Traditional Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Irish soda bread is a quick bread is a must have addition to your recipe library.

It is easy to make using just a few ingredients you already have around the house.

I am a history and science nerd. That is why I like to make things homemade. I enjoy spending time researching the history as to why this was created and how does it work.

History behind Irish Soda Bread

When I set out to make a traditional homemade Irish soda bread, I needed to know how did this bread first started. Despite this sounding like an ancient bread, soda bread is not as old as you may think. It was created around the time baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) came Europe around the 1840s.

Due to the potato famine and extreme poverty at this time, soda bread became a table staple in Ireland. Soda bread only requires four ingredients readily found in the home. The Irish people thought it was a great way to make due with these simple ingredients.

Homemade Irish soda bread is traditionally made in a cast iron skillet or bastible. The bastible had a lid and could be put onto the coals. The lid was sunken for coals to be placed on top of the pot, very similar to a dutch oven.

A cross is cut across the top of traditional homemade Irish soda bread to help it cook evenly all the way through.

Why Soda Bread Rises

Here is the science and nerdy part. I wanted to know why does this make such a hearty and soft bread. The two most important ingredients are baking soda and buttermilk. These two create a chemical reaction that creates the air pockets needed for a soft and fluffy bread.

When the base from the baking soda combines with the acid in the buttermilk it forms a chemical reaction creating bubbles. This is called a quick bread, since you don’t need to wait for the bread to rise. With homemade Irish soda bread not much kneading is required due the quick chemical reaction that takes place between the baking soda and buttermilk.

Don’t worry if you do not have buttermilk. You can use milk and add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup. I normally don’t have buttermilk on hand and use this as a substitute. You need the acid from the vinegar and lemon to react with the baking soda and make the bread rise.

Traditional Homemade Irish Soda Bread Recipe

 

Directions How to Make Homemade Irish Soda Bread

First start off by preheating the oven to 400°.

Next add the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix together. Once mixed together create a well in the center.

Slowly pour in the buttermilk, but do not pour all of the buttermilk in at once. You may not need all of the buttermilk.

Start mixing the dry ingredients into the buttermilk with a fork or a spoon. Keep mixing slowly until all is well incorporated. You don’t want to overwork the dough or become it thick and doughy.

If the dough is too dry add a little more buttermilk, if it is too wet add a little more flour. The dough should be very soft and easy to work with.

Take the dough and shape into a nice round circle with your hands. Cut a cross on the top about 1 to 1 ½ inches deep.

Place the dough in a well oiled cast iron skillet. I recommend this one, since my dad still uses the one my grandmother had. These last a long time and can be used forever.

Place the skillet in the oven for about 20-25 min. Bake until the top is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before slicing into it.

Irish soda bread is best right out of the oven with a little butter.