Can you guess what is the most popular bread in Ireland?
Although visions of Irish Soda Bread may come to mind - for good reason - it is very popular and tasty. It is actually Irish wheaten or “Brown Bread” that is the most popular and arguably the most delicious type of traditional Irish bread that exists. It’s so common that you’ll find brown bread in almost every home on the island and it’s so versatile that it’s offered with a range of menu items.
On a recent day trip in Ireland, my wife Mary and I traveled to Newcastle in Co. Down to do some exploring (which we’ll tell you more about in next week’s post). Although we probably won’t be baking the bread ourselves on 11/17 in honor of Homemade Bread Day, we did find a lovely restaurant in Newcastle which featured a delightful Seafood Chowder served with brown bread. The delicious combination will warm you up on the coldest of days. Yes, that’s the bowl of Seafood Chowder served with a side of brown bread and creamy irish butter in the picture. If you can’t tell from the picture, it was amazing!
Why are we making such a big deal about Homemade Bread Day, you ask? In Ireland, baking is a tradition and trade that goes back centuries. It’s not uncommon for an Irish household to be filled with the aroma of bread rising or for an Irish person to offer you a slice from a freshly baked loaf over a cuppa tea. Most Irishmen and women eat Irish brown bread for breakfast or lunch. It’s best served simple, with a pad of Kerrygold butter or used as a dunker with soup. Maybe second only to its spirits, (the adult beverage type), bread is without a doubt, baked into the Irish culture.
Honestly, making brown bread is fairly easy and less time consuming than other recipes because you don’t need to let the dough rise. If you’d like to try your hand at baking a loaf of authentic Irish brown bread, you can use this recipe.
Traditional Irish Brown Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1/2–3/4 pints buttermilk
- 1/2 ounce wheat germ (optional)
- 1 ounce wheat bran (optional)
Step 1: Make the Dough
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Then, add the plain flour, salt and baking soda into a medium bowl. Mix in the whole wheat flour. Stir in the wheat germ and wheat bran, too, if you’re using them. Add the molasses and enough of the buttermilk to create a soft dough.
Step 2: Form the Dough
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead just enough for the dough to come together. Form the dough into a round and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Cut a cross in the center of the bread. (It lest the steam dissipate.)
Step 3: Bake!
Place the sheet in the middle rack and bake for about 40 minutes. The bread is ready if it sounds hollow when you tap it at the base. Cool the bread on a wire rack. Wrap a tea towel around it during this phase for a softer crust.
Step 4: Serve
We recommend cutting your brown bread and serving it on one of our rustic looking Irish cutting boards. We have a handled charcuterie style board, a large or medium cutting board or individual serving, mini board - all will help you to serve in style!
If you are really into making bread, you might also like our St. Patrick’s Day post that features an Irish Soda Bread recipe.
Whichever recipe you choose to use, let us know how it turns out. I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email at ward@biddymurphy.com.
Slán go fóill - Bye for now
FAQs
While Irish Soda bread remains very popular, whether white or brown, white sliced bread is still the chosen daily staple in most households in Ireland.
What is the national bread of Ireland? ›
Almost every family in Ireland has its own recipe for this delicious bread, hand-written on a slip of floury paper, or tucked away in an old cookbook. While its ingredients may be simple, soda bread is an Irish tradition that has led the country through some of its darkest times.
Why is brown bread so popular in Ireland? ›
The bread became popular many years ago due, in part, to the low cost of wheat flour. Back then, white flour was more expensive.
What makes Irish bread different? ›
Whether “traditional” or of the “tea cake” variety, we tend to put all Irish Soda Breads in the “Quick Breads” category because they are made with baking soda, not yeast, and soft wheat flour instead of hard.
What is the difference between Irish bread and yeast bread? ›
Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk. This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother's and has been cherished in my family for years. It's dense, yet soft and has the most incredible crusty exterior.
What is the Irish slang for bread? ›
If someone says they need to "go get messages," it has nothing to do with letters, texts, emails, or voicemails — "messages" is instead another term for groceries. Pan means bread. It's often cooked in a pan, therefore it's pan.
What do they call a bread roll in Ireland? ›
A blaa /blɑː/, or Waterford Blaa, is a doughy, white bread bun (roll) speciality, particularly associated with Waterford, Ireland.
What do the Irish eat on toast? ›
Looking at toast toppings, nearly 80% of respondents would go for the classic butter option, with jam coming in at 38%, followed by marmalade at 30%. Smashed avocado on toast might be trendy but it only tempts 10% of Irish toast lovers.
Do Irish people eat a lot of bread? ›
If you were born and raised in Ireland, soda bread is likely what you grew up eating at nearly every meal. It's served first thing in the morning as part of a full Irish breakfast, with tea in the afternoon, and alongside beef or lamb stew or any number of other Irish specialties at dinner.
Is there a difference between Irish brown bread and Irish brown soda bread? ›
If you really want to get technical, brown bread is a form of soda bread since it uses baking soda as the leavening agent. However, the two loaves differ pretty significantly from there. Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour.
But a full Irish breakfast usually means a hot meal with a particular set of ingredients. Expect a fully belly and at least one piece of bacon, a sausage and an egg (or three). Toast and butter are also a must. Mushrooms, tomatos, baked beans, hash browns and other regional variations are all optional.
What is soda called in Ireland? ›
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the term "fizzy drink" is common. "Pop" and "fizzy pop" are used in Northern England, South Wales, and the Midlands while "mineral" is used in Ireland. In Scotland, "fizzy juice" or even simply "juice" is colloquially encountered, as is "ginger".
What is bread flour called in Ireland? ›
Strong flour is also commonly known as bread flour, and contains more gluten than the other types of flour. The gluten in the flour gives dough elasticity and allows it to rise with a good structure. Strong flour is best used for yeasted bakes and enriched doughs.
What is Ireland bread called? ›
Golden Soda Bread—Given its name from its colour, this is made by swapping approximately 1/3 of the flour for yellow cornmeal. Spotted Dog/ Railway Cake— Different names are used in different parts of Ireland, but this recipe has the addition of raisins or currents to the dough, usually along with butter and sugar.
Are baked potatoes popular in Ireland? ›
The humble baked potato is a cornerstone of Irish cuisine. Warming, affordable and versatile, you can find baked potatoes, also known as 'jacket potatoes', on the menu of any cafe or lunch spot in Ireland.
Is Subway bread called bread in Ireland? ›
Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that Subway bread shouldn't be classified as bread for tax purposes due to its sugar-to-flour ratio. In a decision shocking to those familiar with the $5 footlong, Ireland's Supreme Court has ruled: Subway bread isn't actually bread.
Does sourdough bread come from Ireland? ›
The invention of sourdough in Ireland is credited to a woman who went for a wander with her lover. Most of us, over the age of 30 at least, will have memories of our mothers and grandmothers making soda bread.
What is the famous Waterford bread? ›
A blaa /blɑː/, or Waterford Blaa, is a doughy, white bread bun (roll) speciality, particularly associated with Waterford, Ireland. It is currently made in Waterford and South County Kilkenny.
