Need a sandwich bread recipe

[Johnny-Max]

Any body have a favorite bread recipe that makes a great sliced sandwich bread?

[jakematic]

6   to 7 cups all-purpose flour
3   tbls sugar
2   tbls shortening
1   tbls salt
2   packages yeast
2 1/4   cups warm water
2   tbls butter, melted


1.   In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, salt,
   shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water.
   Beat 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.
   Stir in remaining flour, 1 cup at a time.

2.   Knead about 10 minutes
   Grease large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease
   all sides. Cover bowl loosely, let rise 40 to 60 minutes until doubled.

3.   Grease two 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pans

4.   Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half.
   Roll each half into 18x9-inch rectangle
   Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side.    
   Fold ends under loaf.
   Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter.
   Cover loosely and let rise 35 to 50 minutes until dough has doubled

5.   Heat oven to 425°F.

6.   Bake 25 to 30 minutes until loaves are deep golden brown
   Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.


Got a FANTASTIC French bread recipe somewhere too.
Can't cook anymore so have to find it for you in my archives.

[Johnny-Max]

We have everything organic except the shortning, what about lard?
I have  3 gal bucket of lard....
We use extra virgin olive oil too

[BoatGuy]

Everything I've read about lard says that it will work, but you may need to reduce the amount a little. One ref says that 4 tbls of lard is equal to 5 tbls of margarine (which would be more similar to shortening).

As always, YMMV and some experimentation may be required. BTW, I learned that "shortening" is a word to describe ANY saturated fat that remains solid at room temp. So, lard definitely qualifies for that definition (and rules out olive oil). The purpose of shortening is to prevent crosslinking of the gluten and making the dough sticky, which prevents pie crusts from being flaky. Maybe it would have something to do with the texture of the crust too, I suppose.

Sincerely,

Mr. Knot A. Baking-Wizard

[jakematic]

what about lard?

That's a question for June - I haven't cooked with lard in 20+ years.

I use Crisco but would't substitute margarine, and definitely not butter.
Use whatever you put in for shortening to liberally grease the pans with - stay away from those horrible sprays.
Also get it OUT of the pan the second it comes out of the oven using a kitchen towel, never turn out loaves of bread.

That's a very old recipe from the 60's

[June]

First.  You can't buy margarine any more.  Even the government won't endorse that stuff these days.  What you buy now is imitation margarine.  I don't use imitation, imitation butter.  LOL.
I would slightly cut the quantity of my home rendered lard.  Most commercial shortenings contain more moisture than my lard.  I wouldn't even put it past the commercial lard people to deliberately add moisture.  That way they can sell water at lard prices.
Having got that off my chest, I have to add that going a little over, or under on your shortening is not going to make that much difference.
Bakers have been using the dollop of this and smidgeon of that method for years and the bread was fine.
What the heck is sandwich bread anyhow?  I use rye bread for reubens and any bread I have on hand for other sandwiches. 
Do you mean square loaves that will fit the shape of that sandwich "meat" that you buy at Kroger's deli?
Why not put square meat on a round slice of bread?  Go ahead.  Be a rebel.  Live dangerously.
June.

[jakematic]

LOL you are so right June.

Moisture was my concern on the lard.
It doesn't cost much to make a few loaves and get it fine tuned.

I never measure for bread anyway and every dough is different by the hour or day.
Even with the outrageous cost of flour these days, anyone is a fool to not make their own breads, buns and rolls.

Thinking about how shortening blends it makes me wonder if a cooler lard would make a better loaf.

[June]

Just a few words on the noble art of bread baking.

First, measure a tablespoon of your regular shortening.  Be accurate.  Now melt it.  You will probably have less than you started with because most shortening and that "spreadable straight from the fridge butter" has a lot of air whipped into it to make it easier to handle when it's cold.
Now measure a cup of flour.  Now sift that flour into a measuring jug.  You will probably have more than a cup.  Now, tap the measuring jug gently on the table.  Keep doing it for a while and the flour will compact and the original cup that became more than a cup, will now be quite a bit less than a cup.

Don't think that you can get around this by weighing your flour.  A cup of flour will weigh more in humid conditions than when the air is dry.

I am not advising the beginning baker to stop measuring, but you have to realise that measurements in bread making are just indications.  Use them, but don't be ruled by them.

Debating the "best" loaf of bread is a lot like arguing about whose mother was the best cook.
My idea of the perfect loaf is going to be different than yours.  Mostly it depends on your own preferences and what you were raised to enjoy. 
After a while you will learn how your perfect loaf feels while you are mixing and kneading it.
Remember that your worst home made bread will be better than the best super market stuff.
June.

[Johnny-Max]

The Queen made a loaf of sandwich bread today and used this recipe. It tastes great, she said her oven is off, so next loaf she will lower the temp and adjust the time.
I sliced it with the bread slicing guide I got at goodwill for a couple of bucks and a shiny new bread knife she got early for Christmas along with a thick heavy Pyrex bread pan. I spread some old fashion pumpkin butter on it while it was still warm and man it was so good. FYI pumpkin butter is like apple butter but 10 times better 

The slice in the photo was not perfect, because my daughter could not wait an she cut it without the guide, so the first slice was thin on one side. I sliced up the whole loaf and sealed it up. Ready for a good sandwich. I think I will have one tomorrow for lunch.

Thanks for the recipe

[jakematic]

Once you get the temp down, it's almost to the minute.

Experience will let you smell when it's done. It's a thing.
Keep making it. You'll never go back to store "bread" now.
Try it toasted too.

Please try this one next http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2009/03/30/make-your-own-french-bread/food-storage-recipes

French Bread 3-4 Loaves

2 T. yeast
2 1/2 c. warm water
7 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt (remember this is for 3-4 loaves…so it’s not really alot)

Dissolve yeast in water. Then add sugar, salt and 2 c. flour. Beat.
Add rest of flour and knead on floured board (or in standing kitchen mixer) for about 5 minutes.
Let rise about 30-45 minutes. Grease 1-2 cookie sheets and sprinkle lightly with corn meal.
Punch down bread and knead one minute. Divide into thirds or fourths. Let rest 10 minutes.
Roll each piece into ropes as long as the cookie sheet.
Place on cookie sheet being sure there is ample space between each rope or loaf.
Make several evenly spaced shallow cuts diagonally in the top of each loaf; brush with water or egg wash, then brush again and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Let raise until double (about 30 minutes).
Place pan of hot water on lower shelf of oven.
Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 for 20-30 minutes or until bread gives a hollow sound when tapped.
Remove from pans and cool and wrap in plastic bags.

NOTE: This is EXTREMELY delicious warm and the next day but after that it starts to dry out and isn’t very tasty.

[June]

Stale bread is great when cut into cubes, drizzled with a little E.V.O.L. and finely chopped herbs of your choice and then toasted in the oven until lightly golden.  Great croutons for soups and salads.

Grind it in a food processor and then lightly toast it in a slow oven to dry out, and you will have bread crumbs for all that fried okra and other veggies.  Not to mention country fried chicken and other stuff.

I recycle everything.  LOL.
June.

[Ggirl]

I use lettuce leaves for my sandwich bread... or sliced mushrooms... but:  27 pounds off in 2 months so it's worth it!!  More energy and joint pain gone!!