No knead bread dough looking slimy after a week

No knead bread dough looking slimy after a week - Woman making pastry on table with flour

I have been baking no knead bread on a regular basis for a few months now and the fresh bread gets devoured still. I usually mix a double batch and use it throughout the week. Sometimes, at about a week in the fridge, there is liquid at the bottom of the bucket and the dough looks very wet on the bottom (where it has been sitting in the liquid). The top looks fine. My question is whether this is normal and fine or if the dough is being overproofed or something else going on. When I bake the dough at this stage, it does look more dense than the previous loaves but tastes fine. Is there something I can do to prevent this or that I should do once this happens for optimal bread? Thanks.



Best Answer

Flour readily absorbs water. You might try adding more flour and mixing it bit longer (yes, I know you said no need to knead bread) when you make your next batch, or you can try reducing the water amount you are using.

If you press on the dough and it doesn't push back it and the indentation remains or if it looks like it wants to collapse it is over proofed. If it is too springy it needs more time to proof.

Other factors: Temperature can also be a factor (outside, fridge, oven, etc). Did you change your flour? Mills change their blends seasonally so you may need to adjust or try a different brand/formulation/protein level. I've had better luck with bread flour formulations over all purpose flour.




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Why is my no knead bread gummy?

Gummy bread usually occurs because the crust forms on the bread before the inside has reached its full volume.

Why is my bread dough slimy?

Why is my dough so sticky? Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

How do you fix slimy dough?

If your dough is so sticky that it sticks to everything, you need to add a little flour to it. As you are kneading it, make sure that your hands and your work surface are coated in a light dusting of flour, and add a few teaspoons of flour at a time. This will get rid of the stickiness.

How long can you keep no knead dough in the fridge?

As I've shown before, giving lean doughs like this a stay in the fridge for three to five days can massively increase its flavor and its performance. Same goes for the no-knead bread. After allowing it to rise at room temperature overnight, I'll stick mine directly into the refrigerator for three days.



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