How to Mill Your Own Flour

1. Selecting your grain

There are so many whole grains to choose from! Some varieties include:

• millet
• whole rye
• wheat berry
• bulgur
• buckwheat
• barley
• spelt

Each variety has a different grain composition and will adsorb water differently, so you may need to adjust your sourdough hydration accordingly.

Tip: shop for locally grown and milled flours (https://challengerbreadware.com/where-to-buy-grains-flours/)

2. Choosing your desired coarseness of flour

My mill can be configured to grind coarse or fine flour. I typically grind on the finest setting.

3. Storing your milled flour

Un-milled whole grains can keep longer than milled flour. When whole grain berries (seeds) are milled, the oil in their innermost heart (the germ) is exposed to oxygen. The oil starts to oxidize and causes the flour to go rancid more quickly. The best way to prolong shelf life is to store your fresh milled flour in an air tight container. Fresh flour can be stored at room temperature for 1-3 months.

You can take extra precautions by storing it in the freezer (added bonus: four days in the freezer effectively kills any existing pests and/or their offspring) or in the refrigerator.

Benefits of Milling at Home

When you mill your own flour, you're getting the entire whole grain. All whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm, which has great health benefits! And you just can't beat the taste and smell of freshly milled flour.