter milk, but I don't like it, works just aswel with blue top, I might try it with water, see how it turns out.

[Longjohns]

Thanks NR - the furthest I've got so far is looking up vacuum packing products. The site I visited (if you're interested, it's this one but I notice Avery Weigh-Tronix do them too) mentioned safety tips to do with weavils and stuff too.

I wasn't sure about how long the two types of product would keep for. CC, you're saying then, that the grain will keep for years? It won't germinate or anything? And the Mylar bags - they're for vacuum packing, yeah?

Magz and Brambling, those sources are very interesting to read, I had no idea that there were different kinds of grain - they are now saved in my Favorites folder. That Sourdough doesn't look half bad either - worth a munch one day, I feel.

[Carrot Cruncher]

I wasn't sure about how long the two types of product would keep for. CC, you're saying then, that the grain will keep for years? It won't germinate or anything? And the Mylar bags - they're for vacuum packing, yeah?

There was a "how to" on an American Site. The lady packed the grain into Food Grade Buckets, Inside Mylar Bags, vacume sealed with O2 absorbers and Bay Leafs. She has years worth stored and trys out different batches regularly. I also looked at a site that gave the shelf life for flour, frozen and then stored properly and it was only 6 months or so that it lasted. I will try and find the 2 sites...but maybe sometime as I haven't a clue what they were called

CC

[Carrot Cruncher]

Here's the one for the flour storage

http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/ ... -guide.asp

CC