Bread Flour

[FrankZ]

So I have gotten tired of trying to find that elusive bag of bread flour. When we go to the store I look knowing that I won't find any. Last time I was able to find some was last Monday I found a single bag of KA Organic Bread flour that was like $9 because it has the word Organic on the label.

I decided it was time to have a mic drop moment:

 

[Andy M.]

So I have gotten tired of trying to find that elusive bag of bread flour. When we go to the store I look knowing that I won't find any. Last time I was able to find some was last Monday I found a single bag of KA Organic Bread flour that was like $9 because it has the word Organic on the label.

I decided it was time to have a mic drop moment:

50 pounds of high gluten flour! That's a great find. Granted, it's not organic but I see lots of great breads in your future.

 

[taxlady]

So, how big was the $9 bag of flour and how much did the 50 lb bag cost? Where did you get the 50 lb bag, at the store? Online?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Frank, have you used Sir Lancelot flour? I bought some at an Amish bulk food store on a trip back home to OH a year or so ago. I loved the results with my bread. Can't find it around here... but I'm not in the market for 50#. Next trip back home.

 

[pepperhead212]

Sir Lancelot has even more gluten than regular bread flour, and is very good for making rye breads, to use more of the rye flour than usual. I got some only one time, because I got a deal on it, but I don't think that even I would buy 50 lbs of it!

 

[jennyema]

Unless you bake a LOT of bread you will need to find a totally airtight container to store it in.

Flour goes rancid. Not as fast as, for example, oil itself, but it goes rancid nevertheless.

 

[pepperhead212]

I did get a 50 lb bag of "Artisan" flour, from Honeyville, years ago, and what I did was vacuum sealed the flour, and put in a few oxygen adsorption packs, in about 6 lb amounts (the amount that fit in a container that I put it in. It kept well, despite the fact that it took a long time for me to use it. Still, after about a year and a half, despite not having developed any off flavors, and still tasting great, when I used it, I put the last two bags I had left in the freezer - I still wasn't sure how long it would last, esp. since artisan flour has slightly less milled from it, which is what gives it the increased flavor. That was fantastic for making white breads (also makes delicious pasta), but I wouldn't get it again, since I make mostly whole grain breads now.

 

[FrankZ]

So, how big was the $9 bag of flour and how much did the 50 lb bag cost? Where did you get the 50 lb bag, at the store? Online?

It was a 5# bag. The only bag of flour on the shelves that day. I ordered it through Websturant store's website.

Frank, have you used Sir Lancelot flour? I bought some at an Amish bulk food store on a trip back home to OH a year or so ago. I loved the results with my bread. Can't find it around here... but I'm not in the market for 50#. Next trip back home.

I have not used it. I have wanted to try it out for a while, I really like using KA bread flour so I have high hopes.

 

[FrankZ]

So I opened the bag tonight and started dough. The dough felt great once it was kneaded.

The dough is in the fridge and I will bake tomorrow.