With St. Patty’s Day coming up we thought we would share our version of an Irish classic, soda bread. If there is a favourite recipe amongst all the family favourites, then this is the recipe. All of mom’s siblings passed this recipe down to my cousins, and we all grew up having soda bread on Christmas morning. Although relatively easy to make it has been relegated to special occasions, probably because it requires that little extra bit of effort to make it so great.
What soda bread means to our family does not appear to be the same as many of the recipes we have come across. Soda bread is a quick bread made with baking soda, flour, salt, and buttermilk often in a round loaf, or in farls. Our version is less of a bread and more of a drop biscuit. This is most likely because like last weeks recipe, oatcakes, this recipe also came from my Grandad’s mother. With a household consisting of 5 boys, and a husband, it was probably easier to make biscuits. No matter the reasoning behind it, this is the only version we have ever known.
You might be wondering why a recipe as simple as soda bread is considered a family favourite. It all comes down to this very important step, we cut the biscuits in half and fry them in bacon fat. You read that right. Fried. In. Bacon. Fat. This is what turns it from a basic recipe into an indulgence relegated to special occasions.
Then there is the decision on how to eat your soda bread. Mom usually enjoys one piece with salt and pepper and dips it into the egg yolk of a fried egg. My brother and I usually enjoy ours with scrambled eggs, our first piece we top with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Dad likes his just with ketchup, and I like to have my last piece with strawberry jelly. Deciding how to have each piece of soda bread is always a hard decision. And like many of our favorites you better believe we count the pieces and make sure we each get the same amount.
We don’t always fry them in bacon fat, sometimes we do a combination of bacon fat and canola oil. Other times just canola oil, and sometimes we don’t fry them at all. Soda bread is great to dip into a soup or a hearty beef stew. If you get the chance though, you really should try frying it. You won’t regret it. If you do try out this recipe let us know, we would love to hear from you!
Ingredients
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
bacon fat or neutral oil
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients stirring until combined.
Dollop batter into 12 biscuits on a lined baking sheet or two. You want to ensure there is room for them to spread.
Bake in a 350°F for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely. We sometimes fry the biscuits up the next day.
Cut the biscuits in half.
In a frying pan heat the bacon fat on medium heat. Add soda bread cut side down to the frying pan. We only do about 4 pieces at a time to prevent overcrowding. Adding too many pieces at a time will lower the temperature of the fat.
Flip the soda bread once the first side is nice and brown. Continue to fry the second side until it to is brown. Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess fat.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, top it with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, or jam! Whichever you prefer and enjoy!
Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- bacon fat or neutral oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients stirring until combined.
- Dollop batter into 12 biscuits on a lined baking sheet or two. You want to ensure there is room for them to spread.
- Bake in a 350°F for 20 minutes until lightly browned.
- Allow to cool completely. We sometimes fry the biscuits up the next day.
- Cut the biscuits in half.
- In a frying pan heat the bacon fat on medium heat. Add soda bread cut side down to the frying pan. We only do about 4 pieces at a time to prevent overcrowding. Adding too many pieces at a time will lower the temperature of the fat.
- Flip the soda bread once the first side is nice and brown. Continue to fry the second side until it to is brown. Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess fat.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, top it with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, or jam! Whichever you prefer and enjoy!
