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First time grind - couple questions

TomSoCal's picture
TomSoCal

First time grind - couple questions

I'm ready to try grinding wheatberries into flour for the first time. I bought the KitchenAid Grainmill. I know it's not everyone's first choice, but I did a lot of research and to start me out it's what I picked, I have the 7 quart heavy duty KitchenAid.

I have 5 pounds each of soft/hard white wheat berries, Palouse brand.

I will be using the flour in Tartine recipes, probably basic country while and perhaps a more whole grain wheat from Tartine 3. I also bought a sieve to turn some of the grind into "high extraction".

So:

1) when should I grind, how close to my dough mixing?

2) I'm thinking i should use the finest setting on the grain mill?

3) any reason not to grind all my wheat and store it?

Any tips for this first timer? BTW this is my first post on the forums too, I've been a lurker for a while.

Thanks!!

 

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

breadbythecreek's picture
breadbythecreek

So you want to mix the dough right after you grind the flour.  Otherwise, as I've read, you lose the nutrients that come with the fresh flour and bad enzymes can affect your dough (poor oven spring, flat loaves, dense crumb and tough crusts).  If you wait more than 8 hours then you have to "season the flour" for a three weeks (in a paper bag) or in a jar covered with cheesecloth for air circulation before you can use it.  Grains are way more shelf stable than flour, so you only want to grind as much grain as you are going to use at that moment. I have a Komo mill and use the finest setting to mill my grains. Works great!

 

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

make sure the moisture content is quit low.

Cheers,

Wingnut

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

I thnk David Snyder grinds his in successive finer grinds with your mill, 3-4 times, till he gets to the finest setting.  Wheat erries, if stored properly, will last least 20 years and probably 30,  Once you grind it it lasts a fraction f that.  I grind and use mine within 4 weeks or less if I grind too much by accident and have never noticed any change at all in the flour -  and probably wouldn't for quite a while longer too.  The seaoining thing is pretty much a urban myth from my experience - but fresh is best - just like most produce.

subfuscpersona's picture
subfuscpersona

dmsnyder said

Quote:
The KA attachment is good for milling small amounts and if you don't need finely milled flour.
(link to his post is http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/264037#comment-264037 )

His experience agrees with mine. I have a Hobart-made KA grinder attachment that I used for 25 years to mill wheat, rye and other grains for bread baking. Even with sifting and remilling, the KA grinder attachment can only produce a somewhat gritty whole wheat flour. If you look at the reviews on Amazon of the KA mill attachment, you'll discover that most owners have the same opinion.

The KA grinder attachment is good for producing grits/cracked grain from whole grain, and this can be used in bread baking at as additive (using a soaker) or for making a breakfast cereal.

As a long time home miller, I eventually graduated to other flour mills that can produce a fine flour from whole wheat (or other grain) since I generally prefer a finely milled whole wheat flour for bread without the additional effort of sifting and remilling. But I still use my KA grain mill for cracking grain or making a somewhat coarse corn flour (I prefer a slightly gritty corn flour for cornbread, polenta and old-fashioned cornmeal grits).

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

I grind pretty regularly,  and freeze anything I don't use.  IIRC, the nutrient loss is for flour at room temperature, it does not have that problem when kept in the fridge - it lasts much longer, and even longer in the freezer.  

TomSoCal's picture
TomSoCal

Good comments I will mill/grind this Friday or Saturday right before mix/autolyse and will report my results 

 

tom

108 breads's picture
108 breads

I'm glad I read this conversation thread. It is giving me confidence that grinding will be pretty easy. I have been a bit anxious about it. (Just some thoughts about going into crazy territory.) As an urban person, it feels to even consider not going with the store-bough flour option.