I have mentioned “soaking grains” frequently here at The Nourishing Gourmet. Many have wondered what in the world I was talking about! Others have wondered why I would add another step into my cooking, when cooking from scratch takes so long already. An explanation is long overdue. Especially because this is a nourishing practice that I consider vital to our health.
Why I soak my whole grains
Most all of us know the nutritional advantages of whole grain food verses refined flours. Whole grains retain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are vital to our well being. But what if I were to tell you that in all whole grains there are enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion and other natural substances that blocks you from absorbing all of those great minerals and vitamins?
Grains, that are not soaked, equal poor digestive worth, and blocked vitamins and minerals
Unfortunately, it’s true. But there is a solution!
It’s only been in more recent years that we have disregarded traditional methods of sprouting, soaking, and fermenting grains. Not understanding the importance, we slowly forgot these methods of preparation. But we now know better …
Phosphorus in the bran of whole grains is tied up in a substance called phytic acid. Phytic acid combines with iron, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc in the intestinal tract, clocking their absorption. Whole grains also contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion. Traditional societies usually soak or ferment their grains before eating them, processes that neutralize phytates and enzyme inhibitors and in effect, predigest grains so that all their nutrients are more available. Sprouting, overnight soaking, and old-fashioned sour leavening can accomplish this important predigestive process in our own kitchens. Many people who are allergic to grains will tolerate them well when they are prepared according to these procedures. Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, Pg 25
Soaked grains equal better digestive worth and make vitamins and minerals available to absorb
For those who have had digestive trouble when eating whole grains, this could be part of the answer for you. For the rest of us, it will help make sure we don’t develop digestive issues and insure that we are able to fully utilize all of those vitamins and minerals we eat whole grains to get!
How do you do it?
It’s quite simple. You can soak grains like rice, millet, quinoa, wheat, 12 to 24 hours at room temperature in some water with 1-2 tablespoons of whey, lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, yogurt, or kefir (this gives it an acidic medium which helps neutralize anti-nutrients). You can then rinse the grains to remove any acidic taste to them, and then cook in fresh water.
Or you can sprout your grains (check out my post about sprouting grains for more directions).
For baked goods, you can soak your flour in buttermilk, yogurt or kefir 12 to 24 hours and then add the rest of the ingredients right before baking. This makes the fluffiest whole wheat pancakes! I have been able to do this method dairy free as well very successfully (like this recipe for soaked pancakes)
Sourdough is also extremely helpful in reducing anti-nutrients as well. Read this post about the benefits of sourdough, and here is an example of a recipe using sourdough to effectively soak your grains.
I will give more specific direction in individual recipes, but those are the basic guidelines. I have personally found that it isn’t harder to add this step in, it just takes forethought! And it’s definitely worth it for our family’s health.
(Wheat flour soaking in buttermilk for buttermilk pancakes the next day)
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I may have turned you on to this but no one can run with it like KARA! I’ve NEVER soaked my flour….alas, you are something else.
happy new year Kara
Great post…In my cafe I soak grains and rice, as well as lentils to make breads and cakes, as well as dosai. These are great power foods and wonderful for the digestive tract…
I grind my own wheat for flour. Should I soak the wheat kernels before I grind it, or should I soak it after it is ground into flour. If before, will that mess up my mill? If after, how does the additional liquid affect recipes?
Hello Laura,
you definately do not want to soak your grains before you grind, this will mess up your mill. When I make my bread I soak almost all the milled flour with all the water and let us soak in my mixer overnight. If I have it on hand I will add a bit of whey. In the morning I add the rest of the ingredients and proceed as usual.
For the pancakes and coffee cake, Sue Gregg has the best techniques. In the blender you add the whole grains with the buttermilk or yogurt and blend until smoot, usually about 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients in the morning. I am working on posting these recipes on my blog http://www.windyacresfarmshop.blogspot.com in the coming week but I think you find Sue’s recipes just by googling her name.
I hope this helps.
Hi, Laura,
If making pancakes, you can definitely soak the whole grains before you grind….just use your blender to grind the grains. You add additional buttermilk to the blender as you “grind” until the grain is the consistency of thick shake, then add your eggs, oil, and leavening agents, and viola — wonderful pancake batter. 1 cup of wheat will feed about 3 adults. We love our buttermilk soaked whole wheat pancakes!
This is an old post I know, but you can sprout your grains first (or soak) and then dehydrate them till dry, then grind them. This is how sprouted flour is made and it has become quite popular at whole foods market.
Hello Laura
We make organic whole wheat bread in a bread machine.
Substitute the water in the recipe with buttermilk.
Add all ingredients except the yeast into the machine, turn it on for
several minutes to form a basic dough and turn it off and let it sit
for about 18 hours. Then add the yeast and turn the machine on.
Lately have substituting 1 cup of the whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup
spelt flour and 1/2 cup amaranth flour. The bread has a nicer texture
this way. Have been experimenting by adding some herbs such as rosemary
and Italian seasoning.
Hey Laura thanks for this comment, I am just getting Started Grinding my own wheat. I have lots of Questions about soaking The wheat and still being able to use My Bread Machine. I have tried just soaking 1/2 to 2/3 of my flour while using Butter milk. It is very helpful tp know I can soak it all & come out OK. I was afraid it would be to dry. I have also Noticed It doesn’t mold as fast as other bread. My last loaf Lasted 2 weeks, Only me and hubby to eat it. He loves it for sandwiches in his lunch. thanks again Libby
Ken, when you add the yeast to your bread machine, do you activate it in water first? I have been experimenting with this method, but find that when I add the proofed yeast (in 1/4c water) it makes the dough too sticky and then I have to keep adding in more flour making a denser loaf. But if I use less liquid during the initial soak, the dough is not workable the next day and it puts a big strain on the bread machine motor to get it turning.
How do you do it?
I soak my steel cut oaks overnight but only because they cook much faster in the morning. Is there any benefit to soaking 8 to 10 hours with no acid (Is acid necessary)? Finally, will the cooking time and texture be affected by soaking grains? Thank you SO much.
Hello Jon
You don’t need an acid, soaking is just fine. More of the anti-nutrients
will be removed by adding the acid. We add two teaspoons of
lemon juice to our oatmeal (for two servings of oatmeal) and
do not notice any lemon taste. Also we like to add some chia seeds
and shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts).
I had the same question about adding an acid to my steel cut oats, which i always soak overnight. I quit cooking them however, preferring the taste and texture of uncooked but soaked steel cut oats. i rinse well and then pour in some hot water and soak overnight. in the morning i dump out the water and add milk and whatever else I want on them.
do the steel oats have the same benefits of other grains after soaking?
I soak oats overnight in water and add in a tablespoon or so of yogurt or whey. You can’t taste it at all (as opposed to the apple cider vinegar).
How much water should you cook your rice in after it has soaked??
hi. here’s what i like to do with rice.
use a wide mouth mason jar, with cup measurements marked on the side.
add 2 cups rice. (rinsing it is a good idea.)
fill the jar up to just below the lid ring threads with water.
(plus a teaspoon or two of cider vinegar, optional.)
cap it, being careful to leave the lid lose. (if it’s warm, it’ll start to ferment and produce bubbles)
let soak overnight or longer.
when you go to cook the rice, simply pour out jar contents into a pot and add another one-and-one-half cups water. you can use the jar to measure the additional 1 ½ cups, thus also rinsing out any rice still in the jar.
cook as normal, though the soaking may cause the rice to cook faster.
after you try this, you might discover you prefer more or less water, depending on how tender you like the rice.
hope this helps. good luck!
I have a question. Do you soak grains in or out of the refrigorator? I am a newby on this one.
Soak at room temp.
If you are cooking white rice, do you still need to soak it? Isn’t all the bad stuff in the bran, ie, brown rice? Thanx!
Louise, if you are eating white rice, don’t soak or rinse it, it is “enriched” or powder coated with additional vitamins. However, the brown rice doesn’t have “bad stuff”, its just protected. You soak the grains to reduce that protection so that your body can absorb the best stuff grains have to offer.
Can someone help me with a question?
If you use buttermilk to soak your wheat overnight, can you still do it at room temperature? Won’t the milk spoil? Shouldn’t it be in the fridge?
Thanks!!
Hi, Karena,
You can leave it out overnight….buttermilk is actually made by allowing the culture to grow at room temp in milk (I know because I’ve done this a lot.). It’s refrigerated only after the culture has developed, but it’s fine for leaving out overnight when soaking wheat.
Susan, do you know this would work if the buttermilk is homemade? like coconut milk and lemon juice?
I’d love to do some dairy free gluten free pancakes… I love the idea of soaking flour!
Great article, thanks. Is there any benefit to soaking already-cooked grains such as muesli?
I would like to make up dry mixes for quick breads and vacuum seal them. When I want to make them, can I soak all the dry ingredients including salt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, together?
I always thought you had to pour the soaking water off to get rid of the enzyme inhibiters, like you would with beans. Aren’t you still consuming it if you soak the ground flour instead of the grain?
Read somewhere that wheat used to pre-sprouted in the fields by cutting and stacking upright so the moisture from the dew would cause it to sprout before being removed from the stalk. Then it was dried and ground.
Thanks so much for your wonderful sight.
I agree. I soak, sprout, and make rejuvelac, then dehydrate the grains in my oven (100ish degrees). I refrigerate them until I need flour and then grind in my coffee/spice grinder as needed..
I agree. I soak, sprout, and make rejuvelac, then dehydrate the grains in my oven (100ish degrees). I refrigerate them until I need flour and then grind in my coffee/spice grinder as needed..
Kimmy, I’m sorry if you’ve answered this question already, but I’ve searched for this answer and just can’t find it.
Once I’ve already soaked my quinoa or rice (the two I soak the most) HOW DO I COOK THIS STUFF? I’ve soaked and then followed the recipe on the package only to end up with a horrible glob of gross quinoa (inedible) or rice that is just sticky (I could still manage to eat this, but not great).
I’m ruining every batch I cook. HELP!!!
Thanks, Laura
get a rice cooker, that helps me greatly =)
Don’t stir it once you dump it in the pot. If you stir, you activate the starch to bind together and you end up making the grains stick to each other. I don’t have that much experience with quinoa. The one time I made it I followed my rice method. The following is how I cook perfect rice.
Always make sure you have 2 times water in proportion to rice, i.e. 1 cup rice / 2 cups water. Make in a pot that has a tight fitting lid.
1. Once rice starts to boil, turn heat to medium, DON’T put a lid on it. Boil for 15 minutes. Check, if surface looks dry, proceed to step 2. If not, let boil for 5 more min. Checking every 5 minutes until surface looks dry. Only proceed to step 2 after surface looks dry and craters of the moon. DON’T stir it.
2. There should be dry looking rice on top, put a lid on it and turn down to low. Let sit for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. It can sit with the lid on until the rest of your food is ready.
3. When ready to eat, stir rice to fluff. Should be perfect!
This is how I cook my quinoa and it comes out perfectly:
1. Fill your pot with water (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water)
2. Put the pot on the stove with a lid on and wait for it to reach boiling point
3. Once it’s reached boiling point, turn the plate down to 1
4. Add your quinoa and put the lid back on
5. Let it steam for about 15-20 minutes until the water has all disappeared
There you have it. You should have perfect, fluffy quinoa at the end of all that:)
Your using to much water. Try cooking it 1 to 1 ratio on low if it’s to dry add another 1/4 cup but not anymore. I usually first bring the water to a boil then add quinoa turn the water down to low and put a lid on and don’t touch it.
Hello- We make bread in our bread machine that automatically mixes and bakes all ingredients. We want to add both millet and quinoa to our recipes. Do we need to soak both beforehand, or can we just throw the grain (not as flour) in with the mix since we are only using a little of both to make a multi-grain bread? Also, do we HAVE to add yogurt, lemon, vinegar or anything to the room temp water if we soak or, for bread, will water alone do fine?
Thanks,
Dee
Dee – I’ve been adding cooked quinoa/amaranth to recipes, inc sourdough & muffins – works great! & is an easy way to use quinoa (I am working on soaking more – I’ve always soaked beans!) Sometimes I bake the quinoa – 30 minutes covered, 10 w/ lid off in 350* oven; often using some pureed squash w/coconut milk for part of the liquid.
Sounds like the vinegar etc helps ‘neutralize the anti-nutrients’ – so is SUGGESTED, but not required!! I’d say try it both ways, see what you like best!
If soaking the grains for baking results in these benefits, should I soak my oatmeal overnight as well before using it for breakfast? The oatmeal I use is the extra thick old fashioned. Sometimes I use the whole grains too.
Thank you for the great information.
I am new to traditional eating, love your site, thanks so much for all you do!
I soaked brown rice for the first time– I used ACV. I just cooked and it is a bit soggy vs fluffy. Makes me think I should have cut back the water as the rice may have absorbed some during soaking. Any suggestions? 🙂
Hi very informative. May I ask once you soak your porridge oats do you rinse them? I have tried this and the rinsing seems to rinse out most of the oats substance!
Regards, jj
I’ve been soaking my oatmeal and flour for pancakes for the last few weeks. Love the results. However, the first few day I experienced a lot of gas. It went away, but my children continue to complain off and on that their stomachs hurt. Is there an adaptation period for some? My kids are very healthy and have been raised on very healthy food. My soaking has been done with kefir and sometimes I soak up to 24 hours. Just wondering if we are alone on this. Laura
Hi,
I soak whole grains,brown rice from years.but in summer the wheat flour is getting too sour.is it ok to keep refregirate after soaking.
Thanks
after soaking quinoa and rice how do you cook it. I soak and then cook according to the directions but end up with mush. please help
I am totally confused. I thought I should soak my wheat berries 24 hours, then a friend suggested I put it on cokkies sheets in my warming drawer then I could grind it? Or should I grind it and then soak it?
Also I cook Japanese short grain white rice. My Mother in Law is Japanese and she showed me early on that all rice should get washed till the water is clear and then it is soaked before cooking.
I am totally confused. I thought I should soak my wheat berries 24 hours, then a friend suggested I put it on cokies sheets in my warming drawer then I could grind it? Or should I grind it and then soak it?
Also I cook Japanese short grain white rice. My Mother in Law is Japanese and she showed me early on that all rice should get washed till the water is clear and then it is soaked before cooking.
Thanks a lot for the post ! I have a question if we soak brown rice or any grains overnight in water can we cook the grains in its soaked water or is it essential to drain them and use fresh water?
Does the soaking also apply to chickpea flour, coconut flour and quinoa flour? and of so, what would i soak them in, how long etc…thankyou!
Can you tell me if it works to soak flour in a buttermilk substitute such as 1 T lemon juice combined with 1 c milk?
Thanks for the all the great info.
I’ve long been soaking grains, but I too was under the impression the soaking water should be thrown out (I soak overnight, then drain & rinse the grain, then cook, usually with a little less water than would otherwise be called for). From your post it sounds as though you can cook the grain in the soaking water.
What do you think? Perhaps it’s ideal to throw out the soaking water, but not necessary?
Thanks.
I’ve long been soaking grains, but I too was under the impression the soaking water should be thrown out (I soak overnight, then drain & rinse the grain, then cook, usually with a little less water than would otherwise be called for). From your post it sounds as though you can cook the grain in the soaking water.
What do you think? Perhaps it’s ideal to throw out the soaking water, but not necessary?
Thanks.
I have seen this topic all too frequently and I am finding it discouraging. I have wheat, have ground it for years and made bread my kids and husband devour, no one is having trouble (ok dh has gas from everything God ever made, but that’s him) I don’t have all these additives, save water, to be soaking grains in. I just make flour for breads and cakes. Who has an extra 18 hours to soak flour, on top of all the time it takes to form a good sourdough, when they have a large family and a disabled child AND they homeschool, AND run a business And they are pregnant??? I sometimes wonder if we come up with this stuff to make our lives more difficult, despite the health claims to the contrary. Mothers of yesteryear must have had incredible stamina and not a lot else to do. (yeah, right! 🙂 This is just so discouraging when you only have a bit of food in the house and just want to bake some bread-but don’t have 3 days to do dinner.
Don’t be discouraged. You don’t have to soak for 18 hours! Most people say 8-12 hours. You sleep 8 hours don’t you? Most people soak them overnight! If you don’t sleep 8 hours, then start them soaking a couple hours before you go to sleep and cook it in the morning. Or, I’m learning to cook stuff on the weekend so I can eat it all week. Soaked/cooked stuff can last about 5 days. Good luck, sounds like you have a very hectic life. You can do it!
My understanding is that you don’t need to soak the grains that are made into sourdough. The fermentation process of the sourdough removes the phytic acids. If you’re not going to make sourdough, then you should soak. Actually, I thought that sourdough was the preferred way to make bread healthy.
In the old days (-200 years) in villages here, sourdough bread was baked once a week to once a month, often in a communal ovens. Yes, wrapped in a cloth, sourdough bread lasted up to a month, easily.
It is only us who make everything too complicated.
Jan, Slovak Republic (Central Europe).
In the old days my grandmother had a woodstove going 24/7 for cooking. Oats etc, constantly soaking., Bread constantly baking ( rolls and biscuits), 1 acre garden, they lived on a farm, Grandparents and 8 kids. Same with my moms grandparents except they had 16 kids. Its called working at least 12 hours per day, 6 days/week. Most people have lived in a dream world for the last 50 years. We have been so lucky. I fear times are getting worse not better. Making changes to our lives , going back to the way our great grandparents lived will be tough, but it has its natural pay offs. Take the TV out and the facebook etc and we will be surprised how much time we have. Good luck.
I’m still confused. How can the yeast (and any other ingredients) be combined thoroughly enough in the dough, particularly using a bread machine?
Thanks
Hi, Matt… Just to let you know, I have a bread maker that does not even put the yeast INSIDE the bread maker, but on TOP in a small well. At the appropriate moment, a spring pops the hatch open and the yeast falls down onto the bread as it’s being mixed by the bread machine. But that happens AFTER the machine has kneaded the dough quite a bit. So yeah, it DOES mix thoroughly AFTER the dough has been kneaded… even if you DON’T soak the flour.
You do a great service with this blog. Well written and clear explanations for truly functional things I need to add to my new plant based regime. Thank you, Kimi Harris!
I have just recently started soaking my grains (usually brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and wild rice), but have been leaving them in the refrigerator while soaking as I thought they might “go bad” if left out. Now doing some research I see that almost all recommendations are to leave at room temp, or even a little warmer. I will do this from now on, but am wondering, does soaking at a cold temp still have some benefit? Thanks!
Hi! Great post. I’m curious if a several day soak in the refrig would work. I have the Healthy Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes book and the recipes are made from a wet dough, made in a dough bucket and used over 1 to 2 weeks. Would this “count” as soaking or does it have be at room temp? If you don’t use whey or yogurt does it need more time? What happens to the phytic acid?
Thanks!
Carol
Has anyone tried soaking and rinsing their grains then drying them back out in a dehydrator before milling? I have read If you don’t rinse the phytic acid out of the grains, then soaking is almost pointless. What is your opinion on this?
Hi! I thought I had read somewhere about someone soaking oats before making granola – I would love to know how to do this without making it soggy! Was it on this site where I saw it! Thanks!
Sheri
Yes!!!! I would love to know this too!!!!
Soaking makes sense; Sprouting makes even more sense – especially for those of us who have grain sensitivities [but not Celiac Disease]!
So my question: If I soak for 8-24 hours, then sprout for 1-3 days… then [from reading these comments] I should put the sprouted grains in my VitaMix with the required wet ingredients and go from there?
Has anyone tried this?
That’s what I do,sorta. I soak my grains, then sprout them for 1-3 days, then dehydrate them and finally mill them in the vitamix. When I make the bread, I just take the sprouted flour and add the wet ingredients. It’s a process, but since it’s healthier…
Hey
I wonder : why dehydrate soaked grains when there are meant to be milled in Vitamix and mixed with water to make the dough … would it make sens to skip one step: dehydration and blend directly soaked grain in the Vitamix with water for the dough ? and follow the rest of the bread making recipe with sourdough, salt, etc
thanks
JP, I was told to do the same as you were, to soak the grain and then grind it in a vitamix for the dough. That is doesn’t need to be dehydrated. The person who told me to do that is a nutritionist. I cant seem to get an answer from him about the starter, as to whether the starter is also made from soaked grain and then grind in a vitamix. Or if the starter is to be made with flour and water stirred up. Your comment was made last year in February.
I was told by a nutritionist to soak the grain and then grind it in a vitamix. He said that dehydrating is unnecessary. I could not get an answer from him as to whether to soak and grind the grain for just the dough, or for the dough and the starter both.
Hello,
Could you tell me if steel cut oats will sprout? If not, do you know where I could find whole oats? Thanks so much!!
Making a real sour dough with culture is an easy option. I usually make my dough up and leave in the fridge until I need it, just pulling off the dough as much as I need for the day to either make flat bread or bread rolls. Really easy for busy mums. I am going to be posting pictures and recipes shortly if that’s any help. I teach sour dough cooking in Brisbane Australia. http://www.goodgenes.com.au/blog
I recently heard that you can also BAKE or dry roast your dry grains at between 175-200 degrees Fahrenheit (in your oven on a cookie sheet or in your crock pot you can stir grains occasionally) for 8 hrs (overnight is most convenient) and very significantly aid in the removal of phytic acid. You can then store your dry grains naturally in air tight containers and later cook them normally as you would in your recipes.
Hope this helps someone.
May God grace you with His presence, His peace and excellent health.
What kind of blender do you use? I have burned through two blenders after I started making soaked grain pancakes. I can’t afford a Vitamix. I figure I should buy something with at least 1000 watts, and I can find some around $100, but the reviews are mixed, and everyone’s making smoothies with them, not blending soaked grains. I know the blades and the shape of the container can make a difference too. Opinion?
I know the vitamix is expensive, but it’s really worth it. You can make smoothies, but you can also use it for butters (dairy and nut) and for flours, and hot soups. Put a wanted ad on craigslist for a used one; even the really old ones work well. The flours aren’t as good as a real mill, but they’re serviceable.
Hi, I’m new to soaking grains. Can I have a question please? I recently started soaking brown rice in water with a bit of lemon juice. Normally I just soak it for a day (or two at max) but once in a while because of unexpected changes in plans my rice soaks as long as 3 days. I noticed there’s some white stuff floating on top of the soaking water. Is this rice still fit for consumption (in the course of those 3 days I do rinse thoroughly once every day). Thanks so much!
Corn has to be treated with lye…. soaked in wood ashes… in order to get it to release the protein. Our Native American and South American ancestors would have starved, no matter how much corn they ate, unless they included this step.
Is there a reference of how long to soak each grain for?
Just wondering as quinoa seems to sprout after a few hours and be ok for cooking whereas rice and barely need to be soaked longer. I never have added an acid and seems to turn out ok, but there will be more nutrients if soaked with an acid?
And beans… they start to smell after being soaked for a few hours… like they’re fermenting? Is that food safe?
I’m trying to combine healthy eating practices (like soaking grains) and “once a month” cooking… What I’ve been doing is making large batches of muffins, pouring the batter with all ingredients in muffin tins and freezing them- this may be cheating, but is this sufficient soaking?
Sorry for all the pesky questions, I appreciate any feedback as I’m so new to this!
blessings 🙂
After reading Nourishing Traditions I began the experimentation with porridge. After trying different combinations with oats I’ve settled on oats and rye or a 7 grain combination (that includes oats) from the local health food store. A 24 hour soak at room temperature with a tablespoon of yogurt seems to work well. I do rinse the grains and they don’t seem too mushy. My housemate has this cool strainer gizmo that perfectly fits the stainless steel pot (half the diameter of the pot).
I can’t measure phytic acid but so far digestion seems good. I read on another blog some folks arguing about whether the calcium in the yogurt is inhibiting the the enzyme from working on the phytic acid. Not sure what to make of that yet.
I am certainly intrigued by this method. I will have to try this in some of my recipes as my little one tends to have an upset tummy quite often. I have never ground my own whole wheat flour either but I might have to give that a try too. Does anyone know if I can just a regular food processor to grind the grains or do I have to purchase a grain mill?
I love your blog. Do you ever use coconut or almond flours?
Is it safe to eat Quinoa that has been soaked in the refrigerator for 2, 3 or 4 days and then rinsed and cooked?
What range is “room temperature?” Overnight our house goes down to 55 and I wondered if I have to find a warmer spot, although so far have not because I would have to turn on electric heaters. I have gas stove and ovens but no pilot lights. Will soaking and various other “over night” processes work at 55?
I started my first soak, of warm water, lemon juice, and rolled oats. 24 hours would have been late last night, and now it’s mid-day the next day…because things got crazy yesterday and I forgot about it.
The bowl was left at room temp with a tea towel over them, and now they smell kinda bad, and when I tried to drain it off and got my hands wet, they also got really slimy. They don’t *look* bad and maybe this smell is the beneficial ‘fermented tang’, from leaving them out for a day and a half.
Can you help me understand if they were out too long (I made a 4.5 cup batch). Or what I’m supposed to do with them now? Do I rinse, drain and store in the fridge? Do they need to be dried/dehydrated somehow? Or do I need to throw it out, because they smell sour and I took too long?
Thank you for the help!
I am allergic to all dairy products, what other milks can I soak my wheat in to make bread ?