We have made it to the final two distinct characteristics and benefits of stone milled wheat. We thought it would be best to put together how heat generation affects stone milled flour with expanding on the traditional stone milling process.
First, we will look at the heat generation in stone milling being a crucial aspect that affects the quality and characteristics of the resulting flour. We will compare stone milling to roller milling, which is used to mill flour in mass quantities.
Milling Process:
Mechanics of Stone Milling:
- Grinding Motion: Stone milling involves grinding grains between two large, flat stones. The top stone, known as the runner stone, rotates against the stationary bottom stone, or bedstone. This grinding action crushes the entire grain slowly and gently.
- Low RPM (Revolutions Per Minute): Stone mills operate at lower speeds compared to roller mills. The slow rotation (typically around 100-150 RPM) generates less friction and thus less heat.
Impact on Nutrients:
Preservation of Heat-Sensitive Nutrients:
- Vitamins and Enzymes: Many vitamins, such as B vitamins and vitamin E, are sensitive to heat and can degrade when exposed to high temperatures. Enzymes that contribute to fermentation and flavor development can also be denatured by heat.
- Antioxidants: Heat can reduce the levels of antioxidants present in the grain. Stone milling’s lower temperatures help maintain higher levels of these beneficial compounds.
Flavor and Aroma:
Volatile Compounds:
- Retention of Flavor Compounds: Lower heat helps preserve volatile aromatic compounds that contribute to the flour’s flavor and aroma. Higher heat can cause these compounds to evaporate, leading to a loss of flavor.
- Natural Oils: The natural oils in the germ and bran are more likely to stay intact and not oxidize or turn rancid quickly, maintaining a fresher taste.
Flour Quality:
Texture and Consistency:
- Particle Size Distribution: The gentle grinding process produces a range of particle sizes, from fine to coarse, contributing to a unique texture and consistency in the flour. The lower heat prevents the flour from becoming overly fine or uniform, preserving its natural characteristics.
- Moisture Content: Less heat means less moisture loss during milling, which helps maintain the natural moisture content of the grain. This can improve the dough’s hydration properties and overall baking performance.
Shelf Life:
Oxidation and Rancidity:
- Reduced Oxidation: Lower heat minimizes the oxidation of oils in the grain, which can cause rancidity. Flour milled at lower temperatures tends to have a longer shelf life because the oils remain stable for longer periods.
- Freshness: Stone milled flour is often considered fresher due to the preservation of its natural oils and flavors, which are less likely to degrade quickly.
PLEASE NOTE: We want to make sure that everyone understands, this does not mean that it has the same shelf life as store bought flour. After milling you may store in an air tight container on your counter top for a month or in the refrigerator or freezer for six months to a year. This is because you are milling the whole kernel. Store bought flour has the bran and germ removed to improve shelf life and the texture. The bran and the germ are spoilers and do not have the same shelf life. We prefer to mill on demand. We do not usually have any flour milled ahead of time.
Comparative Advantages:
Roller Milling vs. Stone Milling:
- Roller Milling: This method involves steel rollers rotating at high speeds (up to 1,200 RPM), which generate significant heat. This heat can denature proteins, destroy vitamins, and cause the flour to lose moisture, impacting its nutritional and sensory qualities.
- Stone Milling: The lower speed and natural friction of the stones generate minimal heat, preserving the nutritional integrity and natural flavor of the grain.
Practical Implications for Bakers:
Baking Performance:
- Fermentation: The enzymes and nutrients preserved through low-heat milling can enhance fermentation, leading to better dough rise and flavor development.
- Texture and Crumb: The preserved oils and varied particle sizes can contribute to a more desirable crumb structure and mouthfeel in baked goods.
In summary, the lower heat generation in stone milling is a significant factor that helps preserve the nutritional quality, flavor, and overall integrity of the flour. This gentle milling process results in a product that maintains the beneficial properties of the whole grain, offering advantages in both baking performance and health benefits.
The Milling Process:
Feeding the Grain:
- Hopper: Grain is poured into a hopper, a funnel-shaped container that directs the grain into the milling stones.
- Control Mechanism: The rate at which grain enters the stones is controlled to ensure consistent grinding.
Grinding Action:
- Grinding Surface: The surfaces of the stones are grooved or ridged to facilitate grinding. The patterns, known as furrows, help cut and crush the grain.
- Rotation: The runner stone rotates, grinding the grain against the stationary bedstone. The grain is gradually crushed into flour, with the finer particles falling through the grooves and the coarser particles being ground again.
Separation and Sifting:
- Whole Grain Flour: In traditional stone milling, the flour typically contains all parts of the grain – the bran, germ, and endosperm – resulting in whole grain flour.
- Sifting: Some traditional mills also include a sifting process to produce finer flour by separating out some of the bran and germ. However, this is less common in traditional methods, which often aim to retain the whole grain’s nutritional benefits.
The Benefits of Traditional Stone Milling:
Nutritional Integrity:
- Whole Grain Utilization: Stone milling retains the bran and germ, preserving the full nutritional profile of the grain, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Lower Heat: The slow grinding process generates minimal heat, protecting heat-sensitive nutrients and enzymes.
Flavor and Texture:
- Enhanced Flavor: The inclusion of the whole grain components, along with the gentle grinding process, results in flour with a richer, more complex flavor profile.
- Unique Texture: The resulting flour has a coarser texture with varied particle sizes, contributing to the distinctive mouthfeel and baking qualities.
Sustainability and Tradition:
- Eco-Friendly: Traditional stone milling is often considered more sustainable due to its low energy requirements, especially when powered by water or wind.
- Cultural Heritage: Stone milling preserves an important cultural and historical practice, connecting modern consumers with ancient food production methods.
Modern Adaptations:
Small-Scale Mills:
- Artisanal Mills: Many modern small-scale and artisanal mills continue to use traditional stone milling techniques to produce high-quality flour.
- Local Grain Movement: There is a growing interest in locally sourced and milled grains, with many small mills supporting local agriculture and traditional milling practices.
Technological Enhancements:
- Improved Efficiency: While maintaining the traditional method, some modern mills incorporate technological improvements to enhance efficiency and consistency.
- Quality Control: Modern stone mills often have better mechanisms for controlling the grinding process and ensuring high-quality flour.
Practical Implications for Bakers and Consumers:
Baking with Stone Milled Flour:
- Flavor and Texture: Bakers using stone milled flour often find that it enhances the flavor and texture of their baked goods, producing more rustic and flavorful products.
- Nutritional Benefits: The nutritional advantages of whole grain stone milled flour are significant, providing more fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to refined flours.
The next reason is our favorite reason! We love to tell people what we do! We love to share with people what we do! If we can instill in you the importance of having fresh milled flour and giving you the confidence to do so, we have done our job!
Consumer Awareness:
- Increased Interest: There is growing consumer interest in traditional and artisanal food products, including stone milled flour, driven by a desire for healthier, more natural foods.
- Educational Efforts: Many artisanal mills engage in educational efforts to inform consumers about the benefits of stone milled flour and the traditional milling process.
In summary, the traditional method of stone milling flour is a time-honored process that produces nutritious, flavorful, and texturally unique flour. This method preserves the full nutritional profile of the grain, supports sustainability, and connects modern consumers with ancient food production practices. It is a process that we love to do and love to share with you!