How long can I let the dough stay in the fridge?

[ChicagoThinPlease]

So I just made my first pizza dough. I used a thin crust recipie from this site (don't know if it was DKM because I have no idea what DKM stands for). My plan was to let it sit for 24 hours in the fridge as the recipie pleads me to do. But now I've realized I can't bake tommorrow!

Can I use it in 48 hours? 72? What's the limit?

Thanks!

[alconnell]

Conventional wisdom is 48-72 hours, but I've gone as long as 5 days.  Over time, yeast activity will diminish and you will get less rise, but time also improves the flavor with increased fermentation.  I never use dough the same day it's made.  It just doesn't have enough flavor.

[Pete-zza]

ChicagoThinPlease,

"DKM" are the initials of one of our members (who is also a Moderator) who has come up with several dough recipes, including the thin cracker-style crust dough recipe at http://www.pizzamaking.com/pizzainnstyle.php. However, that recipe does not call for 24-hours of refrigeration. Are you perhaps thinking of the DKM deep-dish dough recipe at http://www.pizzamaking.com/dkm_chicago.php? That is not a "thin crust" recipe, however. The recipe you actually used and how you practiced it will dictate how long the dough can be used. If you can tell us which specific recipe you used, we may be able to answer your question more directly.

Peter

[JConk007]

Peter,
Guess it depends on which recipe was used but I am curious I did the DKM recipe you cited from the forum. That recipe calls for an 9 hr room temp rise  and says you can hold it up to 18 hrs after that. So I would think  CTP could use it same day after 9 hr rise right? but would not be advised to take it past 1 day or 27 hours total. I did a garage rise in NJ 38 degrees and overnight in fridge followed by another 2 +Hr room rise at 67 Degrees and it did come out in my rookie opinion great. I must say there was not too much expansion however til the final room rise. I also let it sit in cutter pan after shaping to 1/16" thick for about 1/2 hr. I think helps a bit too? Here it was http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,7592.0.html
If cutter pan comes in by Fri.  I am planning  this again for the weekend I Loved this crust.
With this recipe if you go right to the fridge I am assuming it would make it 2 days or more? I am willing to place right in fridge and go 2 even 3 days with an appropriate room temp rise too see results. Allways wanting to learn.
Thanks
John

[Pete-zza]

John,

I believe that DKM was only trying to specify a reasonable working range for his recipe in terms of fermentation times at room temperature. I don't think he was trying to provide an outer time limit for successful use of his recipe or to cover the many other possible ways that one might alter his fermentation protocol, as you did when you cold fermented the dough both in the garage and in the refrigerator. Generally speaking, when one introduces a period of cold fermentation in a dough that is intended to ferment at room temperature, the useful life of the dough will be extended. However, even then, you can go too far and get some unwanted crust flavors, as I discovered when I tried to extend the useful life of a DKM cracker-style dough, as I noted at Reply 97 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5762.msg50088.html#msg50088.

Peter