Preparing and storing spent grains

[Ultra-Medic]

Spent last night on a partial-mash and really don't believe in just wasting all the spent grains. I love to bake, and have plenty of plans on what I'd like to do with my grains in that department, as well as use it as plant food for my 'work in progress' herb garden. It's the preparing part I'm confused on. Anybody with experience here want to field this?

I have about 1 /2 pounds of grains spread thin on foil in my kitchen just air drying at the moment. I considered putting them into the oven as I'm concerned about mold and bacterial growth ruining my grains... given it smells wonderful inside my apartment but I need to hasten this process a bit. So should I bother drying them out? Can this be used wet? What methods of storing them long term have been successful? I'm thinking freezer bags in the freezer but worried the moisture will just contribute to water crystals and freezer burn eventually. Alternatives would be the fridge compartment or just in the pantry.

 

[BierMuncher]

150 degree oven or a few hours should adequately dry them out. Careful not to let them go bad in wet form, that pleasant smell you're enjoying right now will quickly turn in to the essence of fresh vomit.

 

[magno]

When I store spent grains for baking later, I take a few cups from the mash tun and freeze it in a tupperware. I do not dry the grains out. When I am ready to bake with it, I take the frozen grains out of the tupperware and hack a chunk off of the frozen block then refreeze the rest.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Two cups of spent grain in a ziploc sandwich bag, then to the freezer. I've never had a problem with freezer burn flavor or anything off in this technique and I've used some spent grain around six-nine months old.

 

[Transamguy77]

I'm trying the freezer method now, I usually spread out the grains on a few baling sheets and leave them overnight in the oven at 170 degrees and in the morning they are ready to go into a large mason jar for future use.

 

[thepartsmancometh]

Oven at the lowest (convection) setting until dry. Ziploc in the freezer. I usually compost some, and bake with the rest. Made some mean granola bars a few weeks ago out of spent maris otter

 

[Ultra-Medic]

Thanks for the quick responses. You guys are great! I'll split it up and try both suggested methods and let you know how it goes. Hopefully I don't burn them, that would be a shame.

 

[Old-Ned]

Made some mean granola bars a few weeks ago out of spent maris otter

Got a recipe for those bad boys?

 

[thepartsmancometh]

Got a recipe for those bad boys?

I used this recipe as a basis. I found that the recipe as written turned out very wet and goopy for me. I added more oats and barley until it was a stiffer, less sticky mixture. I then baked them for a while (forgot how long, I was drinking ) at 250* or so until they were dryer and almost solid. :rockin:

my wife took most of them to a "healthy" food day at her work, and everyone loved them!

edit: the site I linked also has several other good recipes on it, check them out

 

[thepartsmancometh]

Made some pretzels this morning with spent grain using this recipe. They turned out great! I made a few into buns for pork burgers tonight , the rest are giant pretzels. Some I salted, some I did a parmesan/herb blend on. They turned out great! :rockin:

 

[thepartsmancometh]

Here's a pic...