Boston Brown Bread (Steamed) | CookOS

Boston Brown Bread

Name: Boston Brown Bread (Steamed)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter for greasing Suvie pan, plus more for serving, if desired; 1 cup whole wheat flour; ½ cup finely- or medium-ground cornmeal; 1 tsp allspice; ½ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp baking powder; 1 cup buttermilk; ½ cup raisins; ⅓ cup molasses

Boston brown bread is a dense, molasses-sweetened steamed bread studded with raisins and spiced with allspice—a traditional New England staple that's naturally sweet enough for breakfast or substantial enough to serve alongside savory baked beans.

🌍American 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Suvie 🏷️Slow cook 🏷️10 ingredients or less 🏷️10 min prep

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🏷️Molasses

Total

4h 20m

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Recette Magazine

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter for greasing Suvie pan, plus more for serving, if desired
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup finely- or medium-ground cornmeal
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup raisins
⅓ cup molasses

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Instructions

1
Generously butter a Suvie pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, allspice, baking soda, and baking powder with ½ tsp salt, then stir in buttermilk, raisins, and molasses. Scrape batter into pan, smooth until level, and insert pan into your Suvie. Input settings, and cook now or schedule.
2
Set Suvie Cook Settings: Bottom Zone: Slow Cook High for 2 hours and 30 minutes
3
Remove pan from Suvie. Allow pan to cool on a rack 1 hour before removing bread from pan, using a butter knife or offset spatula to loosen bread if necessary. Cut into slices and serve with soft butter or cream cheese, and maple syrup if desired. Optionally, place 1 tsp butter between two slices of brown bread in a Suvie pan and broil 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and slightly crispy.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use a tight-fitting lid or foil on your mold to trap steam evenly; escaping steam creates a dry crust.
Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center—it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Slice with a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss for clean cuts without compressing the crumb.
Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, and let it cool 10 minutes in the mold before unmolding to set the structure.

Substitutions

Raisins → currants or chopped dried figs (same volume, similar sweetness)
Allspice → ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp nutmeg (mimics warming spice profile)
Buttermilk → milk mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, left to curdle 5 minutes (activates baking soda)

Storage & make-ahead

Wrap cooled bread tightly and refrigerate up to 1 week; reheat slices by steaming or microwaving with a damp paper towel to restore moisture.

Equipment

Suvie pan or steaming mold (coffee can, pudding mold, or loaf pan) · Large pot for water bath

Common Questions

Can you bake Boston brown bread instead of steaming it?

Traditional Boston brown bread is steamed, which creates its characteristic dense, moist crumb. Baking will produce a drier, cake-like texture. Steam for authenticity.

What kind of pan do you use to steam this bread?

A Suvie pan or standard coffee can, pudding mold, or loaf pan fitted inside a larger pot works. Fill the outer pot with water to halfway up the mold's sides.

How long does Boston brown bread keep?

Wrapped tightly, it keeps 3–4 days at room temperature or up to 1 week refrigerated. Reheat by steaming or microwaving slices with a damp paper towel.