Storing Whole Wheat and Unbleached Flour
Can whole wheat and unbleached flours be stored in the same container instead of storing them separately?
I'd like to pre-mix my flours for all of my baking and store it that way. Since my diet consists mainly of whole wheat, whole grains, natural & organic foods....I don't use white flour by itself. And as I mentioned, whole wheat baking usually calls for some white flour because of the density.
Best Answer
Whole wheat flour has a lot of fat in it and will go rancid relatively quickly. It should be used promptly after it is ground or frozen for long term storage. Even if it will be used soon, keeping it cool and sealed from air and light is helpful.
There is no adverse effect from mixing flour types. Keep in mind that separately your white flour would keep much longer but your mix will only last as long as the wheat flour.
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Quick Answer about "Storing Whole Wheat and Unbleached Flour"
Store whole grain flour in the freezer or refrigerator, as far from the freezer/fridge door as possible. Un-milled whole grains (e.g., wheat berries, rye flakes, rolled oats) have a longer shelf life than whole grain flours. Store them either airtight at cool room temperature, or in the freezer or refrigerator.How do you store unbleached flour?
You can leave your flour in its original bag, but for long-term storage, it's best to move it to an air-tight container that can protect against smells (flour will absorb odors) and liquids from the freezer walls.How long can whole wheat flour be stored?
The reason: Whole-wheat flour still contain's the grain's bran and the germ, which are rich in fiber and other nutrients but spoil faster. As a result, whole-wheat flour keeps for up to three months at room temperature, and up to a year in the fridge or freezer. Same goes for oat flour and other whole-grain flours.Can you store whole wheat flour in the fridge?
Yes, to further extend the shelf life of whole wheat flour, refrigerate or freeze it; place the whole wheat flour inside covered airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. How long does whole wheat flour last in the fridge? Whole wheat flour will maintain best quality for about 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator.How To Store Flour and Grains #AskWardee 149
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Answer 2
As you've clarified that you only use the unbleached flour mixed with wholewheat, then yes, you can store the blend, and it will keep just as well as the individual flours. So if you get through large quantities always in the same proportions, go for it; if the proportions aren't fixed it seems more trouble than it's worth.
Let's assume you normally make a recipe that uses equal weights of both (50% wholemeal recipes are common in breadmakers for example). A well-mixed 50:50 blend would allow you to just use the same total weight, which is easy. But if you want to make a 70% wholemeal one day (you do, after all, sound like you want to keep up the wholegrain fraction of your diet) you have to fiddle about with the maths. You can also use just the wholemeal for flouring the worksurface or dusting a loaf. It gives the crust a nice flavour and texture, especially if you use stoneground or a similar slightly rough flour. The blend wouldn't have as much of this effect.
If you always make the same recipe, why not add the other dry ingredients (in the correct proportions of course): the baking powder for cakes or quickbreads, the salt and sugar for yeast breads (but probably not the yeast). You could even pack it into containers holding the right quantity as a batch process, essentially assembling your own mixes.
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