Internal temperature reads 210F yet still damp

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chueh

Senior Cook
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
145
I tested my food probe to see if it's accurate or not by testing boiling water. It reads 213.85. Pretty good I would say for the accuracy.

Every sorudough bread I baked always had internal temperature range 203-210F (they were all met various recipe doneness). Nonetheless, each bread was DAMP ( food probe always came out with undone goop). Because they were all meeting the internal temperature, I took them out from the oven.

How do I get the "done, done, done" bread? The crust was all pretty hard already, baking longer would probably work. But I wouldn't be able to eat them?

What happened? and what can I do?
Thanks
 
Did you let the bread cool after you took it out of the oven? Or did you cut into it right away?

Cooling is part of the baking process - bread continues to cook while it cools. Cookie recipes usually say to let them cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to to a cooling rack. This allows them to set up enough that they won't break during the transfer. This is why it's important to follow baking directions exactly.
 
You can bake them longer if you cover them with some foil to prevent over browning. Also should the crusts be too chewy/crusty for you, store them in a plastic bag and the crusts will soften.

The other thing I'm thinking is that your oven is running very hot. Meaning that the bread is rising quickly to the internal range that you want, without actually giving the time to allow the bread to bake.

How is the timing? Is it about what is suggested as the proper length of time for that recipe?

for example, I frequently put foil on my baking bread about half way or 3/4 of the way thru the baking. Plus about 10 min. before the scheduled removal of the bread, I take the temp to see if it is above 200 or so. Eg. if it is 200, I put it back for another 5 minutes. Then I take the temp again. If it is at 205 or above, I take it out.

I have never had the probe come out wet even at temperatures around 195.

Hope this helps!
 
I don’t think the baking time or the oven temp are the issues. I think it’s your thermometer. At 210F the bread has to be done. If it’s still undercooked, it didn’t reach 210F. So the thermometer is the culprit.
 
But Andy, he said he has tested his thermometer? At any rate, then the next thing would be the actual recipe.



chueh, have you ever done this recipe successfully?
 
I bake every week or so.

I let the bread cool completely. If I try to cut it too early, like when mr bliss comes into the kitchen smelling FRESH BAKED BREAD, OMG, it will be too moist and doughy.


When it cools completely, and the crust has a chance to kind of rehydrate because there is more moisture inside the loaf than on the outside. The dough can finish it's baking, the holes stay nice, the inside is not too doughy.



I make big loaves, and bake for 65 minutes at 350 deg F, a whole wheat type of bread that I add either some cooked squash, or a meal made of sprouted grains to the dough, so it's moist. It's not too moist after cooling.
 
I agree you cannot cut into "uncooled" bread. But the OP is saying his 'thermo' is coming out wet/goopy.

That's not just from uncooled bread. That is uncooked dough.
 
Thank you all for the replies. To answer:

1. Yes, I always let the bread completely cool down before cutting.
2. This is the 2nd thermometer I use. I think the thermometer is working properly.
3. yes, boil temperature here is 212F
4. I forgot to tell you guys, my oven is weird!!!! sometimes much hotter, while other much lower. I do use two oven thermometers in the oven. Both of them read the same. OK, so even if my oven causes all this, WHY at 203-210F internal temperature still undone???? It's so strange!!
 
The only thing I can think of is somehow there is too much liquid in your bread. How are you measuring the ingredients? Are you maybe measuring liquids in a measuring cup and dry ingredients on a scale? If so, is it possible that the scale is off? I know this is a stretch, but it's all I can think of.
 
LOL, Taxlady, that's cute speculation! LOL
No, I use scale to measure everything. I did have a scale, kind of faulty, so I got a new one. This one seems accurate. But it does not matter which scale I used, my bread is undone !!!!!!! The only explanation I can have for myself is that God pities my teeth (my enamel has been worn; cannot tolerate any hard stuff), so a little undoneness kind of help my teeth being abused. LOL
 
Is your bread doing it's normal rising? both 1st and 2nd?

are you preheating the oven?

and once again, maybe you could tell us your recipe?



Is this just starting to happen? have you had properly baked bread before?
 
4. I forgot to tell you guys, my oven is weird!!!! sometimes much hotter, while other much lower. I do use two oven thermometers in the oven. Both of them read the same. OK, so even if my oven causes all this, WHY at 203-210F internal temperature still undone???? It's so strange!!
This uneven cooking is probably the problem. Even when the temperature of the food has reached the "cooked" temperature, it has to remain there for enough time to actually cook the dough. Dry pasta in a pan of boiling water isn't going to be instantly cooked - cooking takes time. When the oven temperature is constantly changing, you can't be sure it was at a high enough temperature for long enough to cook the dough all the way through.
 
GotGarlic, yes, what you said makes sense! Thanks.
Dragnlaw, yes, my 1st and 2nd rise were normal. Yes, I always pre-heat my oven. I use recipes which use baker's percentage and from the hydration 65%-100% (recipes suggest 200-210F for internal temperature).
 
GotGarlic, yes, what you said makes sense! Thanks.
Dragnlaw, yes, my 1st and 2nd rise were normal. Yes, I always pre-heat my oven. I use recipes which use baker's percentage and from the hydration 65%-100% (recipes suggest 200-210F for internal temperature).
Please post the recipe you are using. So we can better help you. We have many bakers on this forum, but we need to see the recipe.
 
One of the recipes (this is the only one using US cups instead of gram. But every recipe I tried with gram turned out the same anyway:

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

6-7 cups freshly ground flour.

1 cup sourdough starter

½ cup melted coconut oil

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1½ cups filtered water

Instructions

Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the bread, ensuring it is active and bubbly.

To a large bowl, add water, coconut oil, honey, fed sourdough starter, and half of the flour. I like to start with 3 cups of flour.

Mix it up and add salt, then add another 3 cups of flour.

Combine the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes to bring the dough together. Add more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.

Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. This is a process called autolyse, where the flour becomes fully hydrated.

Stretch and Fold

Instead of kneading, I like to do the stretch and fold method. This is where you take dough on one side and pull it up about 6 inches, then fold it over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl about 1/4 around and repeat the process. Do this a total of 3-4 times. Cover.

First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes.

Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to bulk ferment until doubled in a warm place. This usually takes my dough about 8 hours.

Shape and Refrigerate Overnight

Split the dough in half down the middle with a dough scraper. Be really careful not to break any of those precious bubbles.

Shape into a ball by gently spinning it toward you against the countertop, giving it tension.

Set out 15-20 minutes uncovered.

Turn over and shape.

Transfer to a lightly floured banneton basket or bowl with tea towel.

Cover with plastic and proof 12-14 hours in refrigerator. I will put the basket in a grocery bag and tie it.

Bake

Place a dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 450 degrees

Whenever the oven is done preheating, remove dough from the fridge and score with a lame or razor. Find my favorite scoring patterns here.

Dust with flour on top to make the scoring pattern stand out more (optional).

Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on and another 20 minutes with the lid off
 
I'd say bake by feel, since you have thermometer problem. When you think bread should be done, take it out and knock on the bottom. You should hear an empty sound. If not, put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so. See if it works.
Also it is definitely not enough time because you are putting dough in the oven right from the fridge. Even from the counter, I would bake for at least an hour.
 
I'd say bake by feel, since you have thermometer problem. When you think bread should be done, take it out and knock on the bottom. You should hear an empty sound. If not, put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so. See if it works.
Also it is definitely not enough time because you are putting dough in the oven right from the fridge. Even from the counter, I would bake for at least an hour.
Yes, that is a key piece of information that we have to have in order to troubleshoot the problem. Good catch, Charlie.
 
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