It doesn’t seem weird to eat canned foods like fruits, meat, vegetables and more. But what about eating some bread that’s been encased and preserved in a can? If you have no idea what it is, we’re talking about canned bread, also called Boston brown bread.
Below we will discuss what canned bread is and how it can be useful when SHTF. We’ll also give you a homemade recipe so you will be able to make one on your own canned bread.
What is Canned Bread?
Canned Bread, famously known as ‘Boston Brown Bread’, originated in many parts of America but mainly New England, specifically Boston, Massachusetts, Portland and Maine. EAting this food is like eating a piece of history, since canned bread has its roots way back in Colonial America. Canned bread is not exactly what you might imagine, with the word ‘bread’ in its name. It doesn’t look anything like a normal loaf of bread, looking more like a brownie, as the name Boston Brown Bread implies. Furthermore, it is not your typical bread since it is not freshly baked out of the oven, but rather preserved in a can for later consumption.
How is Canned Bread Useful in a Survival Situation?
The general use of canned foods is to be consumed only as an emergency food backup. Canned foods can also be a supplemental food supply in your food stockpile when bugging in. Canned bread is yet another great food option along with the other canned foods to go in your pantry, food stockpile, or food cache.
Here are the reasons why:
Long Shelf Life
Just like any other canned products available in the market, canned bread can also last for long periods of time which is perfect in a survival situation. You just have to store it in a cool, dry place, away from moisture for long-term storage.
Easy Storage
The size of the canned bread varies depending on the product yet it does not require too much space since it is stackable regardless of the size. But remember, in a bug out situation, metal cans can be heavy to carry around in your bug out bag.
Nutritional Value
Canned bread has a rich nutritional profile, since it contains molasses which is a great source of several nutrients. Most definitely, it won’t keep you short of your nutritional needs (like vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fat, saturated/polyunsaturated fat, sugar and more) for your regular activities.
Easy to Prepare
It’s obvious that canned foods are easier to prepare for consumption which makes them extremely convenient in survival situations when SHTF.
Canned Bread Recipe
Unlike most bread, canned bread is steamed rather than baked in an oven, mostly because ovens weren’t always available when canned bread was first invented. Check out below to see how to make canned bread at home by steaming:
Ingredients for Canned Bread
- ¾ cup of rye flour
- ¾ cup of whole wheat flour
- ½ cup of molasses
- ¾ cup of yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup of baking soda
- ¾ cup of salt
- ¾ cup of raisins or currant (optional)
- 1 cup of buttermilk
Instructions for Making Canned Bread
- Whisk the rye flour, whole wheat flour, yellow cornmeal, baking soda, salt and raisins or currant all together in a bowl.
- Whip the buttermilk and molasses together in a separate bowl until the mixture is flat.
- Combine the dry and wet mixtures and whisk until both mixtures are well-blended.
- Spoon the batter into your can and cover it with a buttered aluminum foil.
- Put a wire rack inside a deep pot and place the can on top of it.
- Pour boiling water into the deep pot and fill it up to the half of the can.
- Let it steam for 35 to 45 minutes.
- After 35 to 45 minutes, take the can out of the deep pot and remove the aluminum foil.
- Let the can & bread cool, and enjoy or seal in cans. Due to risk of botulism, if you’re storing canned bread long-term, keep it in the freezer.
Benefits of Canned Bread For Preppers
Here are some of the benefits of incorporating canned bread into your food stockpile for bugging in or bugging out.
- Improves heart health
- Supports healthy metabolism
- Enables good bowel movement
- Lowers the risk of stroke
- Helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure
- Lowers the risk of obesity
- Reduces chronic inflammation
- Supplements vitamins and minerals
- Helps balance diet
The Verdict on Canned Bread
Like most canned food, canned bread is definitely another excellent food to supplement your food stockpile, considering the many benefits it can provide for our well being, especially in times of an emergency situation. Furthermore, it requires little effort to make canned bread on your own when you have all the necessary ingredients and supplies at home. Give it a try and see how you like it!