54: What's the perfect hydration rate? - Bake with Jack

Your Printable Hydration Guide: www.bakewithjack.co.uk/blog-1...
A question that has come up a couple of time this week! Is there a perfect hydration rate? Spoiler alert: no, not really. Here's why...
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[@HelpatHomeJim]

I'm in the US and have baked a lot. At first I thought weighing everything seemed weird, but when I saw that you just keep adding to the the bowl and hitting "tare" on the scale to zero out, I realized it was easier than worrying about the flour being lightly packed or densely packed into the measuring cup.

[@eneal2056]

Why doesn’t everyone claiming to have the “best” sourdough recipe make as much sense as you? Everything you teach is so simple, easy to understand and most importantly, foolproof.

[@aviationchannel6204]

I like to do 70% hydration for normal yeast bread, 80% for sourdough, and something like 55% for bagels. I go over 80% hydration (something like 90%) for a ciabatta.

[@vincentwinkleblech3614]

JACK!!!! You must make a video explaining how oil, butter and sugar effect hydration rates.

[@khalysamg8930]

Vincent Winkleblech yes i agree!!

[@vincentwinkleblech3614]

@@khalysamg8930 that makes 2 of us!

[@kevoramma]

i wouldn’t say: MUST, but i would also appreciate this.

[@monalisa31795]

Yes please!

[@vincentwinkleblech3614]

@@kevoramma c'mon...... Just say it ! It will make you feel much Happier. M-U-S-T...... MUST !

[@DahVoozel]

I specifically bought a scale when I started making bread because it is SO much easier. I can just pour from a container and not have to look for and get a bunch of different sized cups dirty.

[@Bakewithjack]

EXACTLY! ☺️👌🏻 nice work

[@oldmaninthecave]

So do I... put the mixing bowl on the scale, zero the scale, add a specific weight of flour, zero the scale, add the water... only one thing to wash!

[@robpearl6843]

And it's accurate

[@C00ltronix]

@@oldmaninthecave Exactly like that.

[@penguineeee6440]

Wish I could afford that😢😢😢

[@davidward3503]

A few of us here in Trumplandia do know and use grams already. Of course we've probably all lived in Europe or some other place where they have socialized medicine, but while the official line is the old system, there's an underground movement of folks who just keep our scales set on metric.

[@clericneokun]

I once spent an entire week learning how to deal with high hydration dough until the stars finally lined up and I got a finished product worth bragging about....only to realize minutes later that I actually don't like the texture of the crumb no matter how perfect it looked. Now I'm back to making simple dinner rolls.

[@Bakewithjack]

😄 you came full circle! 👍🏻

[@BeyondF1]

I grew up with the Imperial System, embraced the Metric System in the 70's, I'm now 63 and having moved to Kentucky USA in the '90's am back with Imperial. Consequently I have reverted to the GA (grandma approved) System of dollop, sprinkling and dash. I basically start with the same amount of water each time then add flour to get the right consistency. I'm enjoying the learning process and am finding your videos very helpful. Thank you.

[@Bakewithjack]

Oh cool! You’re welcome 👍🏻

[@neilbarkeraswell]

Excellent video Jack. Hydration explained simply and easily. Thanks.

[@juliaaquaamateur1573]

The most precious piece of information for me. Thank you! I'm a beginner. When I make some wet-dough bread, it tastes delicios, it looks quite nice, it has mouthwatering flavour, but there is one BUT - it is a complete disaster! I can hardly manage shaping, I'm covered with dough from head to toe, everything in the kitchen is covered with sticky dough, aaargh. Now I know what to do and how to adjust the recipe without any harm to my bread :))

[@kenhenllan]

Unlike all the information I've found from laymen and experts alike you provide clear, usable and intelligent guidance which has proven to be helpful on every occasion. Thank you Jack, very much appreciated!

[@Bakewithjack]

You are very welcome! So happy to help ☺️

[@terid6708]

Just the information I wanted, and has searched for. You seem to come up a lot when I have questions. Thank you for the information.

[@robertnordeen4631]

usa here. Yep did the cups 1/2's , 1/3rd and all that. Finall got a scale and did g's. wow is that easy. Now i just get a small bowl and scoop it out. No need to count how many cups I had or start over. Its very exact. Right down to the pinch of salt or flour. Its a breeze. It beats the cup fractions mess. You had a great point about the hydration. Put less water in for a much less sticky dough. It wont hurt. Might find the perfect mix better than the recipe you found. Thanks Jack. You say it so well. Im glued to the screen listening to your great info. Fantastic tips and tricks and corrections. Thanks!!

[@Bakewithjack]

Pleasure as always Robert, I’m glad you are finding my videos helpful 👊🏻

[@Nar1117]

Jack, great video as always. You make baking concepts easy to understand, fun to learn, and your positive attitude provides the motivation. Keep it up!

[@Bakewithjack]

Thanks Robert 👌🏻

[@senang2day524]

Thank you for your clear explanation! Recently I started with a 50% hydration and worked slowly up as I got more comfortable handling the dough. At this moment a 70% hydration (with whole grain spelt flour!) is just perfect. But indeed, when I made my sour dough for the first time I started to panic and didn't know what to do with that sticky dough. I kept on adding flour and ended up with bricks instead of breads. :-) But I didn't give up, tried and tried again, got more experienced along the way and now (thanks to the Lockdown) I just can't stop baking those beautiful sourdough breads anymore!

[@thepowderriverfarrier9545]

Go on Jack. It's okay. Mess with our heads every week. Your suggestions are invaluable.

[@WinGator1]

I'm just starting my adventure into sourdough bread making and your series of videos has answered so many questions I've had about different parts of the process. You've put together an invaluable video library of tips and techniques. Thanks so much for all of the effort you've put into this. Great information presented in a fun, approachable and easy to follow style.

[@Bakewithjack]

You are very welcome! ☺️ glad to be helping out!

[@julianneos4299]

Hey jack. I am absolutely in love with your channel. According to this topic though, I would like to let you know that in Germany, the "mother country" of (sourdough) bread a hydration rate of 55% to max 58% is common. And we use a lot of whole meal flour! We like our bread with fine structure but not dry.

[@KalpeshPanchal]

Quite informative around hydration. I've learned someone who's new to baking can start with lower hydration % and gradually make their way upwards by understanding handling of dough at various stages. I've seen few professional bakers who can handle 100% hydration.

[@vandana9279]

Hey Jack! That makes sense. When wholemeal flour is used for roti the amount of water is way high. It seems wet but if it rests for longer, not only the water is absorbed but also the roti becomes very soft. Resting and hydration must be the key to yummy bread 😊. Never thought scientifically before 😄😄. About the America joke, I think it’s the way companies put up 🤫😂😂! Thank you for educating all your subscribers.

[@spicen1sugar]

Hi Jack from Australia- thanks for weekly tips

[@vaijayantimarathe7307]

Oh!! I love this guy! He's cute and very knowledgeable!! Keep your videos coming Jack !!

[@Thepursuitoftastiness]

I love your accent and the contents of your channel! Good job mate!

[@laetitialalila7390]

Congrats on 3K subscribers, Jack! You have grown so much over the last two months, all your hard work is beginning to pay off! WICKED!!! 😃 Let's go for 3M! 🙆🙆🙆

[@Bakewithjack]

Thank you!!! 😃🍾

[@adamwood7174]

So pleased I found you Jack; great content, thanks.

[@Bakewithjack]

Amazing, thanks Adam ☺️👌🏻

[@77goanywhere]

Thank you! I know this is an older video, but I learn plenty from all of your videos. Foodgeek just did an experiment with doughs 100% to 120% Hydration. Not something I will be trying anytime soon, but all breads came out nicely. The 100% was really nice. So a bit wetter seems preferable to a bit dryer.

[@chefbambu9382]

Good explanation of hydration and bakers percentage, always a difficulty understanding and working what best suits each person.

[@badbernrock]

Hey Jack, home baker in the USA here, thanks for all your work. Actually, most bakers (including home bakers) I know use grams, not cups.

[@SparkyOne549]

Same here

[@calvinyip364]

Same. Cup is inconsistent

[@erichlf]

Yep, I used grams before I moved to Europe and then continued after I came back to the US.

[@insertclevernamehere2506]

@@calvinyip364 Yes, I've seen KZbin presenters alone equate a cup to between 180gr to 250gr in mass and 150ml to 220ml in volume. Tricky to follow easily sometimes. Doesn't seem to matter so much in cooking where you can taste-test to correct things but baking is a different story usually.

@R. exactly. Also most of the mainstream cooking channels. I am from Brazil and I watch cooking channels from everywhere, most of the US channels I see use cups when baking. I think it has to do with the audience anyway, even if the professionals would use grams they will convert to cups (etc), and that is why most home bakers will suck. Even in Brazil, there are many recipes calling for cups, maybe because of translated recipes(?), and I've sucked as a baker. When I switched to grams, learned about hydration and most importantly, learned to "feel the dough", it was a game changer, getting consistent results.

[@jessicarodriguez9769]

From the US here. Haha I think we are learning that the use of a scale is the way to go... LOL I think most who don't are those who are not really serious home bakers. Thanks for your tips, the education is appreciated. #lovemakingbread

[@pauldoyle1864]

Hi Jack, just to let you know I find your videos very very helpful so thank you,

[@Bakewithjack]

Thanks Paul, you are so welcome!!

[@janelintern6969]

Extremely helpful - thanks, Jack

[@jacksparrow1588]

Jack, one will have to take into account the flour contained in the sourdough starter. I've started baking sourdough bread with help of your videos and man I can't eat yeas bread anymore. Kudos!

[@denisewhitney5926]

In the US... and using a food scale and measuring by weight. :)

[@Bakewithjack]

Yay Denise!!

[@laurenandreas5950]

Yes indeed, watching from New Mexico and using a scale. They are inexpensive and make measuring so much easier. I love your videos!

[@VeronicaLopez-ek9vo]

You have a beauty smile. The camara loves you. The tv is for you. Love your channel. You have charisma.

[@LorrainebiezkegooglemailcomLbi]

Love your bread tips

[@O.G.Alphaborn]

Really Jack! Mess with our heads.

[@sethgilbertson2474]

If you’re a home baker in the US and you are not using metric then you’re doing it wrong. It all makes so much sense in metric!

[@kellyball4051]

It's not about using metric so much as it is about using ingredient by WEIGHT and not by volume. A cup measures the volume of flour needed to fill a container that has been labeled as holding one cup...but due to variances in cups, and even in identical cups, there will almost always be a different weight for each filled cup. That 15 grams of sugar you put in a recipe using your measuring spoons and eye may be too little for your yeast to use to live and thrive. However, if you add 25 grams by weight each time, then it will be the correct amount every single time. That means that if you follow a recipe exactly, it will ALWAYS be the same.

[@elliez.3561]

@@kellyball4051 Exactly. You could measure in oz/lb as well. If you make a recipe with 1 lb flour and 10.4 oz water, that's going to be just slightly smaller than the 500g/325g recipe Jack suggested.

[@musclelimit]

Love these videos, you have a splendid way of explaining, thank you. Could you do a video on how to get a straight dough bread with a lovely open crumb. Its sourdough mad out there, I'm not keen ! 🤭

[@seanbownes9242]

I saw a cool technique of kneeding wet dough by keeping hold of the dough and throwing it out onto the table and then bringing it back into a sort of ball and repeating

[@Toiked1]

Oh, I should have mentioned, good video, clearly explained. Thanks,

[@JSTpacek]

For the past months I've settled for 65 %. Started with 75 % but it was too sticky. Maybe I'll return to it when I feel confident my dough handling skills can handle it.

[@autoculto7629]

Very helpful, thanks.

[@fveggerby]

"What works for you" is the correct answer. I found a (very old) recipe that looked good, nice and easy. It didn't turn out the type of dough that I !!! want to works with. So I, through trial and error" tweaked the recipe to my style of working, my style of liking. Had to tweak rising/resting times too, but in the end I now have a recipe that I use for almost anything. Burgerbuns, Sundaymorningbuns, loafs, panpizza, you name it. Don't rely completely on the recipe, many factors come in to play. Roomtemp, rising/resting temp a.s.o. A good ex. is that at home I use this and that amount, but when baking in my daughters inn, I had to change it, quite a lot actually, but mostly HOW to do it. Roomtemp different, ovens different, freezing, reheating, toasting which is not an used at home. Recipes is nothing more than a starting point.

[@Poogoo701]

with the double hydration method using a stand mixer I can use any bread flour and make it 110% hydration. Makes a really airy ciabatta.

[@robertnordeen4631]

my scale broke. so i used measuring cups. the sourdough bread came out the same way.

[@bigpapi3636]

Got it, thanks Jack. The takeaway I got is I should be measuring by weight and not by volume and that a basic staring point is around 65% hydration. So I'm baking today using a composite of what I've learned from your videos. Fingers crossed!

[@Bakewithjack]

Yep! Best of luck Papi 👍🏻

[@karinschroeder1944]

My success rate with bread went way up when I started using weight, not volume. All things being equal, some days a cup of bread flour averages 4.5oz and another it's been as much as 5.0oz. I have no idea why. I do know that as long as I use weight, the final bread loaf will be consistent with one I baked previously.

[@bigpapi3636]

Karin Schroeder That's a good tip to get consistency and the weight difference you see for a similar volume makes perfect sense just by the way the measuring cup is filled could certainly make a significant difference. I don't know if humidity makes a significant difference but any finely divided organic will adsorb water. Maybe Jack can weigh it (no pun intended) on that item. Regardless I'm always going to weigh out all the raw materials.

[@bigpapi3636]

Bake with Jack It works! 65% hydration in a standard round loaf. Came out perfectly! Can't thank you enough Jack. No more guesswork.

[@paulblichmann2791]

In the US we can use scales just as well as you can. And when you see odd numbers all the time in grams, they are easy numbers in ounces! 110ish grams and multiples pop up everywhere, because that's 4 ounces.

[@MrAsiatus]

Hi Jack, do you include the starter as water content for your hydration calculation? love ur channel ✌️🙏👏

[@gaynormorgan2445]

Thank you for a brilliant channel, I've learnt so much! How does harvester/granary flour rank in hydration? Does it need more water than stong white bread flour?

[@UTPP]

Great video, perfect explanation. One question though, what is the benefit of having a high hydration rate? Thank you

[@sarthakmohapatra3738]

Good tip. Thnx

[@contefrederic]

Good video from which I learned to experiment with the hydration if at first the crumb is not open to my liking. Fermentation and hydration I have heard are the keys to a good crumb. Question: do any of the fluid extras like honey, molasses, butter, and olive oil contribute to the hydration formulation or can you just use the water and flour ratio? I guess one could just stick to the water and flour and work with the water to get the correct crumb, ignoring the extras. May have answered my own question. Thank you, anyway, for entertaining and informative videos. Cheers from Downunder.

[@sgtjenko]

Nicely explained - I've just bought some spelt flour do you have to have a high hydration for that?

[@eldritcher]

nice vid! i really don't understand why so many people try to increase the hydration to very high levels. sure, you can get a extremely open crumb and you can make a video about how great you can handle such a dough. but i think to many people forget the most important thing about bread - taste. but maybe that's just me talking as a german, where sourdough bread has generally lower hydration rates (with still great shelf life 🙃)

[@arwenxu]

I used to wonder why my bread was always dense and dry. After learning about hydration, I realized that I never really worked with hydration rates above 65% before. Now I work with 70-75% hydration and is much happier with the result.

[@hapi2009]

Hi Jack! Great video. If there are other ingredients like milk and butter, do these count towards the 60% hydration rate? Or is 60% hydration rate only for water? Thanks!

[@lilyoyo77]

I think milk and butter can affect the hydration rate obviously

[@sallygomez1044]

I usually bake with a mix of 2 whole wheat flours 30% ww bread flour, 70% ww all purpose flour. For this particular blend I find 85% hydration yields the most perfect, softest, fluffiest open crumb.

[@richardharris5336]

Another wonderful explanation, thanks Jack. This AGAIN explains why I have been lagging with my wholemeal breads especially. I think you said "The higher the hydration, the better the bread", so how high can you actually go? 80%? 90% 100%? My most recent 50:50 wholemeal rye & white was around 65-70% hydration and had a decent glossy texture, but noticeably different to the 60% hydration I'd started with, and not too difficult to work either with a scraper.

[@Bakewithjack]

Thanks Richard. Go as far as you are comfortable with! I haven’t been up to 100 yet! Too scared 😜

[@richardharris5336]

My bake from Sunday was 50:50 rye-white, 75% hydration. Pushed through with the kneading (saw a significant change), but I think you probably need 2 scrapers for a dough this wet, or maybe just to work quicker/smarter, I struggled with the shaping! I also over proved it a bit but the texture and taste was great!

[@1956Mariella]

Jack, you are a darling! ☺️ Three questions from me: 1. What if my oven cannot get higher than 150C actually…Do I give up baking? 2. White rye flour: is 250g too much for a total of 1kg where 750 is bread flour with 13.5 % protein? 3. Why my dough is ALWAYS wet by the time I shape it even though I start at 65% hydration? Is it about my wet hands while stretching & folding?

[@leekianchia3881]

Hi Jack, thank you for all the great advices. Do you recommend substituting butter with oil like olive oil ? Have you heard of "tangzhong" method ? A small portion of flour is added to water, heat up and stir until form gluey stuff. In this case, how to calculate the hydration rate in total ? Thank you.

[@Bakewithjack]

Yes you can swap out butter an oil and YES I have heard of Tangzhong but I haven’t tried it yet. I’d probably work out the hydration the same as normal 👍🏻

[@robertnordeen4631]

Im back. Jack. now I figured the 3rd time my hydration is for sure 59%(with starter). =1000g flour and 590g water( might add more water next time).. I did have it at 62% but I thought it was too wet to handle. Then I was only using bread flour. It makes the most delicious soft crusty chewy white bread. and all my friends just can believe it dont have commercial yeast! Its so big!! But then I add some of that brown flour. Not to much cuz then its too stiff. squirrels and birds wont touch it. That got me to thinking. just how much i need to get to 65%? Then I was just thinking on how that mixing by hand went, last 2 Boules of raisin in potato water went.. well it was sort of dry getting all the flour mixed up after the initial shaggy mix. 59 g's more of water. Hmm. that might do it. Next 2 Boules i will. Thank you Jack. My wife says, Is he married? ;)

[@Bakewithjack]

Yes he is 😂

[@guguigugu]

took me about 10 tries to manage 75%. comes out really nice now.

[@Bakewithjack]

Nice one!

[@robertnordeen6989]

Hey Jack. Whatever my hydration is either 42% or 92% . Can't figure it out yet. But my starter is a cup flour about 150g and a cup water 236g I believe. + The rest. Whatever it is I do to care cuz it taste pretty darn good. I don't ruin my shirt. Some other site could not believe I had 42%. Then I refigured to his and it was 92% no way! Haha. He had a box of slop dough at 125% mass of jello. Haha. Nnoo. Thanks Jack I will block out the other chatter and stick to your stuff and good sense. Your better .

[@stizan24]

I live in the heartland of the United States. I understand baking is a science, and humidity plays a part. So it’s all about weights and percentages when I do bake. I don’t bake much anymore because of the keto genie way of eating I practice.

[@alexmahon1]

Great vid.....Jack when I made bread in tins I used to use tins bought from stores like John Lewis and tried to make tall straight loaves like ones you buy but they would collapse over the sides when the bread rose over the lip.Which tins would you recommend and where could I buy them....I am finding your vids very helpful thank you.

[@Bakewithjack]

A 2lb farmhouse loaf tin, if you’re in the I’ll send me an email and I can sort you out with one 👉🏻 [e-mail]

[@DwayneShaw1]

for my taste, I haven't been able to do better than a store-bought loaf of whole wheat for sandwich bread (the tip about extra hydration for wheat flour might help that) - for daily bread, I'm an arthritic no-knead baker that favors an open crumb - My current sweet spot seems to be about 75% hydration - but I regularly play with getting it a bit higher

[@2dron2]

Dang Jack, following you for all the how to do info and my starter is at about 11 days now and after feeding last night, ready to roar. Problem is, no flour in the house and nothing available locally for purchase! Tough times.

[@Bakewithjack]

😢

[@bobforsale]

I was hoping you’d explain WHY high hydration is desirable. What effect does high hydration have on the finished product?

[@Jartisann]

Yes. I am also wondering about that. How do the results of wet dough (ultra high)​, high hydration, average, and low hydration compare? Also which ones perform better over many days after baking. Someone needs to help us out here, and I am very sure you can, @Jack​

[@ayeshas5976]

The end product is different. High hydration for sourdough gives those dreamy airy holes inside the bread. However high hydration dough is difficult to work with for beginners as well (as it’s really sticky). Low hydration is easier to handle however bread is more dense and heavy. Hope that helped! :)

[@johndilella5765]

Hi Jack. I started viewing your videos and they are very informative. Do you have a video or a recipe for 50% whole wheat and 50% bread flour.

[@danielninio6990]

Any advice about assessing and controlling hydration with sourdough. I've noticed that the hydration of the sourdough impacts on the final hydration of the dough and it is harder to be consistent.

[@Bakewithjack]

You mean the starter?? I use 50/50 water and flour in my starter to keep it easy 👌🏻

[@timleaning6695]

This is a bit random but. I use 500g of flour to make 9 buns. Baking time 18 mins. I watched your vid on forming a loaf while the dough was rising & decided to try that instead of buns. I found a time of 45 mins in my bread book for that batch. It worked well nice loaf thanks. If I divided the batch in half & used same temp. How do I work out the time please? Its a small micro/convection oven so I doubt I could fit both loaves in. Cheers. :) Tim

[@pfefferle74]

Mildly interesting detail: in Germany, bakers commonly express hydration rates in how much weight-units of dough you'll get out of 100 weight-units of flour, and they call it TA for "Teigausbeute" (dough yield). So a TA of 160 is just 60% hydration. I suppose it's a historical leftover from times before the writing of percentage numbers with "%" came widely used in the 16th century. So if you hear a German baker talk about a soudough bread with "TA 178", you know what it means.

[@khalysamg8930]

Jack when we are determining the hydration percentage, do we factor in other ingredients such as oils, butter, eggs, milk powder? It’s hard to distinguish if butter is wet or dry? If milk powder is included in the flour measurement since it is a dry similar to flour. So confusing!

[@Osama_Abbas]

I like the jab to the face to US measurement system.

[@O.G.Alphaborn]

When calculating your hydration level do you calculate considering your start hydration rate of your starter?

[@Bakewithjack]

Yes I do, to get the total hydration of the whole finished dough 👍🏻

[@fauche1980]

Hey Jack, Im a Canadian living in Germany. I love your videos, however lately however Ive been focusing on trying to achieve delicious healthier whole grain loaves. I couldnt help but notice you have little or no material on the topic (this video pops up when I search for "whole"). Is that something you plan on talking about? would be great !! cheers

[@jennyleemiller6546]

I live in a desert with very low humidity. Does my very dry flour affect my hydration rate? It makes sense that I would need more water than a place with high humidity. By the way, most recipes I've come across have a range in their flour amount to compensate for my dried out flour. I don't like this because I find I can only use the smallest amount of flour in their suggested range and end up with less dough in the final product. It makes much more sense the keep the flour the same and use a higher hydration rate.

[@Bakewithjack]

Yes I would keep the flour the same and play with the hydration. Interesting I never even thought about flour drying out!

[@jennyleemiller6546]

@@Bakewithjack Thank you, Jack! That's what I thought. My instincts are improving after binge watching all your videos, which has improved my bread too, thanks again!

[@marks3868]

Do you adjust the hydration ratio if you're using a standard kitchen oven that peaks between 450 to 500 degrees or does it matter how hot the oven heats to?

[@d7588]

But what does hydration rate affect in the end product? Bigger bubbles? softer interiors? why increase the moisture of the dough?

[@MariusIhlar]

also wondering this!

[@breadcrumbs3530]

Marius Ihlar Hydration primarily affects the interior crumb structure. Higher hydration doughs tend to produce a more open crumb while lower hydration doughs tend to produce a tight crumb. Now, there are many factors that play into crumb structure so hydration is by no means a guarantee that you’ll get the crumb you want but it’s just one extra control. Bagel dough is one of the stiffest, lowest hydration doughs around and it’s why bagels are so dense chewy. Compare that to, say, a baguette with a very loose, creamy, almost crepe-like crumb and that’s the effect of hydration. Certain rich doughs like brioche also require very low hydration since they consist of so much fat that too much water would cause the dough to completely collapse.

[@robertnordeen4631]

I had a go at wet dough. 50/50 whole wheat and bread flour. 97% hydration. It was about soaking the flour overnight then add the salt and starter the next day. The soggy flour ball flatten out in the bowl. Usually for my normal white sourdough bread I'd put in 1.5 cups of water. This time I added 2.5 cups. I did not like that next step of added the starter and salt and mixing it all in. What a pig slop :) it was. Stuck to my everything. LOL! I thought ok, its been a few hours and no sign of it moving. I was going to toss it. Then I just left it for the afternoon. Well it finally raised up nicely. But shrunk back down a bit in the dutch oven. Looks like a giant hockey puck. The other half I put in a foot long pan lined with paper in case it want to go past the edge when Im not looking, cuz Its sitting on top of a big pan of hot water. i started this hole mess last night. 24 hrs later. ..... Good thing I went to check it. That hot water got it past the top of the pan. Good thing i got it lined with parchment paper and had extra paper up the wall then fastened it with staples. sprayed it a few times with water. I think after all this im going back to my 76% hydration , way more predictable. I dont see the purpose of soaked grains cuz my grain are soaked anyways over 20 hours anyways. to much extra work to be soaked. I like it simple. flour water salt. good chewy, crunchy soft = perfect. I cut a slice off that hockey puck. To my amazement it had bigger holes than all my breads ever had. These are see thru and the toppings will go right on thru. Tastes pretty good. So I had to try it and see. But is to much work and messy. Good crumb.

[@Bakewithjack]

Nice account Robert!! That’s a BIG jump from 76 to 97! But glad the hockey puck tasted good ☺️👌🏻

[@robertnordeen6989]

@@Bakewithjack you can't judge a bread by it's cover. After slicing off the heel with a slather of butter. The initial taste was good. BUT.... Getting further in it seemed sticky. I didn't like it . Your right on the water , whole wheat takes more water . This is not what I was expecting. This is new to me. I won't be soaking any grains again. To complicated for me. I like the simple sourdough bread I keep going back to I make. 76%. Hydration. Perfect for toast. This last 2 loaves had Italian dry seasoning mixed into the flour and salt. About 2 tablespoon for a 2 loaf. Then the starter and water mixed in. Rest 30min. Stretch fold 10 times rest 30 min . Stretch fold 10 times. One more time stretch fold rest 30min. Then cut in two shape for final rise in a parchment paper lined bowl for 6 hours in a cold oven. I was just worried the last 2 hrs ,being away at a meeting. Oh my bread hope it ok. Well it didn't go flat. It got some average holes alittle bigger than all my breads ever had. Very well pleased. I did put in a 1/3 cup whole wheat into 850g bread flour and 22 g sea salt. 2 cups starter straight from the ol lady in the fridge. It was 2cups in fridge 2 days since last feeding. Stired it up poured out 2 cups added 1-3/4 cup filtered water. Bigger holes! This is totally breaking the laws of feeding the starter. But it's soft. It was difficult cutting because of it's soft crumb. Chewy heel. It's sat out all night uncovered. But oooh is it good!! Crusty too! I better write this one down in my diary bread book. Maybe it was the extra 2g of sea salt . Usually it's 20g. Huh! Room was 47% humidity. 72-73°F. Have a good day.

[@michaelprozonic]

this might surprise you but some of us in the USA, even old timers like me, do understand the metric system quite well.

[@abstractbybrian]

have you done 100% whole wheat? What hydration do you recommend? 100% or 85% or ?

[@michaelandbrytanyjordan7573]

Don't worry we have serious and competent bakers in Merica.

[@RepairApp]

Hi Jack, thanks for the hydration explanation. I wondered if I'm working with a sourdough starter do I need to factor my remaining starter into the calculation e.g. is 100% hydration A) 50g original starter + 100g flour + 100g water Or B) 50g original starter + 50g flour + 100g water Thanks

[@Bakewithjack]

Yes you do, I keep mine 100% hydration at all times to keep it easy 👌🏻

[@danieltdp]

@@Bakewithjack Hey. Can a starter be used in a 65% hydration bread (with the proper math to include the starter)? And how much time proffing it would be required?

[@lalachoa]

Does hydration have any relation to humidity? I am from Asia and am just starting to learn in making bread.

[@kuyaleinad4195]

Hey, Just want to know if fats count as part of the Hydration rate since I’m trying to do an enriched dough recipe and seeing how fluffy I could get it. Stuck between adding more liquid or fat 🤔

[@hanyaaku100]

Same question in my mind.. please answer 🙏🙏

[@crazyduck1254]

i baked your sourdough bread and inside looked really good, like rye bread, but on the outside it looked like mouton rock from a volcano

[@Bakewithjack]

Sounds like you nailed it 👊🏻🔥

[@edwardfknight]

Jack, I live in the US. I've been baking sourdough for some 25+ years. I do not use cups, or any other volume measurement. I weight everything using grams. So, go a little easy on us Americans., I don't know anyone who bakes seriously using volume measurements. If you want repeatable results, you have to use weight and percentages when scaling a formula. Oh, and by the way, I lived in Thame, Oxfordshire for 5 years 89-94.

[@smarsh599]

Hi Jack. I have been using Jenny's recipe (Jenny can Cook) which uses 3 cups of flour and 1.5 cups of hot water (50%) but after the autolysis the dough is very sloppy. Jenny uses flour on the board and on the dough when shaping (no kneading). Is that wrong? Steve

[@robertnordeen4631]

i just had to come back. :) . My hydration is 42%. on the edge of sticky. But thats because I use all bread flour. Oh! its so good. Not sure what would happen if I increased the water. Sure would hate to wreck it and not like the out come. Could I go like 1/2 cup at a time? 118g.=1/2 cup... Well that would br 55%.. so how would a boule act in a dutch oven? explode and crack everywhere?

[@mountahahabchy2659]

Hi. Your baking is so inspiring. I recently started to bake my own but I need your advice please . 1- my starter is whole wheat and I am feeding it only whole wheat, I am afraid if I will mix it with strong flour it will become weak) . / do you think I should start a new starter with strong bread only ? I tried with all purpose but it didn't work 2- While scoring my loaf the dough is going flat (not firm like yours ) / do you think because I am proofing it in a pyrex bowl instead of banneton? Or it's not proofing enough? Or my sourdough recipe? I really appreciate your advise . Because I tried so many recipes and I am getting the same results. Thank you so much and all the best,

[@criswilson1140]

1. Changing the flour type in your starter will change the taste of the bread. I played around with different flour types in starters and finally settled on 70% whole wheat and 30% strong flour. It gives me the taste that I like, but your tastes may be different. 2. Lots of things can cause a loaf to deflate. I proof in pyrex with no problems. Most likely your dough hasn't been kneaded enough to develop the surface tension needed to support being scored. Try kneading a little more, or let it rest longer before scoring.

[@hannabaal150]

I started making bread a short while ago, and I use a 75% hydration rate with bread flour only, no whole wheat. What is the advantage, if any, in using a higher hydration rate when 60% is standard for bread flour? I get a good rise and spring, is that compromised with less water?

[@alessandroluce]

More water (hydration) means more or less yeast percentage ? Explain please. And please made a video about room temp vs yeast amount (yeast temperature ratio). Thx

[@MultiJon93]

How about the other source of liquid like eggs, milk, or cream? Is the hydration equal to water?

[@beldemutaf-yildiz1029]

Hi Jack! thanks for the tips :) I have one question actually about bakers percentage. Do you take the amount of flour in your levain (starter) into account? Let's say I use 500 g flour and 20% levain (= 100g) and this levain has 50g flour and 50g water. So when I calculate the hydration of 70%, should I take 500g as starting point, then it is 350g water. Or, should I take 550g of flour as starting point, which then makes 5,5 x 70 = 385 and - 50 (from levain) = 335g of water. What do you say :D

[@Bakewithjack]

Bit confused by you’re numbers but... add the flour and water from your leaving... so 500 flour, 350 water and 100 Lebanon becomes 400/550x100 for hydration 72.7%. Yes include the leaving broken down into parts. Hope that makes sense and answers your question?

[@dfeuer]

How do you figure semi-liquid ingredients like honey, eggs, and egg yolks into the hydration level? Are there good rules of thumb for those?

[@davidshaw7549]

Additions like sugar (honey), fat(egg yolks) or protein (egg whites) will affect your hydration level fairly negligibly compared to things like milk, cream, yogurt which should be factored into your percentages. The former will have more of an effect on the density and richness of your dough. For instance, ciabatta which is a high hydration dough that has fat, but if you lower the water and increase the fat slightly you have classic white bread (think Pullman loaf in the supermarket), increase the fat drastically and you’re on your way to brioche!

[@panagea2007]

I can follow the same recipe two days in a row and get different results. My wife says it's the weather.

[@kevinkatz7027]

What are the differences of the bread's texture compared to hydration rate?

[@SteveSmith-gh2yh]

I know this question is late but do not know how to get hold of you. How do you measure hydration when ingredients such as milk, eggs, butter, or oil?

[@thomasgronek6469]

The hydration of a dough cannot be determined unless the initial moisture content of the flour is known from the start. A theoretical hydration can actually be 75% if the dough's moisture content is only 3% higher than 'normal'

[@paayelagarwaal8766]

Hi Jack! Will the hydration rate change in a humid weather like India 's or 65 percent is good point to start at.

[@Bakewithjack]

I think so but I wouldn’t worry too much... plus I’ve never baked bread in India 🤔

[@ngchew3336]

I am from Singapore the daily temperature here is around 30 plus C. I usually make sour bread dough at about 66 percent hydration. Anything more it becomes hard to handle.