You can mill your own flour at home using whole wheat grain kernels (known as wheat berries), either using a home grain milling machine, or other home kitchen methods to grind the wheat berries into flour.
Milling your own flour is definitely not for everyone. As with anything, there are pros and cons to milling your own flour (or using freshly milled flour if you have access to a local mill). And it’s important to know beforehand if it’s for you or not.
#1: Freshly Milled Flour is More NutritiousWheat berries hold their nutrition completely intact, right up until the point at which they are broken open i.e. milled and turned into flour.
Buying wheat berries can be cheaper than buying the equivalent amount (in weight) of flour. Especially when you buy in bulk. So in the long run, milling your own flour could save you a lot of money.
What you Should Know Before Milling Your Own Flour
There’s a Learning Curve to Using Freshly Milled FlourUsing freshly milled flour is not the same as using your average store bought flour. It has different characteristics and will take some time to learn how to use.
You will need to take into account the extra time needed to mill the flour. There will essentially be extra steps at the beginning of your bread baking process that you need to allow for.
There May be an Initial Investment Up Front to Mill Flour at Home
If you are investing in an actual home grain milling machine, there will be a larger cost up front. And initially, you won’t want to buy wheat berries in bulk.