I’ve transitioned all of my baking to freshly milled flour. I created this recipe out of necessity! I didn’t have a go-to recipe for hamburger buns and now I have a wonderful one that I will be making all summer long for grilling out. Use this recipe not only for burgers but also for pulled pork sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, or for a breakfast sandwich!
Why freshly milled is better than white storebought flour
Freshly milled flour is whole wheat which contains the entire grain. The bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Each component of the grain include essential vitamins and minerals for our health. Aside from whole grain being better for health, the freshly milled part of it keeps the flour from oxidizing and going rancid.
Freshly milled has better flavor. I used to not believe this until I tried it for myself! The flavor is slightly nutty, sweeter, and more complex that a plain white flour.
The texture is better. The baked goods come out more tender (if made with proper ratios in the recipe).
It’s easier to digest for some people. Whole grains can be easier on the digestive system because the flour hasn’t been oxidizing.
It’s all around so much better!
Tips for working with freshly milled flour
- Don’t skip the resting period – the grains need time to soak in the liquid. So the resting time before adding in the salt and yeast is essential.
- Weigh out your flour
- knead dough long enough for it to pass the window pane test
Ingredients
Khorasan grain AKA Kamut- May be my favorite grain. I always add this into my bread to the outstanding texture it gives the dough. It’s also an ancient grain untouched by modern hybridization.
Hard red or white wheat- You can use either in this recipe. Hard wheat makes for good gluten development.
Butter- for softness and flavor
Egg
Water
Milk
Sugar or honey – needed to feed the yeast
Salt
Instant yeast – Do not use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast in this recipe.
How to make freshly milled hamburger buns
Step 1: Mill your flour. You’ll need 205g of hard red/white and 140g of kamut.
Step 2: To a stand mixer add all of your ingredients minus the yeast and salt. Mix together and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3: Add in salt and yeast and knead for 8-10 minutes
Step 4: Allow to rise for an hour to an hour and a half. After it’s doubled in size place onto a clean counter and cut into 6 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and create tension in each ball by using your hand cupped over the dough going in small circles over and over.
Step 5: Place dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to sit for 1 hour. Top with sesame seeds if wanted and bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes. Tops will be golden brown.
Freshly Milled Flour hamburger buns
Ingredients
Method
- I love a mix of the hard red and kamut. The kamut gives it the best texture and great flavor. I highly recommend following the gram measurements for precision.
- To a stand mixer add all of your ingredients minus the salt and yeast.1 1/2 cup hard red or hard white wheat, 1 cup Kamut flour or Khorasan grain , 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tbsp Sugar or 44g of honey
- Mix together until combined and allow to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- After resting the dough add in the salt and yeast. Knead with the dough hook for 8-10 minutes. Until you have a smooth, stretchy dough ball.1 tsp salt, 2 1/4 tsp Instant yeast
- Allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours. Rise time varies based on temperature.
- After its doubled in size place dough onto the counter and cut into 6 pieces using a bench scraper. Roll into balls using a cupped hand to create tension in the dough by going in small circles. place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow to rise again for 1 hour. Before baking top with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes . I like to temp my bread so internal temp should be 190°. Tops will be golden brown
Great recipe! I was wondering where you purchase the Kamut flour or Khorasan flour/grain from? I’ve been looking for other sources other than what I’ve tried in the past.
Thanks!!!
I get mine from Azure Standard
Thanks!!
These buns were wonderfully soft and delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe Ellen!
So glad you enjoyed them! You’re welcome!
These were fantastic! Though, I needed to make Hamburger buns in a crunch and didn’t have instant yeast so I used the trick I had learned that you can keep out some of the water and proof it with active dry yeast for about 10 minutes in the warm water and then add it into the kneading step and they turned out perfectly!
Awesome! I’m so glad they turned out good for you!