Author Topic: Bakers & Chefs Bread Flour (Read 2333 times)

Don K · « **on:** July 12, 2012, 06:13:10 PM »

I'm curious as to how Bakers & Chefs Bread Flour compares to Baker's & Chefs High Gluten Flour (which the Sam's Clubs near me don't sell). $8 for a 25-pound bag is hard to pass up.

I know Bakers & Chefs flour is made by Con Agra. Does any one know if the BF is at all comparable to any of their other flours, like maybe Minnesota Girl?

scott123 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2012, 06:18:52 PM »

Is it bromated?

Don K · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2012, 06:26:03 PM »

Quote from: scott123 on July 12, 2012, 06:18:52 PM

Is it bromated?

I don't think so. It's weird, when I was looking at it in the store, I thought I saw that it was. I must have saw bromated on one of the other flours. The bag just says "enriched and bleached."

Pete-zza · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2012, 06:52:25 PM »

Don,

If you look at the specs for the Sam's Bakers & Chefs bread flour at http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=149542#desc (also shown on the flour bag) and compare that with the descriptions for the ConAgra flours at page 5 at http://buyersguide.foodproductdesign.com/media/54/library/FPDconagramills3.pdf, it looks like the Minnesota Girl flour offers the closest overall match.

Peter

Pete-zza · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2012, 07:15:50 PM »

Don,

To add to my last post, ConAgra also sells a flour called Harvest bread flour through Costco: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=10250592&whse=BD_823&topnav=bd&cat=10695&hierPath=10035*&lang=en-US. Member November once concluded that the Harvest bread flour was really the Minnesota Girl flour: Reply 30 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,7821.msg68471/topicseen.html#msg68471. The description of the Harvest bread flour also matches up fairly closely with the Minnesota Girl flour description. The Harvest bread flour is not bromated.

It is possible that ConAgra mills flours for Sam's and Costco to meet their particular specs so they might not be the exact same flours.

Peter

Don K · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2012, 08:15:19 PM »

Thanks Peter.

I'm going to make a batch with it later today, so I guess I'll know in a couple of days. I hated to buy 25 pounds without knowing how it will perform, but considering it's only $8, I figure I can hardly go wrong.

dmcavanagh · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2012, 06:09:07 AM »

I'll be curious to find out how you like it. I have a bag also, which I have yet to use. Couldn't pass up the price. If it's not great for pizza, I'll use it for other things. I bake more than just pizza.

Don K · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2012, 10:56:11 AM »

I made the batch last night. As I suspected, the B&C must be lower in protein than the KABF I have been using lately. After an hour autolyse, there was definitely less gluten development. Absorption was lower. The dough was definitely wetter and stickier than I'm used to with the KABF.

Oh well, the proof is in the final product. I'll be using the dough tomorrow. Like you said dmc, I'm sure I'll find a use for the stuff is it doesn't work out for pizza. At $8/25lb, I'm not too worried about it.

atom · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2012, 07:46:27 AM »

Klink I wish I would have been able to find the webpage but I remember reading that that flour was actually quite low in protein. I want to say it was lower then kaap. When I get home ill look again to see if I can find it.

Update:
Assuming it is the same as costco:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/21940/costco-conagra-harvest-flour

Don K · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2012, 10:39:31 AM »

I have a strong suspicion that the B&C may be the same atom. Just from the look and feel of the dough when I was making it. Oh well, I guess I won't be buying any AP flour for a while. I'll find a use for it. Thanks for the link.

dmcavanagh · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2012, 10:55:35 AM »

Just mix it half and half with some stronger bread flour and you should be fine. More and more i am finding that I actually prefer ap over bread flour for many of my pizzas.

Don K · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2012, 11:06:31 AM »

That sounds like a good idea dmc. When I first started making pizza at home I always used AP. After I switched to a higher gluten flour, everyone seemed to like the texture a little better except my father-in-law (who lives with us). He has no teeth, so I think the softer crust was better for him. Maybe a little compromise would be a good thing.

dmcavanagh · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2012, 01:20:41 PM »

Thank God I still have my teeth

but on some styles of pizza, especially thicker Sicilian or other pan styles, I find that the ap flour gives a much softer crust which goes well for these styles. I've even toned down the chew in my NY style pies and nobodies complaining.

Don K · « **Reply #13 on:** August 01, 2012, 02:16:36 PM »

Well I guess I now have just under 25 pounds of bench flour. That's about all this stuff is good for IMO. If I had to guess, I'd say that it has less protein than most AP flours. Maybe it would make good pastry flour. After an hour autolyse there is almost no noticeable gluten development. The final crust was flat and cumbly.

Oh well, at least it was cheap.

sajata · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2012, 02:23:21 PM »

was at sams last night, snapped a pic, here is the lable
http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff496/sajata99/PIZZA/2012-08-07_19-15-21_437.jpg
can somone point me to how you insert a picture on thsi forum?

Pete-zza · « **Reply #15 on:** August 09, 2012, 03:47:21 PM »

Quote from: sajata on August 09, 2012, 02:23:21 PM

can someone point me to how you insert a picture on this forum?

sajata,

See the top sticky at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/board,40.0.html.

Peter

Chaze215 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 26, 2012, 09:39:55 PM »

Here is a shot of the pizza I made tonight using ConAgra Harvest Bread flour from Costco. I like it!

Jackie Tran · « **Reply #17 on:** August 26, 2012, 11:21:47 PM »

CK, I have used a bag of it myself before moving onto Con Agra's Power Flour. From what I can remember I did make some very good NY pies with it. It is fairly weak flour. If do stretch and folds to the dough periodically during a long bulk you can build strength into it. Divide and ball it after a long bulk and you should get better results.

mchef8 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2012, 02:28:28 PM »

Just thought I'd post this info I got from Con Agra.

This would cover any Sam’s Club store’s that ship out of their distribution centers in Charlotte, NC, Hattiesburg, MS, Lakeland, FL, Searcy, AR, Villa Rica, GA or Nashville, TN.

Here are the protein levels you requested.

11.4% +/- 0.30% on the Bread flour

9.0% +/- 1.00% on the All Purpose

Indicated protein content is based on average crop year environmental conditions and straight grade extraction
levels. The protein content may vary from year to year based on the mineral content of the endosperm
and wheat protein. Targeted functionality will remain the same from crop year to crop year.

sajata · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2012, 02:49:43 PM »

from a trip to sams B&C Bread Flour