Got called out by a neighbor for using a stand mixer to knead sourdough, said I was cheating the process

After 3 years of perfecting my starter, I spent last Saturday hand-kneading a loaf just to prove her wrong, and honestly the texture was no different so has anyone else ditched the fancy traditions for a machine?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonp7622d ago

Switched to my KitchenAid about a year ago after a nasty case of tendonitis from constant hand kneading. Thought I was a traitor to the craft at first, but honestly my bread came out way more consistent. The trick for me was just letting the machine do the initial mix and then giving it a quick fold or two by hand before the bulk ferment. Felt like I was getting the best of both worlds without the wrist pain. Your neighbor probably hasn't even tried making sourdough herself, people love to judge what they don't do.

victor77922d agoTop Commenter

Simonp76 nailed it with that hand fold trick, thats what separates people who just use a machine from people who actually know what they're doing with it. The tendonitis thing is real too, I had a buddy who kept ignoring the pain until he could barely grip anything for a month. Your neighbor probably thinks her storebought sandwich bread is artisan, people who never try real sourdough always have the loudest opinions about how its made. A machine is just a tool, not a cheat code, same way you wouldnt call someone a traitor for using an oven instead of a wood fire. Let the mixer do the heavy work then finish it with your hands, thats how you get the texture right without wrecking your joints.

wesley_jones22d ago

Next time tell her you're using a power tool because you're efficient, not lazy.