…… Vital Wheat Gluten

Hfcomms

EN66iq
Need some education from our resident bakers here.

For background I have about #500 of hard red winter wheat stored away since Y2K and have used it from time to time for bread making. I have a good grinder and have made my own bread from time to time and also bought an electric bread maker several years ago and toyed around with different recipes. I also keep vacuum sealed bulk yeast in stock and every year buy a brick or two and rotate it even though I haven't done any baking in several years now as I've gone more Keto and try to avoid breads.

But, with what is staring us down with food availability issues I will use my wheat to make breads in the future. My primary bread type recipe for TSHTF is a flatbread type of biscuit that I can cook up on the griddle like a small pancake and those will keep for about a week or so.

My question about the gluten is that I have had limited success in the past with baking bread as using my grinder the red winter wheat tends to make a denser bread that doesn't want to rise very much. In the past I mixed in some regular fine ground flour which has helped with the texture and made it rise a bit better.

Came across various recipes that call for vital wheat gluten and doing some research the red winter wheat is a middle of the road wheat [gluten wise] for all purpose usage. My question about the wheat gluten is does it really help the bread rise quite a bit more, would you suggest that I incorporate it into the preps and how is it used and how much, etc?

If you want to add in a couple of recipes using the wheat gluten and making the bread with standard food storage items such as the yeast, powdered milk, powdered butter, etc that you find in your storage preps would be great.
 

hd5574

Veteran Member
I used a mix of 1/2 red wheat flour and 1/2 soft white wheat flour (also called pastry flour) it is still whole wheat flour but the combination makes a light whole wheat bread...you could also use a mix of a good all purpose flour like King Arthur.
I have not made bread in years but I am gearing up to start again. .

I have never used the newer instant yeast but rather the dry active...and I have a lot of old family recipes than even call for the old cake yeast...but plan to experiment with it.

I vacuum seal my bricks of yeast date and store in a plastic container in the freezer. .from what I understand that is the best way for long term storage.

I also buy 5 lb bags of King Arthur flour and seal in the gallon size avid armour bags. .this stops the need for freezing and saves freezer space. Once they are sealed there is no oxygen for the weevils to use. End of weevils. I have buckets of wheat berries and grinders both electric and non electric. .I also used the finest grind for bread.

My aunt was a huge bread and roll maker and she never used any enhancers in her recipes. .I have all the family recipes including my grandmother's who was born in 1870. I inherited them when my aunt passed in 1990. I never remember any "store bought" bread in her house. These recipes are from my dad's side and I also have all the ones from mom's side also.

With world we are moving into I am blessed to have been raised by women who were cooks..and to be taught by them...when I was young there were no instant meals..if you didn't cook you didn't eat...life was very different back then....
 
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