November 12, 2009 - 4:46am
Conagra Bread Flour?
Has anyone used the Conagra Bread Flour available from Costco.? It is $14.00 for 50 pounds!.I have been using KA from my local supermarket ( $4.69 for 5 pounds) I would like to switch over if I can expect similar results. But I would hate to buy 50 pounds of inferior flour.
Any comments would be most welcome. Jim
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Conagra isn't exactly the first name in quality local foods like grandma used to make. I think I recall looking at that flour and saw that it was bleached but I am not 100% certain of that. I would be very surprised if Conagra flour was comparable to KA flour....very, very surprised.
Jeff
I have been using the Conagra flour for about a year (mine says bleached). I have experianced satisfactory results with both the bread flour & the AP. However, I found some King Arthur Flour at a good price recently and decided to pick up a few bags.
I had forgotton the difference that flour made to my breads; taste, crumb and oven springe were all improved. I used the same recipes, so that's the only thing to which I can attribute the change.
My budget will probably force me back to the Conagra, but I will likely choose the KA or equivelent when I want something that's a 'cut above'.
Phxdog (Scott)
I don't use bleached flour so I haven't tried the Conagra flour at Costco. On the other hand, the Costco in Houston just started carrying Central Milling organic all-purpose flour. It's packaged as two 10 lb sacks. Not as cheap as Conagra, but I'm pleased with the results.
I think it was acceptable -- certainly on par with Gold Medal/Pillsbury supermarket flour. One advantage with such a large bag is learning it's response rather than just picking up whatever is available (or on sale) at the local supermarket and getting variable results. Also, with such cheap flour, you can do wild experimentation for pennies!
Jim,
I found this posting, and it looks like it may be good. If you do get it, please post your results--Tnx
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=7516.0
Thanks for the reference- I did check it out and the discussion is quite thorough.
I am pretty sure I will give it a try when I next make the trip Costco-ward. I will definitely post my results here-
Finding this site has been one of the best things that has happened in all my years of bread-baking. A lot of very talented-and dedicated - people who are extremely generous with sharing what they have learned.
I'll try to do my share as I go along-
Jim
Potassium bromate, which is used as a dough conditioner, is a recognized carcinogen, and therefore illegal in all the industrialized countries, except the US. Furthermore, California is the only state that requires prominent disclosure of bromate content in flour, so it's always a good idea to read the ingredients label carefully before you buy.
The fact that ConAgra continues to treat its flour with potassium bromate disqualifies them from any consideration as a supplier, and certainly not a company whose products I'd feed to my family and friends, no matter how good or safe any of their other products might be.
Stan Ginsberg
www.nybakers.com
I'm always surprised at the high prices the grocery stores & Sam's Club charge for King Arthur Flour. At my local health food store I pay $18 for a 50# bag of KA Special (their AP flour) and the same for KA Sir Lancelot.
Where and where might that be?
Uncle Dean's in Waterville, ME and Spice of Life in Skowhegan, ME.
Perhaps shipping figures into it since we are much closer to the KA home in Vermont. However I get it on the other end when I have to pay $23.95 for a 25# bag of Hard Red Spring Wheat Berries from Central Milling.
Our Costco only carries all bleached and bromated krap. Does any one know where I can buy all trumps in Portland? And does anyone know what whole foods carries? Thanks
Mariah
Whole Foods 365 brand flours come from Central Milling. This is top quality flour. I have compared the organic and non-organic 365 AP flours to KAF AP/Sir Galahad. I find their flavor and performance indistinguishable. Their prices, on the other hand, are distinguishable, as you will note.
David
Thanks for the info. I just finished a 50 lb. bag of Pendleton Mills Morbread. Not bad. Nothing to write home about. I think better than Bob's. I have not tried KA because of price. I have tried Guisto's (sp?) and that I can say is exceptional. The Bakers Choice an 11% or so is the only one I can get local. Very expensive. Guess I am off to Whole foods. Thanks again.
Mariah