Milling Fresh Flour: The Ultimate Beginners Guide
Want to add the most nutrition in your baking? Milling fresh flour at home is the way! It is packed with nutrients and flavor for the best bread you’ve ever had.
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In recent years, home milling your own grains has grown in popularity and for good reason. Not only is it a great skill to have, but it is also perfect for those of you who are looking to become more self-sufficient!
In this post, we will cover the basics of home milling fresh flour. From how the flour is milled to choosing the right grain mill, you will find everything you need to confidently get started on this amazing journey of fresh milled flour!
Let’s start with the basics
How do you mill flour at home?
Fresh-milled flour is made by milling wheat berries. Wheat berries are a powerhouse of nutrition and when milled make a whole grain flour that is not only delicious but incredibly healthy.
There are 3 parts of the grain:
Bran: This is the outer most part of the wheat berry. It is very high in fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.
Endosperm: The largest part is called the endosperm which is the starchy part along with the protein. The endosperm is what white flour is made of.
Germ: Now we get the most nutritious part of the wheat kernel. The germ! It is packed with healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The health benefits of consuming whole grains is well documented. I would suggest doing some research on your own to see the exhaustive list.
What are the different types of grain mills?
Electric
There are high powered electric grain mills that make the process of milling your own flour not only easy but fast.
In this group there are 2 different choices: Stone mills or Impact mills.
We will go more in depth down below on the different types
What kind of grains can I mill?
You can mill all non-oily grains. Wheat berries, ancient grains, millet, rice, most beans, and even quinoa!
Read your instructions because some stone mills can mill different grains than an impact mill.
Choosing a Grain Mill that is right for you
The first step to milling whole grains is choosing the best grain mill for your situation. Looks, cost, and ease of use are important.
Since there are a few different types of grain mills on the market, it’s important to do your research and make sure you are getting the one that best suits your needs.
For instance, if being able to mill wheat berries for either cracked grain or cream of wheat, you are going to want to get a stone mill.
However, if you are only interested in milling fine flour, go with the less expensive impact mill.
Let’s break it down!
Manual Grain Mills
Generally, the least expensive of the grain mills, the manual mill is just as the name implies. You do the work with these mills. But, before you knock them, let me give you a few things to consider.
These grain mills work without electricity which is awesome in a power outage or an off grid situation.
You get your upper body work out every time you use it:)
However, what seem like pros are also the cons! They are very slow at milling and generally don’t produce as fine of a flour as their electric counterparts.
Electric Grain Mills
The most popular option in the home-milled flour world is an electric mill. They are fast and mostly hands off.
Stone Mills – As the name implies, stone mills use 2 stones that rub against each other and grind the grain into flour. The pros are you have much more control of the consistency of the flour from cracked to fine. The cons are they are much more expensive.
This is the stone mill I have: Nutrimill Harvest
Impact Mills – Impact mills use 2 metal fins that turn against each other and burst the grain into a fine flour. The pros are you get a uniform fine flour and the cost is much less. The cons are you don’t have as much control over the texture of the fresh-milled flour.
This is the Impact Mill I use: Nutrimill Classic
Let’s go step-by-step on milling fresh flour in a grain mill
Choosing which grain you want to mill
If you are wanting to make bread, I would recommend hard white wheat or hard red wheat. These hard wheat berries have a high protein count that work best for risen bread products made with yeast or sourdough.
Now, if your recipe is for biscuits, muffins, or pastry, use soft white wheat.
For gluten free options, you can mill rice for rice flour or buckwheat.
The Milling Process
Depending on the grain mill you have, you will either pour the grain in before or after you turn it on.
Read your particular mills instruction manual to be sure which to do
For bread flour, turn the mill to a fine setting but not the finest.
If you need pastry flour, use the finest setting on the mill.
Use your flour right away for the best benefits.
Storing left over flour
Store any left over flour in an airtight container in the fridge or the freezer. Try to use it up within a few weeks.
Storing whole wheat berries
If you buy your wheat berries in bulk, like I do, you will want to store them properly for long-term storage.
Store your grains in 5 gallon buckets that are food grade with a gamma lid.
Properly stored grains can have a shelf life of up to 30 years!
Troubleshooting
My flour is too coarse when I mill it
If you find that your flour is too coarse, try setting the dial to a finer setting. This is more likely to happen with a stone mill.
Most stone mills have a dial that you turn clockwise for finer flour and counter clockwise for coarser flour.
Turn the dial as far to the left as you can for the finest flour.
Be sure to only turn it after you have added the grain.
Common misconceptions
One of the biggest misconceptions about fresh milled flour is that is just like all purpose flour. It is not. There is a learning curve and I highly suggest using recipes that are made just for freshly milled flour especially at first.
Whole wheat flour, for instance, is thirstier than store-bought flour. So, adjustments have to made if using a recipe that calls for commercial flours.
How do I maintain my grain mill?
Impact Mill
Impact mills are easy to maintain. You only need to occasionally clean the bowl and separator cup.
Tip: Make sure they are completely dry before using again
Stone Mill
To maintain a stone mill, occasionally take the stones apart and use a brush to remove any build up of flour or grains that were caught in between the stones.
Recipes you can make with Fresh Milled Flour
There are endless recipes you can make with your home milled flour!
Here are some of my favorites:
These fresh milled tortillas are perfect for the beginner home miller! Delicious and easy to make, you will love these!
Looking to make sourdough bread with your fresh flour? Try my easy beginner fresh milled sourdough artisan loaf!
Another favorite is my fresh milled pretzels!
Check out all of my fresh milled recipes!
In conclusion
As you can see, milling your own flour is a great way to get more nutrition and flavor into your baking.
It’s actually easy to get started and you will be glad you did!
Leave me a comment if you have any questions or to encourage others that are just beginning their fresh milled flour journey!
