How to Make Bulgur Wheat

Bulgur wheat is not a separate type of wheat, but rather a process. Bulgur is the name given to wheat that is handled a certain way after it is harvested. To get this type of wheat, you must first grow a spring or winter variety of the plant. The choice of which kind to grow is up to you. Once grown and harvested, you can start the steps to make bulgur.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Hoe, tiller or plow
• Rake
• Sickle
• Twine
• 2 18- to 22-gallon containers
• Double boiler
• Water
• Mesh rack
• Wheat mill with medium grinder setting

1. Till the soil to a depth of about 1 foot. Do this in September for winter wheat or when the ground thaws in the spring for summer wheat. Use a tiller, hoe or plow. This will increase the air content and improve drainage.

2. Plow rows for the wheat seeds. Use a hoe for small plots of wheat. Make rows 10 to 12 inches apart.

3. Spread the seeds in the rows at a rate of one seed every 3 to 4 inches. Rake over the soil that was plowed to the side. If sewing winter wheat, put about 2 inches of soil atop the seeds. For spring wheat, add about 1 inch.

4. Tamp down the soil lightly to keep it from shifting.

5. Water the rows to dampen the soil and start the growing process. Make sure the soil is damp down to a depth of 2 inches. After the initial watering, don't water unless you are living in a drought area. Wheat needs 3 to 4 inches of water per month.

6. Monitor the wheat until the top grains on the wheat become stiff and crack when pinched. This indicates the wheat is ready.

7. Cut down the wheat to make the bulgur. Use a sickle to slice the wheat at its base while your free hand holds it at the top in a bunch.

8. Stack the wheat in bunches to cure. Tie with twine to keep it in bunches. Wait until the grains are hard.

9. Smash stacks of wheat against the inside of a 18- to 22-gallon container to knock off the grain.

10. Pour the grain from the container into another 18- to 22-gallon container, then pour the grain back and forth between the two. This works the lighter pieces of wheat stalk up and out. Remove the pieces as you see them.

11. Wash the grain with water to clean it, the steam it to soften the grain and remove the hulls.

12. Place the grains of wheat in the top of a double boiler to steam it as you would vegetables. The larger the double boiler, the more you can do at once. Steam until grain is soft to the touch and can be smashed between two fingers.

13. Allow the dehulled grain to dry out until it becomes brittle. Spread out on a mesh rack to dry. This takes about a day. Once dry, crack it using a wheat mill set to medium grinding texture. Grinding the steamed and dried-out wheat turns it into bulgur wheat.

References

• Mother Earth News: Growing Your Own Wheat Page 2
• Mother Earth News: Growing Your Own Wheat Page 3
• Innvista: Wheat

Resources

• Wheat Mill: Example