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red pleasant hill grain corn sheller
Food PreservationHomestead How-to'sHomestead Living

Shelling Corn By Hand (2 Simple Methods)

by From Scratch Farmstead

Growing corn is a great addition to your homestead kitchen! Use it to feed animals. Turn it into many yummy and satisfying recipes. But shelling corn can be a tedious job on a small scale. Let’s look at how to shell corn efficiently—both by hand and using a mechanical corn sheller.

What Is Shelling Corn?

Shelling corn is the act of removing the kernels from the cob. This is not to be confused with shucking, which is removing the husk off the ear of corn. First corn is shucked; then it is shelled.

We grow a couple hundred ears of corn every year on our 5 acre homestead. Once the corn stalks turn yellow or brown in late summer or fall, we harvest all the ears of corn from our 3-sisters garden.

The corn needs to dry for a couple months before being shelled and eaten. So, after harvest, we shuck the corn by peeling back and removing all the husks, or leaves that wrap the ear of corn. The shucked corn can then be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place to dry out. We do this in our basement either by hanging it or storing in bins or boxes that allow for airflow.

bin of dried oaxacan green dent corn

After 1-3 months, your corn will be completely dried out and ready to shell! We shelled our corn entirely by hand for years. It’s tedious work.

Last year, with worn out thumbs, we thought, “there’s got to be a more efficient method for shelling corn out there!” That’s when we discovered mechanical corn shellers. 

We’ll break down both options for shelling corn below!

History of Shelling Corn

For most of history, corn has been shelled by hand. Sometimes called a “shelling bee”, family and friends gathered together to shell corn and fill their buckets. Cobs were tossed in a pile where they had multiple uses including fuel for heating.

It wasn’t until the early 1800’s that mechanical corn shelling came into being. Early shelling machines left the kernel and cob together requiring the operator to manually separate the two. A new design concept was introduced in the 1840’s that had the capability to shoot the cob out the side after the corn was shelled. The Black Hawk Corn Sheller by A. H. Patch was one of the first to utilize this design. These original cast iron corn shellers (and modern replicas like the one featured in this post) are still popular among corn growers today.

mechanical corn sheller attached to wood box

John Deere played an important role in pioneering the industrial corn shelling processes we have today. This started in 1915 with their hand cranked No. 1 Corn Sheller unit. Later, Deere mobilized the process with tractor-powered corn shellers. 

Today, modern Combine Harvesters have the ability to separate the ears of corn from the stalk, shuck and shell each ear, then spread the remaining plant material back over the field in a single pass.

HOW TO SHELL CORN – 2 WAYS

Many methods and devices exist for shelling corn. Here, we’ll focus on two: shelling corn by hand and using the Pleasant Hill Grain Mechanical Corn Sheller.

1. Shelling Corn By Hand

There’s no need to overcomplicate shelling corn by hand. Your fingers are your tools and you pry, pluck, pop, shoot—whatever means or method it takes—to remove each individual corn kernel from the ear.

Getting started is the hardest part. The kernels are almost locked in place when the ears are full. But once you get started and a row or two of kernels has been removed, it’s much easier to speed up the process and pluck more efficiently.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Grab a bucket, box, or container to collect your shelled corn kernels into. Hold your ear of corn firmly over it. 

Step 2: Start at the bottom, or wider end, of the ear of corn. Pluck the first couple rows of kernels off in a circular pattern. You may need to dig your finger nails in to pry free some of the stubborn kernels that won’t let go. Once released, kernels should pop right off.

shelling corn by hand
shelling corn by hand using thumbs

Step 3: Continue prying kernels free in a circular motion moving down the whole ear or corn. We typically use our thumbs. You should find it easier to release larger sections of kernels at time while you go.

Step 4: Pluck all the kernels and you’re done! Collect up the cobs afterward to compost or find other uses for.

Some recommend first removing two rows of kernels the full length of the ear of corn first. Then you pry the rest of the kernels off by by bending them to the side, in a circular motion, where they release more easily. We’ve found that all corn releases differently when hand shelling depending on the breed, size, and shape. Try both methods and see which works best for you!

As you can imagine, shelling corn by hand is a slow process. Each ear of corn can take 1-5 minutes to shell depending on how big and/or stubborn it is. Let’s look at a quicker method using a mechanical corn sheller.

2. Shelling Corn With A Mechanical Corn Sheller

We purchased the Pleasant Hill Grain Corn Sheller in 2022. It’s been a game changer! 

pleasant hill grain corn sheller

We used to shell corn by hand as needed. What this equated to was not eating the corn we grew very often because of how time consuming it all was. Not only did we need to whip something up from scratch, but first we needed to shell however much corn we needed by hand, then mill it into cornmeal using our hand cranked grain mill.

Now, thanks to our mechanical corn sheller, we have corn available to us at any point stored in 5 gallon buckets!

To get going, you will need some basic supplies. Here’s a list:

  • Pleasant Hill Grain Corn Sheller
  • Sturdy Wood Box
  • Clamps
  • Bucket or Box to collect cobs in

The steps for using your mechanical corn sheller are very simple. Let’s lay them out here along with some considerations.

Step 1 – Setup

Start by setting up your corn shelling station. The flow is to: first, have your bin of corn ready to be shelled; next in line is your corn sheller and the box it is mounted to; then last is your bucket or box to catch the cobs that shoot out of the sheller.

corn shelling setup with mechanical corn sheller

The sheller has two clamps with wing nuts for mounting. Mount the sheller to your wooden box first. Note that the ideal wood box would be about 1-1.5” thick for the mounting brackets. We use an old wood drawer and need some wood shims to add thickness for a secure mount. 

Your box will also ideally be at least 12” deep. You lose space in the box as the corn kernels collect. And too shallow of a box will not allow for the cob to pass through correctly to shoot out the side of the sheller.

If your box is not heavy enough to stay in place on it’s own while shelling corn, then clamps may be necessary. I use two quick clamps at opposite ends of the wood box to clamp it securely to the table beneath it.

Once your sheller and box are firmly mounted, setup your bucket or box to collect cobs, bring your corn over, and it’s time to get shelling!

Step 2 – Shelling

Feed an ear of corn, pointy end down, into the top hole or hopper. Turn the crank handle clockwise. You may need apply a bit of downward pressure with your other hand on the ear of corn until it catches.

As you crank, the ear of corn will spin downward and the spiked plate will strip the kernels from the cob. Once the ear passes all the way through, the plate will pull the cob to the side of the sheller where is ejected into the waiting bucket or box.

running ear of corn through mechanical corn sheller

There is an adjusting screw on the spring tensioner that may need to be adjusted as you go—tighter for smaller ears and looser for larger ears. Occasionally, we’ve found that not all the kernels are removed. If there’s just a few kernels left, we pluck those by hand. If many were missed, you can pass the whole ear of corn back through the top of sheller a second time.

It’s all pretty straightforward, but we do find that sometimes you need to help the process along by hand—being sure to turn the handle slowly and safely to not crunch a finger!

Step 3 – Finishing

Once you crank out all your shelled corn, you’re almost there!

We’ve found it’s worth sifting through your box of kernels by hand and looking for any large pieces of the cob that might have broken off and fallen in with the kernels during the mechanical shelling process.

shelled corn in a jar

Once you remove those, pour your shelled corn into containers for storage. We like to use food grade 5-gallon buckets. Mason jars or other food safe storage containers are also good options.

And that’s it! You’re stocked up on corn that can feed your family for years to come.

Which method of shelling corn by hand do you recommend?

Choosing to shell corn by hand or invest in a mechanical corn sheller really depends on the quantity of corn you shell each year. 

If you are simply shelling one or two dozen ears of corn each year or less, then you’re probably fine to do it by hand.

If you are regularly shelling 50, 100, or more ears of corn every year, then investing in a mechanical corn sheller is definitely worth it! The time you save will pay for the cost of the sheller in no-time.

But even if you’re only doing a few ears of corn and want to upgrade to a mechanical corn sheller, we won’t judge 🙂 It’s a pretty cool contraption to have and fun for the whole family to partake in.

How much time can you save with a mechanical corn sheller?

We did a little friendly competition to test this! One of us shelled an ear of corn by hand while the other saw how many ears of corn we can pass through the mechanical corn sheller in the same time.

shelling corn with mechanical corn sheller

The results: 11 ears of corn mechanically versus 1 ear by hand. That’s significant time savings! 

And if you’ve really got your mechanical corn shelling process dialed in, you can probably crank out a lot more than 11! It’s advertised as being capable of shelling 10-15 bushels of corn per hour.

Which Mechanical Corn Sheller do you Recommend?

We only have experience using the Pleasant Hill Grain Corn Sheller. We have been very impressed with the quality and performance this corn sheller offers and would definitely recommend it to anyone shelling their own corn.

You can also look for used versions of the original Black Hawk Corn Sheller that are still out there. We’ve heard of others still using these today, which speaks volumes to their design and durability.

What kind of corn can be shelled using a mechanical corn sheller?

This style of mechanical corn sheller can only be used with dry corn. Any high moisture corn, or corn that is not fully dried out, should not be run through it. This includes sweet corn.

We typically use a dried dent corn, although we have used it for other corn varieties. Our favorite is Oaxacan Green Dent Corn.

corn grown for cornmeal

Are there Cons to using a mechanical corn sheller?

Only very minor cons that can be easily overlooked considering the amount of time you save.

One thing is that some corn kernels can have a tendency to shoot while shelling. For this reason, we like to setup our shelling station outside to minimize cleanup and chasing down loose kernels all over the house.

Also, because of the mechanical churning the cob goes through, there does tend to be more chaff and other parts of the cob that end up in the kernels than you get from shelling strictly by hand. Spend a minute or two removing what you can after shelling and you’re good to go.

How long does shelled corn last?

When stored in a dry, cool place, shelled corn will have no problem lasting a year. Grains stored in their whole form are much better able to stay fresh and preserve their nutritional value. As soon as grains are milled into flour or meal form, the shelf-life is drastically reduced. Many would say that corn stored in its whole kernel form can remain nutritionally viable for years. 

Uses For Shelled Corn

Dried corn is most commonly ground into cornmeal and then used for polenta, porridge, grits, cornbread, and other delicious foods. We use our Wondermill Jr. Deluxe to mill our corn into cornmeal for cooking.

stone ground cornmeal in wondermill junior

Cracked corn, or corn that has been ground into smaller pieces, can also be used for feeding animals on your farm or homestead. 

Keep On Shelling!

If you haven’t yet, we hope you’ll give growing corn a try in your garden! It’s a remarkable, energy rich storage crop with so many uses in the kitchen.

And if you’re flowing in ears of corn like we are and wondering how to shell it all, we hope this has been a helpful guide!

What do you plan to do with your corn? We’d love for you to leave a comment 🙂

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mac and cheese baked in dutch oven
Home DairyMain CourseNourishing Recipes

The Best Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese Recipe

by From Scratch Farmstead

When it comes to ooey, gooey deliciousness, look no further than this dutch oven mac and cheese. This recipe can easily be made in under an hour with even less hands-on time, requires only a few basic ingredients, and is a definite crowd pleaser!

Jump To Recipe

As a kid, I grew up on Kraft mac and cheese and the funky, powdery, neon orange “cheese” that came along with it. That was the only type of macaroni in my book. 

Well, times have changed and now I look at the orange, powdery packet and wonder how it was possible that no one questioned what we were putting into our bodies?

Thankfully, like so many other recipes, from yogurt and sour cream to homemade ice cream, mac and cheese is super easy to make at home. No fake cheese required—only real, wholesome, and satisfying ingredients.

Why Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese?

The beauty of the dutch oven is that it converts this baked mac and cheese into an easy one pot meal. And with a family of 6 and seemingly endless dishes, I’ll take all the breaks I can get.

Also, the heavy bottom construction of the dutch oven allows for even cooking and, in our opinion, just makes everything taste better! And because dutch ovens are rather large, you can scale this recipe up to make mac and cheese to serve a large group.

best dutch oven mac and cheese

Tips to Take Your Mac and Cheese to the Next Level

With the ingredients in macaroni and cheese it’s a hard one to make NOT taste good. However, by following a few simple tips, you can easily take your mac and cheese up a notch!

1. Don’t overcook your noodles

The goal is to have a perfectly cooked noodle. No one wants mushy mac and cheese. To do this, cook you noodles for 1-2 minutes less than the instructions on the package. This is because the noodles will continue to cook in later parts of the recipe and we are going for an al dente noodle, not a mushy one!

2. Choose the right shape

When it comes to mac and cheese, you want a noodle that will hold the cheese as much as possible. This means that noodles with curves work best. Good mac and cheese noodle options include: elbow, cavatappi, fusilli, shells, or rotini.

3. Shred your own cheese

This is a big one! Packaged shredded cheese from the store contain an additive called an ant-caking agent to prevent the cheese from clumping together. However, these anti-caking ingredients also change how the cheese behaves and inhibit its ability to melt as it normally would giving an unpleasant texture to your cheese sauce. I hear you; shredding cheese can be a pain. But, use the shredder attachment on a mixer, a food processor, or shred by hand (my method of choice). Jim got me this shredder for my birthday and it makes shredding cheese by hand as pleasant as it gets.

grating cheddar by hand for mac and cheese

4. Use a combination of cheeses

With homemade mac and cheese, the sky is the limit when it comes to cheese options. Be creative. Use what you like. And most importantly, use a combo of a few different options. Gruyere cheese is especially popular. But pepper jack, cheddar, and parmesan are all great choices.

5. Load it up

Plain mac and cheese can make a great side. But our preference is to load it up with meat and veggies and call it dinner. This is a perfect use for any leftovers that may need to get eaten up. Also, don’t be afraid to try adding different herbs or a dash of Worcestershire or coconut aminos. These little touches can make a big difference in taking your mac and cheese up a notch.

6. Bake it!

Stove top mac and cheese is good. BUT baked mac and cheese is so much better in our opinion. That ooey, gooey melted cheese on top with a bit of crisp from the noodles—nothing’s better!

homemade dutch oven mac and cheese recipe

What Do You Need to Make Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese

Equipment:

  • Grater (or use the attachment on your mixer or food processor)
  • Dutch Oven
  • Strainer or colander

Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup butter
2 cloves garlic (optional)
½ cup flour
2 cups cream
2 cups whole milk
4 cups shredded cheddar (or cheese of choice)
2-3 cups of diced mozzarella (or cheese of choice)
1 lb. dried Pasta
2 tsp salt
additional herbs (optional)

dutch oven mac and cheese ingredients

Directions:

1. Heat water to boil and cook pasta for one minute less than the package instructions.
2. While pasta is cooking, shred cheese and chop garlic if using, set aside.
3. When pasta is finished, drain and set aside in strainer.
4. In the same Dutch oven that you cooked your noodles, make a roux by adding your butter to the pan.
5. Once melted, add garlic (if using) and let cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Add flour to the melted butter.
7. Mix until the flour and butter form a paste similar to that of wet sand.
8. Slowly pour in cream and milk whisking the flour/butter mixture into it.
9. Heat over medium heat, whisking or stirring regularly until a thick sauce has formed.
10. Add salt and any other spices you are using
11. Slowly add the 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice). Stir after each handful of cheese is added to make sure it melts fully and is incorporated.
12. Once the 4 cups of cheese has been added to make a thick, cheese sauce, add the strained noodles to the sauce (and any other mix-ins you’d like to add).
13. Sprinkle the remaining 2-3 cups of mozzarella or other cheese over the top.
14. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the top is beginning to brown slightly.

Serve and Enjoy!

bowl of baked mac and cheese

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make this without a dutch oven? 

YES! If you don’t have a dutch oven, simply cook your noodles and make your sauce in any stove top safe sauce pan. Then transfer your mac and cheese to a large oven safe casserole dish (a 9×13 pan works great) and bake as instructed.

Could you make this recipe in advance of serving? 

Absolutely! Follow the instructions listed up to the baking step. Set the dutch oven in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Once you are ready to serve, bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.

baked mac and cheese before going in the oven

Can this recipe be scaled for a crowd? 

Yes! We follow this recipe as listed when we are making this dutch oven mac and cheese as a meal for our family. But, when we are making it for a potluck or party, I double it and cook it in a larger dutch oven.

Can Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese be made with fresh pasta? 

I love the idea of using fresh pasta. However, in this recipe, I think that the dried noodles actually work better. They seem to soak up that cheese sauce giving the mac and cheese a more ideal texture than fresh noodles do.

Can I make a gluten free version of Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese?

You bet! In addition to using your favorite gluten free noodle, swap either tapioca starch or arrowroot flour for the wheat flour in the cheese sauce and leave all other ingredients the same.

For more from our home dairy, check out: 

How To Make Crock Pot Yogurt
The Best Vanilla Raw Milk Ice Cream
Simple Cornmeal Porridge
Easy Farmhouse Cheddar Hard Cheese Recipe
Quick and Natural Mozzarella Cheese
How To Make Cultured Cream
How To Make Butter From Raw Milk In A Blender

mac and cheese baked in dutch oven

The Best Dutch Oven Mac & Cheese

Yield: Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

When it comes to ooey, gooey deliciousness, look no further than this dutch oven mac and cheese. This recipe can easily be made in under an hour with even less hands-on time, requires only a few basic ingredients, and is a definite crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional)
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 cups cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 cups shredded cheddar (or cheese of choice)
  • 2-3 cups of diced mozzarella (or cheese of choice)
  • 1 lb. dried Pasta
  • 2 tsp salt
  • additional herbs (optional)

Instructions

    1. Heat water to boil and cook pasta for one minute less than the package instructions.
    2. While pasta is cooking, shred cheese and chop garlic if using, set aside.
    3. When pasta is finished, drain and set aside in strainer.
    4. In the same Dutch oven that you cooked your noodles, make a roux by adding your butter to the pan.
    5. Once melted, add garlic (if using) and let cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
    6. Add flour to the melted butter.
    7. Mix until the flour and butter form a paste similar to that of wet sand.
    8. Slowly pour in cream and milk whisking the flour/butter mixture into it.
    9. Heat over medium heat, whisking or stirring regularly until a thick sauce has formed.
    10. Add salt and any other spices you are using
    11. Slowly add the 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice). Stir after each handful of cheese is added to make sure it melts fully and is incorporated.
    12. Once the 4 cups of cheese has been added to make a thick, cheese sauce, add the strained noodles to the sauce (and any other mix-ins you’d like to add).
    13. Sprinkle the remaining 2-3 cups of mozzarella or other cheese over the top.
    14. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the top is beginning to brown slightly.
© From Scratch Farmstead
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quick rise weeknight pizza dough
Main CourseNourishing Recipes

Simple Einkorn Pizza Dough in Under an Hour

by From Scratch Farmstead

Pizza has been a long-standing favorite in our house. And while we have our beloved Saturday night pizza nights with our deep-dish sourdough pizza, sometimes we want to do a quick weeknight pizza. With our once-a-month sourdough routine, I don’t often have sourdough ready during the week to whip up a crust that way. However, we have found the perfect solution. This quick einkorn pizza dough is a game changer for getting a simple yet delicious pizza dinner on the table in no time!

For the Love of Pizza

When I was a kid, long before our homesteading and from scratch cooking days, my mom had a system called “dinner nights”. Each night of the week, a different person of the family was assigned to choose and cook dinner that night. Well, no surprise but one of my go-to dinner choices were pre-made Boboli Pizza crusts. I would add my own sauce, cheese, and toppings and in my 10-year-old mind, I had just cooked up the most gourmet, homemade dinner you could imagine.

pepperoni from scratch einkorn pizza dough

Pizza was always a favorite. Normally my meal of choice for birthdays and special occasions. After getting married, I decided that a weekly pizza night should be a thing and it was time to learn how to make it all, crust included, from scratch. While we’ve tested a variety of recipes over the years, this einkorn pizza dough for weeknights or lunches along with deep-dish sourdough pizza for Saturday pizza night, have become our two mainstays.

Why Einkorn?

Einkorn is an heirloom variety of wheat and is the only form of wheat that’s never been hybridized. It has a weaker gluten which makes it easier to digest and lacks the gluten proteins that can trigger a reaction to gluten. Additionally, einkorn also stands out in its nutritional profile compared to modern day wheat varieties. It is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates while being rich in carotenoids, phosphorus, vitamin B6, potassium, antioxidants and amino acids.

quick rise pizza dough ball

Einkorn actually translates to “one kernel”, which refers to the way it grows. It more closely resembles rice or orzo than modern wheat, with only one grain per spikelet. The beauty of einkorn is that even with all of these amazing properties, it still tastes great with a nutty flavor and silky texture. Einkorn also works extremely well in baking from scones to bread to pizza dough, you can’t go wrong. 

We like to purchase einkorn berries in bulk and grind the berries as needed in our manual grinder. Our favorite source is from Janie’s Mill, a local organic mill here in the Midwest.

Key Ingredient to Quick Einkorn Pizza Dough – Instant Yeast

In order to make this einkorn pizza dough in less than an hour, the secret ingredient is quick rise or instant yeast. This is different from the standard active dry yeast. The main differences between instant yeast vs active dry yeast are that instant yeast has been dried more quickly and milled into smaller particles. This means that it dissolves and activates faster. Unlike active dry yeast that needs to be dissolved in water, instant yeast can be mixed directly into your ingredients.

In this einkorn pizza dough, adding instant yeast results in a perfectly fluffy crust with very little wait time for rising and eliminates the need to pre-bake the crust.

quick rise instant yeast for einkorn pizza crust

What Else is Needed for Einkorn Pizza Dough?

The einkorn flour and instant or quick rise yeast are the 2 main ingredients in this recipe, the only other things that you need are sugar, salt, water, and olive oil to make the perfect einkorn pizza dough.

In terms of equipment needed for this recipe, that’s basic too. You just need two pans to cook the pizza on – our favorite method is to use two 12” inch cast iron pans. However, a pizza stone or cookie sheet would work as well. Just make sure to grease thoroughly or use parchment paper so it doesn’t stick. You could use a rolling pin, but I actually prefer to just use my hands to roll out.

Einkorn Pizza Dough FAQ’s

How much does this recipe make? 

This recipe yields 2 medium-large pizzas. We roll them out to be 12” in diameter. However, if you like a thicker crust, you could roll it out into a smaller crust, just bake longer to compensate for the thicker crust.

Can you freeze the einkorn pizza dough? 

Yes! This pizza dough freezes beautifully. After forming the dough into 2 balls simple freeze in Ziploc bags (we like to cover in a light layer of olive oil to stay moist). When you are ready to use, remove from the freezer and place in the fridge overnight. Before you are ready to roll out, remove from fridge to allow it to get to room temperature, roll out and cook according to the instructions in this recipe.

Do you need to pre-bake the crust? 

No! Another time saving feature about this quick einkorn pizza dough. You do not need to pre-bake the crust. After it is rolled out, top as desired and bake!

quick rise einkorn pizza dough and toppings

Do you have to use Einkorn flour? 

Nope. This recipe will work fine with any wheat flour. We’ve found that einkorn tends to use a little more flour than other wheat varieties so just make sure you start at 4 cups and slowly incorporate wheat until the dough reaches the right consistency.

Favorite toppings? 

This is totally up to you! Einkorn pizza dough does make a nice hearty pizza dough so you can feel free to load it up with whatever toppings you’d like while still having a perfectly hand holdable slice of pizza. Our favorites lately have been using all of the tomato sauce or pesto we’ve preserved from our garden and topping it with a combination of our mozzarella and shredded cheddar cheese with whatever meat and garden veggies we have on hand – green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, sausage or pepperoni – you can’t go wrong!

Enough talking, on with the recipe – The perfect weeknight Einkorn Pizza Dough!

Einkorn Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

4-5 cups of Einkorn Flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1-¼ tsp Instant or quick rise yeast
1.5 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil

einkorn pizza crust ingredients

Directions:

1. Mix 4 cups of flour with the other dry ingredients (sugar, salt, and yeast) in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in water and olive oil.
3. Stir everything together. Add flour ¼ cup at a time until a soft, kneadable dough is formed (I end up using between 4.5 – 5 cups).
4. Knead dough for 5 minutes.
5. Place dough back in bowl and let rest for 15-20 minutes. This is a great time to prepare your pizza toppings!

quick and easy from scratch pizza crust

6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. Divide dough into 2 balls and roll out onto preheated 12” cast iron pans or pizza pans lined with parchment paper.
8. Add sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.
9. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees (if your crust is thicker, it may need more time) until cheese is melted.

That’s it. This easy peasy einkorn pizza dough will ensue cheers of delight around your table if you are looking for a quick meal that the whole family will love! 

To check out more of our favorite fresh from the farm dinner recipes, check out our butternut squash enchiladas or lasagna!

pepperoni from scratch einkorn pizza dough

Simple Einkorn Pizza Dough in Under an Hour

Yield: 2 crusts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This quick einkorn pizza dough is a game changer for getting a simple yet delicious pizza dinner on the table in no time!

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups of Einkorn Flour
  • 
1 tbsp sugar

  • 2 tsp salt
  • 
1-¼ tsp Instant or quick rise yeast

  • 1.5 cups water

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

    1. Mix 4 cups of flour with the other dry ingredients (sugar, salt, and yeast) in a mixing bowl.
Add in water and olive oil.

    2. Stir everything together. Add flour ¼ cup at a time until a soft, kneadable dough is formed (I end up using between 4.5 – 5 cups).

    3. Knead dough for 5 minutes.

    4. Place dough back in bowl and let rest for 15-20 minutes. This is a great time to prepare your pizza toppings!

    5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

    6. Divide dough into 2 balls and roll out onto preheated 12” cast iron pans or pizza pans lined with parchment paper.

    7. Add sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.

    8. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees (if your crust is thicker, it may need more time) until cheese is melted.

© From Scratch Farmstead
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best deep dish cast iron pizza
Main CourseNourishing Recipes

Deep Dish Sourdough Cast Iron Pizza

by From Scratch Farmstead

If you are looking to incorporate sourdough into your world or want to expand your sourdough repertoire, this deep dish sourdough cast iron pizza is our favorite!

Jump To Recipe

Sourdough Deep Dish Pizza Crust

Our Deep-Dish Pizza Story

We both grew up in the Chicago area and Chicago style pizza is deep dish pizza. Every birthday or special occasion I always requested this deep-dish delicacy. To me, pizza wasn’t really pizza unless it was piled high with all the cheese, sauce, and meat you could imagine. However, growing up, the thought of crafting our own deep-dish pizza seemed downright impossible.

Fast forward to five or six years ago and we decided to begin incorporating sourdough into our family’s routine. It started pretty basic, loaves of bread, and basic pan pizza.

sourdough starter and freshly ground wheat

But overtime as we got more comfortable with the process of feeding our starter and working dough into different delicious concoctions, we thought, “Why are we not making a deep-dish pizza?”

After a little experimentation, we landed on this amazing deep dish sourdough pizza made in a cast iron pan. We haven’t looked back and this delicious sourdough cast iron pizza shows up on our table every Saturday night.

The History of Deep-Dish Cast-Iron Pizza – Chicago Style

Many Italians immigrated to Chicago in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in search of factory jobs. They brought with them their love for pizza. Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo were two of these Italian men who decided to begin experimenting to create something unique that blended their Italian heritage and their new American traditions. Riccardo and Sewell opened their first pizza shop, Pizzeria Uno, making pizzas that more closely resembled a cake than the traditional Neapolitan pizza.

cast iron deep dish pizza

The key difference in their pizza was making it in a deep pan so that it could have a tall crust, leaving room for loads of toppings. Because of the density of the pizza, it needed to be cooked longer. But, in order to keep the cheese from burning, they put the cheese on the bottom, added meat and veggies, and finished it off with a layer of tomato sauce, giving rise to this Chicago tradition.

Why Make Sourdough Pizza?

There are many reasons to opt for traditionally prepared sourdough as opposed to the more modern quick yeasts and refined flours.

1. Easier to Digest. Sourdough is made through a slow fermentation process which breaks down many of the plant compounds that are difficult for the body to digest and increases the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals.

2. Blood Sugar Balance. Because of the fermentation process and high fiber content in sourdough, the body responds differently to it then with modern, commercially made bread products. There has been found to be less of a spike in blood sugar with sourdough allowing the body’s blood sugar levels to more easily stay balanced.

measuring ingredients for deep dish pizza

3. More nutritious. The long fermentation in sourdough causes it to breakdown phytic acid, a naturally occurring compound in grains that is difficult to digest and makes it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. Because sourdough breaks down the phytic acid, it causes an increase in bioavailable vitamins and minerals making it more nutritious and health promoting.

How We Do Deep Dish Sourdough Cast Iron Pizza

We typically batch cook all of our sourdough once a month. Because of this, we cook all of our sourdough pizza crusts for the whole month at one time. So, the recipe below is for 4 crusts but could easily be halved or quartered for 2 or 1 crust respectively. 

four pizza crust dough balls

Our favorite combination of deep-dish sourdough cast iron pizza is to put a layer of pesto on the bottom, followed by a blend of cheddar and mozzarella, a layer of crumbled sausage, and then topped with spoonful’s of tomato sauce.

How to Freeze Pizza Crusts

Because we make four sourdough cast iron pizza crusts at a time, we typically use one right away and then freeze the other three for later use. Simply divide the dough into 4 evenly sized balls, coat them in a light layer of olive oil, and place in a quart sized zip lock bag. Place the bags in the freezer for up to a few months (ours never last that long!). 

freezing deep dish pizza dough

When you want to use, take the zip lock bag out of the freezer and place it into the fridge. Let it thaw in the fridge for a day or two. The day you are serving take the dough out of the fridge and place in a bowl on the counter for 3-4 hours before forming into your crust and cooking.

Type of Flour

We buy our flour from a local organic mill that we love – Janie’s Mill. Our preference is to use a 50/50 blend of einkorn flour and glenn wheat (a hard spring wheat). However, you could use whatever whole wheat or all-purpose flour that you prefer.

grinding wheat to make pizza

Deep Dish Sourdough Cast Iron Pizza

Equipment: 12” Cast Iron Pan

Yield: 4 Crusts

Ingredients: 

– 12 cups flour
– 4 cups sourdough starter
– 2 cups water
– ½ cup olive oil
– 2 tbsp honey
– 2 tsp salt
–  2-3 tbsp of lard or other heat stable cooking fat

Directions:

  1. Add lard to 12” cast iron pan and place in oven to preheat at 450 degrees.
  2. Start with 8 cups of flour in large mixing bowl. Add starter, water, olive oil, honey, and salt. Stir together.
  3. Once stirred, continue to mix in ½-1 cup of flour at a time. Stop once the dough is moist but not too tacky to handle.
  4. Place dough on a floured surface and knead 3-5 minutes until a smooth ball is formed. 
  5. Cut large dough ball into 4 equal sections. Knead each piece of dough a couple more minutes until smooth dough balls are formed.
  6. Lightly coat each ball in olive oil.* If freezing dough, add dough ball to quart size Ziploc bag and place in freezer at this time.
  7. For fresh eating, remove preheated cast iron pan from oven. Spread cooking fat around in pan until bottom and sides are coated.
  8. Place ball of dough in pan. Spread dough by hand working it down and outward. Make sure dough is spread evenly along the bottom with extra dough around the edge. Form crust roughly 1” up the side of the pan.
  9. Use a fork to poke holes in dough every inch across bottom of pan. Prebake for 4 ½ minutes.
  10. Top pizza and bake at 450 deg. for 15-20 minutes. 

*We usually bake the pizza crust immediately after making, but you can proof the dough in a covered bowl for 6-8 hours or until doubled for added fermentation.

Enjoy!

So, the real question is – what are your favorite toppings? And do you go with Chicago style, or do you have your own deep dish tradition? 

Our family’s weekly tradition is to make deep dish pizza accompanied by homemade ice cream, and this homemade ice cream alongside this deep dish cast iron pizza is a match made in heaven.

Some of the above links are affiliate links. This means we earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. We are so appreciative of your support!

best deep dish cast iron pizza

Deep Dish Sourdough Cast Iron Pizza

Yield: 4 Crusts
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

If you are looking to incorporate sourdough into your world or want to expand your sourdough repertoire, this sourdough cast iron pizza is our favorite!

Ingredients

  • 12 cups flour

  • 4 cups sourdough starter

  • 2 cups water

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • 2 tbsp honey

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 2-3 tbsp of lard or other heat stable cooking fat

Instructions

    1. Add lard to 12” cast iron pan and place in oven to preheat to 450 degrees.
    2. Start with 8 cups of flour in large mixing bowl. Add starter, water, olive oil, honey, and salt. Stir together.
    3. Once stirred, continue to mix in ½-1 cup of flour at a time. Stop once the dough is moist but not too tacky to handle.
    4. Place dough on a floured surface and kneed 3-5 minutes until a smooth ball is formed.
    5. Cut large dough ball into 4 equal sections. Kneed each piece of dough a couple more minutes until smooth dough balls are formed.
    6. Lightly coat each ball in olive oil.* If freezing dough, add dough ball to quart size Ziploc bag and place in freezer at this time.
    7. For fresh eating, remove preheated cast iron pan from oven. Spread cooking fat around in pan until bottom and sides are coated.
    8. Place ball of dough in pan. Spread dough by hand working it down and outward. Make sure dough is spread evenly along the bottom with extra dough around the edge. Form crust roughly 1” up the side of the pan.
      Use a fork to poke holes in dough every inch across bottom of pan. Prebake for 4 ½ minutes.
    9. Top pizza and bake at 450 deg. for 15-20 minutes.

    *We usually bake the pizza crust immediately after making, but you can proof the dough in a covered bowl for 6-8 hours or until doubled for added fermentation.

© From Scratch Farmstead

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aga stove in farmhouse kitchen
AGA StoveNatural Living

AGA Stove Review

by From Scratch Farmstead

One year into owning our AGA cast iron cooker, we give you our AGA stove review complete with an overview of what an AGA oven is and our honest assessment of the pros and cons we see for our family.

If you follow Plain English Kitchens on Instagram like we do, no doubt you’ve seen your fair share of AGA cast iron cook stoves. Brilliant colors. Old world charm. But… and it’s a big BUT… how practical are they really in our modern age? You have questions – so did we. Watch our AGA stove review video or read on.

Sneak peek… we LOVE it!!! But is it right for you?

What is an AGA Cooker?

Aga cast iron cookers have a unique and timeless design that has remained largely unchanged since first appearing in England in the 1920’s. Their bright-colored, enameled cast iron shell adds an attractive charm in any kitchen. But it’s their functionality and cook quality that has captivated food lovers for decades across Europe. It wasn’t until the 90’s that AGA ovens first started appearing in US kitchens. They remain a rarity given Americans increasing resistance to log hours in the kitchen preparing food from scratch.

Most AGA stoves run on natural gas. If you look for knobs to dial in the temperature, you won’t find any. Instead, you’ll find one single dial that maintains a constant temperature for all of it – ovens, stove tops, and all. That’s right, it runs all the time.

Our AGA stove has 4 oven compartments, but some have 3. Each chamber runs at a different temperature and serves a unique purpose. Looking straight on at the oven, the bottom left compartment is for warming (100-200 deg Fahrenheit). Above that is the slow cooker (200-300 deg). Bottom right is the baking oven (300-400 deg). And top right you have the broiling oven (400-500 deg).

aga oven in farmhouse kitchen

Atop the stove are two burning plates with insulated covers that trap heat remarkably well. When you lift the top left cover, you’ll find the boiling plate. Not just for boiling water, we use this plate for searing and cooking meat, or heating up anything rather quickly. Right of that you find the simmer plate. We often bring something to a boil on the boiling plate, then move it to the simmer plate to maintain a steady heat. It also cooks the perfect egg. Our AGA has a warming plate on the far left top, but newer models offer different features.

Newer models of AGA cast iron cook stoves also offer different ventilation options, but the classic model, like ours, has a trademark black enameled flue pipe. The flue vents out through the roof much like a gas water heater. We were also surprised to find, unlike newer models, ours did not require any electrical supply.

Why do we have an AGA stove?

AGA cook stoves tend to look like something out of a fairytale; something you dream about, yet so farfetched they could never possibly become reality. 

That’s where we were in early 2020 as we closed on our foreclosed, 5-acre farm property and knew the house, and kitchen especially, would need a major overhaul. As the 1970’s wallpaper was coming down and we dreamed about how the new spaces would look and function, Joelle casually brought up, “So there are these things called AGA stoves I’ve been looking into, and I’m sure it’s a longshot and totally not realistic, but it would pretty much be my dream oven… 😉”

It’s a good thing I like a challenge!

overhead view of aga stove

We looked into a new one but just couldn’t afford going that route. Since we had grown accustomed to making weekly Facebook Marketplace runs to furnish nearly everything else in our home second hand, we started to keep our eye out for a used AGA stove.

Remarkably, one came up just before we needed to finalize our kitchen layout and was only an hour away! We reached out, went and saw it, researched like mad how in the world you install one of these things, designed our kitchen layout around it, and hired a professional moving crew to bring the 1300 lb. beast into our kitchen. The fairytale was coming true!

Our honest AGA stove review

We managed to get the stove installed all on our own and it has run perfectly ever since. We’ve also experienced it running for over a year. This is important when reviewing an AGA as the oven itself radiates a fair amount of heat into your space and gives you a different experience in each season. Here are the Pros and Cons we have seen.

The Pros

It’s always on. We honestly thought this would be a surefire con. But lo and behold, the genius of the AGA rests in its ever-prepared nature. We log hours in the kitchen every day; cooking, baking, meal prepping. This oven has proven to be the perfect companion for a from scratch lifestyle. And while we fully expected to pay an arm and leg on utilities to run it, the budget impact has been surprisingly negligible. Any given month, we saw our gas bill go up only about $10. To offset that, we have seen our furnace run much less in the winters, and stop running almost entirely in the spring and fall, dropping our gas and electric bills significantly.

It multi-tasks like none other. Four different oven compartments, each with their own function, literally means you can be doing four different stove functions at once. And this happens often in our home. It’s not uncommon to have vegetables roasting, something baking like our soaked baked oatmeal, and a roast slow cooking all at once.

aga stove with cast iron pans

Built in slow cooker. Separate but related to the above two pros, the built-in slow cooker has been a much loved and used surprise. Throw a whole chicken or roast with some veggies into a dutch oven, place it in the slow cooker overnight, and you have lunch perfectly prepared for the next day. Or pull an already prepared meal out of the fridge after lunch, throw it in the slow cooker, and dinner is there and waiting for you. The slow cooker uses have been endless for us – including the perfect way to warm up a mug of coffee or tea!

The cook quality is exceptional. We are not trained chefs. But this oven cooks the tastiest and most exquisite looking food we have ever had. The way it radiates heat instead of applying heat means food gets cooked evenly without drying it out. We’ve found foods to be less picky cooking in our AGA, meaning things just come out cooked well regardless of being at the exact recommended temperature or not.

Built to last. AGA cook stoves are serious tools in the kitchen. Yet they are so simple in design that there is hardly anything to go wrong. Parts will need to be replaced over time, but if cared for, these AGA stoves will run worry-free for decades. They are heirloom quality cookers that may even outlast your home itself.

The Cons

There are things about owning an AGA stove that either take some getting used to, or can be flat out annoying at times. That said, here’s our list of cons to consider:

It’s always on. You are correctly looking back at the start of the pros list. While we absolutely love that our AGA oven is always on and ready for a food adventure, there are times this can shift to an annoyance. This is primarily in the summertime, on 90+ degree days. We don’t run the A/C much, so you feel the radiating heat the oven produces piled on top of our muggy Midwest summers. The benefits for us still make the oven totally worth it, but we can understand where that wouldn’t be true for everyone. Some AGA owners turn their stoves off during the summer. And if you live in a warmer southern climate, you’ll certainly want to weigh this one out.

It takes getting used to. Whether you’re used to a gas or electric oven, most function pretty well the same. Preheat to the desired temp or dial in your stovetop burner and adjust accordingly as you go. No knobs on an AGA means an entirely new cooking experience. You learn your oven over time. You learn what height to set your oven racks at for the perfect sourdough loaf. Or go back and forth between oven compartments discovering one was too hot or not at all hot enough. After a year, it all feels like second nature. But it took some commitment, head scratches, “oh boys!”, and failed dishes to get there.

aga stove burner plates

It’s sealed off from smell and sight. Yep, no convenient little window with a light to peek through. No, sniff sniff, “hmm, what’s that burning smell?” You NEED to set a timer with everything! Thankfully we’ve only opened an oven compartment once to find blackened, inedible beets that were roasting for 24 hours. But it can easily happen. The oven is sealed incredibly well and all smells vent out through the flue pipe. 

Maintenance can be hit or miss. While they are very durable and built to last, you have to consider what you will do when maintenance needs do come up. We researched certified AGA technicians in our area prior to purchasing one. Thankfully there were a handful. But this may not be the case everywhere. You will want to do your homework ahead of time. Information on these ovens is pretty scarce across the internet and even your trained local appliance repair guy may be at a loss.

Other fun and unexpected benefits of AGA ovens

  • They dry anything rapidly! Laundry, mason jars, dish towels, wet socks after a family snow excursion. There is almost never a time something isn’t drying on ours.
  • You can cozy up in front of it. It’s seriously like sitting in front of a fireplace. Fall through winter, the whole family will gather around it to read books. Occasionally we’ll even snuggle up for an at-home AGA date with a warm beverage or treat on cold winter nights 😊
  • It stands out. Our AGA oven is almost certainly a talking point for anyone who comes to visit. Some recall one from the unique AirBnB experience they had some years back. Others think back to seeing them in their international travels. Either way, AGA’s are an eye catcher and great conversation starter.
  • They become the center of your home. For all of these reasons, and many others that we probably aren’t even aware of yet, your AGA stove just becomes the center of all functions at home. Much like I imagine this would be true of a home with a wood burning cook stove 100+ years ago in Little House on the Prairie times, it can still be every bit true today in a modern home.

front view of aga stove

Would you recommend an AGA oven?

For our family’s needs and lifestyle, the answer is a resounding, “yes!” A year later, we couldn’t image life without our AGA cook stove. That said, you will need to weigh out how well the functionality matches up with your own lifestyle. If you are in the kitchen daily preparing from scratch meals and experimenting with new recipes, then it could be a great fit. If you regularly go a day or two without using your oven and aren’t sure if the pros listed above would really be pros in your household – looks aside – this may not be the oven for you.

Some final thoughts…

Our entertainment revolves around food, so much like a television is constantly on for entertainment in other homes, it only makes sense to have a cook stove that is always on in our home. This has made an AGA cast iron cook stove the perfect fit for our family.

We hope you have found this AGA stove review helpful in assessing how well these stoves may integrate into your own world. I expect you’ll have questions, and we’d love to hear from you if you do!

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DIY Farmhouse open shelf for pots and pans
Homestead SkillsNatural Living

How to Cook Eggs in a Cast Iron Skillet

by From Scratch Farmstead

If you are looking for non-toxic, inexpensive, and most importantly, non-stick cookware for your family, look no further. Cooking with cast iron is all about knowing how to use it. But if you do, cooking with cast iron has so many benefits. Dust off your grandma’s old cast iron skillet and learn how to cook the perfect non-stick egg!

How to Use Cast Iron so Nothing Sticks

I had been cooking with cast iron for years, but there were a few things that I just could never get to not stick in cast iron – eggs being a big one. So, every morning, I’d have a separate fry pan to cook my eggs on to avoid having to scrape egg off the bottom of a cast iron pan. However, learning to use my cast iron properly has completely changed our cooking. Now, almost everything we make, eggs included, put our cast iron pans to work every day.

The two critical components for making cast iron non-stick are:

  1. A well-seasoned pan
  2. Heat

overhead view of potato crusted quiche

How does seasoning and pre-heating cast iron work?

The first crucial component to make your cast iron non-stick is adding a light layer of fat or oil to your pan. We like to use natural, heat stable fats for this purpose (lard and olive oil are my favorites). Then heat your pan. The pan must be heated slightly above the smoke point of the oil.

Heating a layer of fat on the cast iron pan works through the process of polymerization and carbonization. When a thin layer of oil is applied to the surface of the cast iron, heated and then dried, the oil becomes polymerized (meaning its molecular structure is altered). This is a necessary step because it creates a layer on the pan that isn’t easily removed. Then, once the pan is heated above the smoke point of the oil, it causes a carbon matrix layer to form on the pan’s surface making the pan non-stick. 

If these steps of seasoning and pre-heating of the pan aren’t taken, chemical bonds between the food and the pan are formed and cause the food to stick to the pan. 

sideview of open farmhouse shelf

How to cook a non-stick egg on your cast iron skillet?

  1. Put a small amount of oil or fat on your pan.
  2. Bring your cast iron pan to a heat slightly above the smoke point of the oil. If you aren’t sure whether or not it’s hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water on your pan and look for it to sizzle.
  3. Crack your egg onto your pan and let is sit. Stirring the egg right away can deter the formation of this necessary barrier. Let the egg sit for a minute until you can see that it is cooking. Once cooking, you will see it pull away from the pan making it easy to slide your spatula under and flip as desired.

cooking an egg on cast iron without stickinig

What NOT to cook in cast iron:

Highly acidic foods can deteriorate the seasoning on your pan and therefore should be avoided. These acidic foods include tomatoes and tomato-based products, lemon juice, wine, and vinegar.

History of Cast Iron

There have been findings of cast iron being used in cooking for over 2,000 years. In America, there is some evidence that metal casting was being done prior to colonization. But Europeans brought more advanced metal casting methods to the country. 

Cast iron cookware quickly became one of the most common methods for cooking and remained that way until the arrival of more modern materials like aluminum and stainless steel began to replace cast iron in kitchens. However, cast iron has been making a comeback in recent years because of its numerous benefits. 

It is interesting to note as well that the process for making cast iron has remained almost unchanged for hundreds of years, meaning that besides the pans level of seasoning with age, the actual modern cast iron pan is not much different than an antique pan.

Benefits of Cooking with Cast Iron

  • Cast Iron is great for cooking with any heat source. Stovetop, oven, grill, fire. No need to change pans between stove top and oven and it’s great for serving in allowing you to go directly from cooking to table.
  • Improves with age. My favorite cast iron pan is one that I got from my grandma and is at least 80 years old. It is so well seasoned and easy to cook with.
  • Durable. Clearly standing the test of time, cast iron is one that can be passed down from generation to generation if properly taken care of.
  • Inexpensive. High quality pots and pans can get up there in price. But a quality cast iron pan is very affordable and can last a lifetime. They are also great to snag at thrift stores, garage sales, and second hand for even less!
  • Contains a naturally made non-stick coating. As opposed to Teflon and non-stick pans, cast iron is a natural, non-toxic alternative.
  • It retains heat safely. The Teflon coating on nonstock cookware breaks down when heated to high temperatures, which can flake off and omit carcinogenic toxins into your food and the air. Cast iron can get extremely hot and remain safe giving your steak a perfect sear.

overhead shot of cornbread in cast iron

Where to find cast iron?

As I mentioned above, the process used to make these pans has not changed much over the last one to two hundred years. That being said, modern cast iron pans are not that different than older pans. In my opinion, cast iron is one of those things where newer is not always better. They just get better with age.

We own and use cast iron pans that were both brand new as well as passed down from previous generations or purchased used. They both work well but my favorite pans are those older pans that are so well seasoned and feel like you are cooking with your great grandma in the kitchen with you. These are the new cast iron pans that we own. Or, garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, and other second-hand sources are all great places to look to begin or add to your cast iron collection.

To give it a try, here are a few of our favorite recipes using our cast iron pan: Gluten Free Potato Crusted Quiche and Homestead Gluten-Free Cornbread

Jan
02

Gluten Free Potato Crusted Quiche

This recipe hits all of my requirements – super simple, minimal ingredients I normally have on hand, requires little prep time, nourishing, and is a big hit with the whole…

Jan
13

Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free)

This cast iron cornbread has it all and has been a staple in our home for several years. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Naturally sweetened with maple…

 

underside of farmhouse shelf hanging cast irons

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underside of farmhouse shelf hanging cast irons
DIYNatural Living

Simple Farmhouse Shelf for Cast Iron Storage

by From Scratch Farmstead

Cooking food from scratch requires the right cooking vessels. Cast iron pans. Enameled dutch ovens. They are big, sometimes greasy, take up a lot of space in cabinets, and need to be easily on hand when duty calls… basically every meal of every day! Our solution – this easy DIY farmhouse shelf that is perfect for cast iron storage. This farmhouse shelf is a great beginner woodworking project, gives that rustic farmhouse charm, and is completely natural and toxic-free!

Our 1957 ranch house on our homestead needed some work. We purchased a foreclosure on 5 acres and focused the majority of our efforts on building our dream kitchen. At a garage sale, we found a complete set of barely used kitchen cabinets and installed as many of the base cabinets as we could fit in. But, we were never sold on the uppers and thought there must be a more practical and more aesthetic option for our space.

In the meanwhile, our cast iron collection kept growing! Six cast iron pans. Three Le Creuset’s. Shoving them in the back of the cabinet was a pain so most of the time they sat out on the counter and got in the way!

farmhouse kitchen before updating

Before shot of our kitchen! This was the only room without wallpaper!

We both spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but Joelle especially. I could tell she had enough of the cast iron shuffle when the only thing she wanted for Christmas this past year was a shelf to store everything on. While I wasn’t quite able to deliver by Christmas, we are feeling so much better about 2022 having this practical farmhouse storage shelf to complete our kitchen.

Will this work in my space?

The great thing about this shelf is that you can adapt it to fit your own needs and your own space. We made ours 6’ long by roughly 12” wide. But a smaller shelf works just as well. All you need is open wall space. And, you can adapt it to repurpose almost any lumber you have on hand or buy your wood of choice.

The top of our shelf sits at 32″ above counter height. This is the perfect height for both of us to reach the shelf and even the largest cast iron pans hang high enough above the counter to not be in the way. But again, you’ll want to play with this height for your space and needs.

kitchen before installing farmhouse shelf

Our kitchen before putting up the farmhouse open shelf.

What type of wood should I use?

We salvaged some wood off an old Amish hay feeder made of solid white oak. The boards were gray and weathered and had some slight rot spots. But with a good sanding from a belt sander, the boards brightened up and looked as good as new. The bolt holes and rough sawn look provide the perfect authentic farmhouse feel for our space.

Our boards were 2”x6”. Joining two of them together made the shelf about a foot wide, which was the perfect size to set some of our larger dishes on. We also made our shelf 6’ in length. This was the perfect size to hang our six cast iron pans on. It also allowed the shelf to span 5 studs in the wall so the brackets used to hang the shelf could be spaced in a symmetrical way.

sanding down weathered boards for farmhouse shelfweathered versus sanded white oak boards

You don’t have to use salvaged boards. Any hardwood or softwood 2×6 lumber should work. But it is worth noting that the harder the wood, the heavier the shelf will be and you’ll have a bit trickier of a time getting the bolts through to join the boards together.

When selecting boards, you want to spend some extra time making sure they are straight. This is how you avoid needing fancy tools to cut straight edges. In my case, the boards weren’t necessarily the straightest, but after playing with configuration, I found a layout for the boards that fit together nicely with hardly any gap in the middle.

Or, you can also make it WAY easier and just get a 2×12 board to start.

What if I’m not a woodworker and what do I need?

This is a great project for anyone, regardless of experience, to start! No fancy jointers or planers. No gluing. You can build this shelf with a drill, impact driver, miter saw, some clamps, and a few other miscellaneous tools. That’s it.

To make it simpler, the boards are supported by these cast iron brackets that both look great and are very secure. I recommend installing them at least every two stud spaces (32”) since they’ll carry a fair amount of weight with the pots, pans, and shelf itself.

On the underside of the shelf, these hooks are the perfect blend of decorative and functional. Our hooks were placed 4” off the wall, which seemed to be the right distance to not bang the pans against your wall but also not feel like they were intruding on your counter space. The middle hook on either side we offset a bit at 5” off the wall which helped the pans hang and not bang into each other. You’ll want to play with the hook locations based on your pan sizes.

cast iron shelf brackets and hooks on counter

Both the brackets and hooks were handmade, crafted in the USA products that we felt good about supporting and were pleased with the quality of.

And for the finish, we’ll introduce you to the most foolproof finish method: Soap!

What is the soap finish method in woodworking?

Soap finish is a traditional method of sealing and preserving wood. You’ll read about the Wilders scrubbing down their wood floors with a lye-based soap in Farmer Boy to both clean and restore them to a glistening white. It has a bleaching effect that really brings out the whites and natural tones of wood.

Compared to oil and water-based sealers, both sides have their pros and cons. Soap will not seal against water and moisture like other modern sealers. You’ll want to wipe up water or other liquids before it has a chance to set it. But you also don’t get the yellowing effect that oils and other finishes will give. We really like the toned down, natural look and feel that a soap finish gives.

Other finishes can also be unforgiving if the finish is ever damaged requiring a complete removal of the finish and starting over. Reapplying soap is SO easy. If you ever need to refinish a spot, simply give it a light sanding, and reapply a fresh coat or two of the soap and let it soak in. The wood will be as good as new!

And, it’s 100% toxic-free, which most wood stains and sealers can’t compete with.

working soap finish into board

To make your soap finish, simply buy these soap flakes, boil water, then add two tablespoons of flakes per quart of boiling water. One quart is sufficient for this project. Stir it up well, let cool, and this is important – LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT BEFORE USING.

Inexpensive. Foolproof. Safe for your family. And you’ll channel your inner Almanzo Wilder and feel like a true turn-of-the-century woodworker!

Materials List:

* The quantity of brackets and hooks will be determined by your layout and needs. I recommend not going more than two stud spaces (32”) without a bracket.

** GRK Screws are only needed if joining boards. If joining smaller boards you can get a smaller size GRK. And don’t forget to pick up the correct star bit size for the screw.

GRK screws used to join shelf boards

Tools List:

  • Drill
  • Impact driver
  • Miter saw (or a skill or circular saw will work)
  • Bar clamps (quick clamps can work if your boards are straight)
  • 4’ level
  • Various drill bits*
  • 1” spade bit
  • Sandpaper or belt sander
  • Tape measurer
  • Pencil
  • Speed square
  • Safety glasses
  • Stud finder (optional if no other way to locate studs)
  • Bucket for mixing soap finish
  • Rags and towels for applying soap finish

* I will recommend you pick up a long, thin drill bit to pre-drill the holes when joining the boards. I used a quarter-inch, boring spade bit because that’s what I had. Either way, make sure it’s long enough to go at least 6” into the wood. Otherwise, you’ll give your impact driver a massive work out and spend a lot of time driving in the GRK screws.

sideview of open farmhouse shelf

How to make your farmhouse open shelf?

1. Determine the size of your shelf and cut your wood to length with a miter saw or circular saw.

cutting shelf boards on miter saw

2. Align your boards side-by-side so they line up with little or no gap between them. You may need to rotate the boards and try different configurations to get the best layout.

3. Clamp your boards together securely. You want to spend plenty of time getting this step right. Make sure they clamp nice and straight across. You’ll want a minimum of one clamp in the center and one on each end. You may want to consider placing a scrap piece of wood between your clamp and shelf, so the clamp does not leave impressions in the wood.

clamping shelf boards together

4. Layout where to put your screws for joining the boards. I recommend one at least every 2 ft. Keep them centered on the boards. Use your 1” spade bit to start the hole and go in roughly 3/8” so the head of the GRK screw will be countersunk into the board. This will allow the shelf to sit flush against your wall.

closeup of countersunk GRK screw into shelf

5. Drill a small pilot hole as level and straight as you can. If it’s not straight, the GRK screws runs the risk of popping through the top or bottom of the board. Then switch to your longer, 1/4” drill bit to pre-drill each hole at least 6”.

6. Use your impact driver to install a GRK screw into each pre-drilled hole. You may need to back them out and drive them in a couple times for them to fully screw in. If you are having major issues, back out the screw and go a little deeper with your ¼” drill bit.

7. At this point you can remove the clamps and do any final sanding that is required to level out and finish the shelf. I used a belt sander with 40-grit sandpaper on some of the rough areas and switched to an 80-grit sandpaper to finish the shelf.

8. Apply 2-3 coats of soap finish. Work it with the grain and against the grain for best penetration. Results are best if you let it dry between each coat, but you can do multiple coats simultaneously if low on time. Wipe away excess soap with a towel. Allow about an hour to dry.

pouring soap finish onto shelf

9. Mount the brackets onto your wall securely into studs using 3” screws. Predrill holes prior to installing screws.

using level to install shelf bracket 2screwing in shelf bracket

10. Place your dried shelf on the brackets and predrill holes for screws to secure the bracket to the underside of the shelf. Also determine your layout for hooks and mark where those will go.

11. Remove shelf and predrill holes where hooks are to be placed. Make sure drill is vertical so the hooks hang straight. Also make sure you assess the depth of your boards to assure you don’t drill through the board. I recommend starting with a smaller drill bit and sizing up until you find the right size bit for the hooks. You don’t want to drill too big a hole so the hook does not screw in tightly. Using a long wrench to help screw in the hooks will save a lot of time and hassle!

measurinig for hook placement on shelfusing wrench to screw in hook

12. Place shelf back on brackets and secure the brackets to the underside of the shelf using 1-1/4” screws.

screwing in brackets to shelf

Then go ahead… hang some pans… place some pots… step back and admire your new farmhouse open shelf and say goodbye to the cast iron clutter! This is a project that can be wrapped up in a day and is so rewarding to see the massive change it can bring a space in so little time!

If this is the answer you’ve been looking for in your kitchen, we hope you’ll give this one a shot, and please let us know in the comments if you do! We’d love to hear how it goes or if questions come up.

DIY Farmhouse open shelf for pots and pans

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Nourishing RecipesSides

Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free)

by From Scratch Farmstead

This cast iron cornbread has it all and has been a staple in our home for several years. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey and versatile with what you have on hand. This cast iron and gluten free cornbread is fool proof and perfect for bringing to your next potluck or a simple side dish with a pot of chili.

Jump To Recipe

overhead slice of cornbread being served

What is Cornmeal?

front yard garden in the suburbsBack in 2018, we decided to expand our gardening efforts to a garden spanning just about the entire front yard of our suburban lot. Hey, that was the sunniest spot we had. Alongside the tomatoes, peas, and lettuce, we decided to grow corn. But not just any corn. 

We grew Oaxacan Green Dent Corn. When flipping through the seed catalog the winter before, we were enticed by this beautiful green, heirloom corn variety. The description let us know that it was not a sweet corn but was best suited to be dried out and ground into cornmeal. We had recently purchased a hand grinder to grind wheat berries into flour so we thought, why not?

Cornmeal is just as it sounds – dried corn that is ground into a meal. It is generally coarse in nature. Dent corn or field corn as opposed to sweet corn are the best for grinding into cornmeal. 

That summer, our corn grew well over six feet tall and was the talk of the neighborhood. We meticulously hung it around our living room to let it dry, which also made for perfect fall décor. Several weeks later, we shelled the corn off the cobs and began having all the cornmeal at our disposal. Thus, the necessity for a really good cornbread recipe. 

hand milling cornmeal

How to Source Cornmeal

Since that initial summer, we have grown dent corn every summer since. It’s easy to save seed from previous years and grows robustly. This past year was our first full year on our new homestead and we went all out. We planted a large three sisters garden (corn, beans, and squash) and should have our cornmeal needs set for at least the next 10 years. It was also the first year we ventured beyond Oaxacan green dent corn and tried a few other varieties, including a popping corn. 

Like every other food, since the advent of conventional row crop farming and now with the introduction of genetically modified seeds, it is important to know the source of your cornmeal and ideally the farmer who grew it. Unfortunately, most heirloom seed varieties have been replaced by only a few varieties that are selected for traits that make them better suited for growing and shipping in our industrial food system. 

That being said, it is always our preference to find a local farm and farmer growing these heirloom corn varieties. You’ll find that they have way more flavor and even unique texture and colors compared to the standard, uniform, grocery store shelf cornmeal.

oaxacan green dent corn

Some Notes on Ingredients

In addition to enjoying the taste and texture of this cast iron gluten free cornbread, I love that it uses ingredients that we always have on hand. And many that we are able to produce here on our homestead or source locally. That being said, this cast iron cornbread is also very adaptable to whatever you have on hand.

Cornmeal – This recipe uses only cornmeal with no other flours. Since cornmeal is made of only corn, it is naturally gluten-free. If you are not concerned about gluten and would rather use a one-to-one combination of cornmeal with regular or whole wheat flour, that works as well.

Yogurt – The plain yogurt in the recipe could alternatively be substituted for kefir, buttermilk, or a combination of sour cream and milk.

Butter – While the butter is so tasty in this cornbread, it can also be substituted with melted coconut oil, lard, or even olive oil.

Maple Syrup or Honey – We always prefer to use natural sweeteners and ideally ones that we can either produce on our homestead or buy locally. Maple syrup is my favorite in this cast iron cornbread but either one is a great option!

about to pour melted butter into cornbread mix

Cooking in Cast Iron

We love cooking in cast iron whenever possible and this cornbread is no different. Depending on how thick you would like it, a 10” or 12” cast iron pan will both work, just adjust your cooking time accordingly. It is important to grease and heat your cast iron pan prior to pouring in the cornbread batter. A preheated cast iron pan will keep the cornbread from sticking to the pan. Alternatively, an 8×8, 9×9, pie pan, or even muffin cups will also work for this recipe if cooking times are adjusted accordingly.

overhead shot of cornbread in cast iron

How to Serve and Store

We highly encourage eating this cast iron cornbread fresh out of the oven, but it can be stored as well. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to five days. We prefer reheating until warmed if serving as leftovers.

This gluten free cast iron cornbread is delicious as is but we prefer a smear of butter on top. If looking for an extra decadent side, a drizzle of honey would be lovely. This cornbread makes a perfect side for any dish. Some of our favorite ways to serve it are alongside barbeque or a cozy bowl of soup, stew, or chili.

slice of cornbread taken out of pan

Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free) Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups cornmeal
1.5 cups plain yogurt or buttermilk
¼ cup butter or coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place your greased cast iron pan into the preheating oven.
  2. Stir cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together
  3. Add yogurt, melted butter, honey, and egg.
  4. Stir everything together ensuring that all cornmeal in incorporated.
  5. Pour into greased pan.
  6. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes** depending on cooking vessel.

** A larger 12” cast iron pan will cook more quickly, closer to 20 min. The smaller pans will require a few more minutes of baking time, 25-30 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

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Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free)

Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free)

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

This cornbread has it all and has been a staple in our home for several years. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Naturally sweetened with honey and versatile with what you have on hand, this gluten free cornbread is fool proof and perfect for bringing to your next potluck or a simple side dish with a pot of chili.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cornmeal

  • 1.5 cups plain yogurt or buttermilk
  • 
¼ cup butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 
1 egg
  • 
2 tsp baking powder
  • 
1 tsp baking soda
  • 
1 tsp salt

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place your greased cast iron pan into the preheating oven.
    2. Stir cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together
    3. Add yogurt, melted butter, honey, and egg.
    4. Stir everything together ensuring that all cornmeal in incorporated.
    5. Pour into greased pan.
    6. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes** depending on cooking vessel.

    ** A larger 12” cast iron pan will cook more quickly, closer to 20 min. The smaller pans will require a few more minutes of baking time, 25-30 minutes.

© From Scratch Farmstead

 

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gluten free potato crusted quiche
BreakfastMain CourseNourishing Recipes

Gluten Free Potato Crusted Quiche

by From Scratch Farmstead

This recipe hits all of my requirements – super simple, minimal ingredients I normally have on hand, requires little prep time, nourishing, and is a big hit with the whole family. Bonus, this delicious potato crusted quiche is gluten free, and filled with healthy fats, protein, and you can customize it to your preferences!

Jump To Recipe

potatoe crusted quiche in cast iron pan

We are currently in the dead of winter and going strong feeding our family almost entirely on food that we grew and raised ourselves here on our homestead or can buy locally. However, doing this does require some creativity to not repeat the same meals over and over again. Thus, this potato crusted quiche was born out of me trying to figure out how to put to use what we had in abundance – potatoes, milk, cheese, eggs, and currently leftover ham from Christmas.

Why we Love Eggs

It is no secret that we love eggs around here. We easily go through 5-7 dozen a week; they are definitely not just a breakfast food in our house. 

Nutrition: Nutrition wise, they are hard to beat. Eggs contain high quality protein, fats, iron, carotenoids, and an array of other vitamins and minerals. The humble egg is filled with disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and choline, beneficial for macular degeneration and brain development and memory.

cracking eggs into bowl of potatoe crusted quiche

Versatile: Eggs can be baked, fried, boiled, scrambled. Perfect for serving up a quick and easy meal that often even the pickiest of eaters can handle. Additionally, eggs add the perfect creaminess to ice cream and holiday egg nog. Eggs are a crucial component in many of our staple dishes, sweet and savory.

Not all Eggs are Created Equal

Unfortunately, with the advent of factory farming over the last several decades, the quality of eggs can vary greatly depending on living conditions and diet of the laying hen. 

Most conventionally raised hens are raised in extremely crowded structures with little to no access to the outdoors let alone the opportunity to live out their natural chicken instincts of scratching and pecking the dirt or eat bugs. Also, factory farmed chickens are generally fed a diet of conventionally, chemically sprayed, gmo corn and soybeans. 

free range chickens on the farm

These eggs stand in stark contrast to hens that are able to free range, eat bugs, with a supplemental organically grown feed. Both from an environmental and nutrition standpoint, the latter eggs are far superior. To give just a glimpse why, locally farmed, free-range eggs have been shown to have twice as much omega-3 fatty acids, up to six times more vitamin D, three times more vitamin E, more than 30% more vitamin A, higher quality protein, and more antioxidants.

The rest of the ingredients

Potatoes – We used 3 medium sized yellow potatoes in this recipe, which covered 2 layers on the bottom of our 12” cast iron pan. It is necessary to slice and roast the potato slices for 15 minutes (until fork tender) before adding them to your quiche. You can easily replace yellow potatoes with whatever potatoes you have on hand or even swap them out for sweet potatoes, winter squash, or leave them out altogether.

Milk – We used whole milk in this recipe but any milk will do. If you want an extra creamy quiche, heavy cream or half and half would be delicious. Don’t do dairy? A dairy free alternative would work as well.

pouring in milke to make potato crusted quiche

Cheese – We used diced mozzarella in this recipe because that’s what we had on hand but any sort of diced or shredded cheese or a combination of cheeses would be delicious. Goat cheese is super yummy too. The cheese can also be omitted for a dairy free version.

Meat – In this recipe, we used leftover ham from Christmas but breakfast sausage or bacon would be great alternatives. For a vegetarian quiche, remove the meat and add extra veggies.

Vegetables – Here we used sauteed onions, garlic, and mushrooms. This is where you can customize your quiche as you prefer: peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, green onions, spinach, or kale would all be excellent choices. A quiche is a great way to use up leftover veggies you may have on hand. I would recommend that the vegetables be sauteed or cooked before adding to your quiche.

Seasonings – We normally keep it simple and only added salt and pepper to this quiche, but adding spices or fresh herbs is a great way to customize and add some fresh ingredients. Feeling spicy? A tex-mex blend with chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder would be delicious. Or you could try an Italian style quiche with basil or adding pesto and tomatoes – yum!

How to serve:

With the potato crust, this potato crusted quiche feels a little fancier than everyday scrambled eggs and would make a perfect weekend brunch with friends alongside a fruit salad. Alternatively, it comes together so quick and easy that it makes an excellent weekday lunch or dinner with a side salad. We serve this in a 12” cast iron pan but a 9×13 casserole dish would also work. A note on cooking with cast iron – you will want to be sure to grease and preheat your cast iron before adding the potatoes and egg mixture to prevent everything from sticking.

Top it off with shredded cheese, diced green onions, a dollop of sour cream, fresh herbs, diced tomatoes, or eat it plain. Potato crusted quiche reheats well and can be stored in the fridge as leftovers for up to 5 days.

gluten free potato crusted quiche

Gluten Free Potato Crusted Quiche Recipe

Ingredients:

3 medium yellow potatoes (or potato of choice)
10 eggs
1.5 cups shredded cheese
1 ¼ cup whole milk
2 cups ham, diced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 mushrooms, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

– Slice potatoes in 1/8” uniform slices. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until fork tender.
– While oven is hot, add greased cast iron pan to oven to preheat. *
– Meanwhile, mix filling. Stir together the rest of the ingredients: eggs, milk, meat (cooked), and cooked vegetables, and salt and pepper (or other additional spices)
– Remove potatoes once they are fork tender and cast-iron pan from oven.

layering potatoes for quiche

– Carefully, place potatoes in layers at the bottom of you pan leaving no gaps. I do two layers.
– Pour filling on top of eggs and spread to fill evenly.

pouring ingredients for quiche on top of potato crust

– Bake in 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, until the top is beginning to brown and the eggs are set.
– Serve in slices and enjoy!

*Preheating the greased cast iron pan prevents the potato crusted quiche from sticking to the pan.

gluten free potato crusted quiche

Gluten Free Potato Crusted Quiche

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This recipe hits all of my requirements – super simple, minimal ingredients I normally have on hand, requires little prep time, nourishing, and is a big hit with the whole family. Bonus, this delicious potato crusted quiche is gluten free, and filled with healthy fats, protein, and you can customize it to your preferences!

Ingredients

  • 3 medium yellow potatoes (or potato of choice)
  • 10 eggs
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 ¼ cup whole milk
  • 2 cups ham, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4-5 mushrooms, diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

    Slice potatoes in 1/8” uniform slices. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until fork tender.
    While oven is hot, add greased cast iron pan to oven to preheat. *
    Meanwhile, mix filling. Stir together the rest of the ingredients: eggs, milk, meat (cooked), and cooked vegetables, and salt and pepper (or other additional spices)
    Remove potatoes once they are fork tender and cast-iron pan from oven.
    Carefully, place potatoes in layers at the bottom of you pan leaving no gaps. I do two layers.
    Pour filling on top of eggs and spread to fill evenly.
    Bake in 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, until the top is beginning to brown and the eggs are set.
    Serve in slices and enjoy!

    *Preheating the greased cast iron pan prevents the potatoes and eggs from sticking to the pan.

© From Scratch Farmstead

 

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