Wheat, part 1: What kind do I need?

Just about every preparedness guide will tell you to store wheat and lots of it.  What many do not say is that there are different types of wheat and it matters which types you buy and what you do with each.

Whole grains should be an important part of most people’s diets, so why isn’t there more information about how to choose them for everyday use and long-term storage?   In this series, I want to give you more information about wheat-   the best types for different uses, some growing information, advice for how to store it, and alternatives for those who cannot tolerate gluten.

What’s the difference?

The grocery store aisles offer a smattering of flour types but most people don’t know much about the differences.  The packages may say all-purpose, self-rising, whole wheat, graham, stone ground, bread, cake, and so on.  In an attempt to navigate the wheat choices (especially to find out what kind to buy for storage to make bread), I tried reading the fine print on the bags.  It was nearly impossible to find.  Sigh…

After more study (especially with a wonderful book called Cookwise) I am beginning to understand the science of how this whole bread thing works.  Once you “get” that part, it allows you to choose appropriately and makes trouble-shooting easier too.

Commercial flours may contain different types of wheat in various proportions to produce a particular product.  Two of the main things to know are how much protein and gluten are in each type of wheat.  For yeast breads, you need a high protein wheat- something with at least 11%.  For quick breads, pie crusts, cakes, and so on, you need wheat with a protein content of 9% or below ideally.

So, what am I looking for?

This was the next hurdle for me.  When I would look at catalogs and online sites to order, they didn’t list wheat by it’s protein content.  They listed brand names like Prairie Gold or Bronze Chief or used terms like “soft” or “hard,” “winter” or “spring”,  “red” or “white.”  So, here is a basic rundown on how those types are used.

There can be some variation in exact protein content depending on the growing and harvesting conditions, rainfall, soil type, etc., but these explanations will give you the general differences.

1.  Hard Red Winter Wheat

This type of wheat can vary from about 12-16 percent protein content.  It has a high gluten level.

2.  Soft Red Winter Wheat

This wheat typically has a protein content of 8-11 percent protein and less gluten.  The resulting flour is better for lighter food products and sweets than pan breads or hard rolls.

3.  Hard Red Spring Wheat

This type of wheat usually has a 12-18 percent protein level and high gluten.  It blends well with others to create lighter products, but makes very good pan breads also.

4.  Hard White Wheat

This one is tends to be a bit sweeter than red because the phenolic compounds and tannins in the red bran layer are absent in the white variety.  The protein content is around 12% or higher with a good bread-making gluten content.  It is considered by many to be pretty multi-purpose.

5.  Soft White Wheat

Being a “soft” wheat, this one will also have a lower protein content (maybe 8-11%).  This is the type often used by bakeries and commercial producers to make cakes, crackers, and other “light” products.  It shouldn’t be the backbone of your food storage, so you will probably not buy a lot of this.

6.  Durum Wheat

You are familiar with this name because you see it on many boxes of noodles.  It has a high protien content (14-16%), but is not usually used for bread-making.  It’s most common use is for pasta.

Defining the Terms Themselves

General meanings:

hard–  typically used for bread making;  probably the bulk of your wheat storage

soft–  less nutritious than hard;  for making sweets not bread

red–  makes a loaf that looks more like what you think of as “whole wheat;”  more “robust” taste

white–   a little sweeter than red;  makes a loaf that more closely resembles “white bread”

winter–  planted in the fall and harvested in the late spring

spring–  planted in the spring and harvested in the fall;  often preferred for bread-making over winter for higher protein content and stronger gluten

Got a favorite type of wheat or supplier you want to tell us about?  Please share in the comments section below.

Related Posts

• Protecting Your Food Storage, part 1
• Beans, part 4 (a.k.a. Going Beyond the Basics)
• The Necessity of Salt
• Knowing What Food to Buy