| Last week I mentioned I use a pH meter to monitor my dough and lots of you reached out asking which model I use and if it's any good. So here are my thoughts.
I've been using my pH meter for several months now and I've had great success. It has helped me view the fermentation process from a different angle.
The pH meter measures the acidity of the dough. I read that the dough will start to break down when it reaches a pH of 3.9/3.8 so I made hitting a pH of 4.0 before baking my target.
It took several weeks for me to work out the other measurements I needed to hit to produce a decent loaf. Like everything sourdough-related, no one can give you a road map, you need to figure it out for yourself.
This is my road map for pH - yours will be different:
1. I smell and taste my starter to determine when it's ready to use.
2. I mix the dough and leave it to ferment
3. As soon as the dough reaches a pH of 4.5 I shape the dough and place it in a basket for proofing.
4. Once the dough hits 4.1 I place it in the freezer to crash chill for 30 minutes and then retard it in the fridge overnight.
5. The next morning before baking I check the pH again. It would normally be around 4.0.
I learnt a lot from this and perhaps one of my biggest realisations was that judging the fermentation by pH alone wasn't helpful either. The pressure we use when we shape the dough has an impact on the condition of the dough as it proofs.
I noticed that sometimes the dough would finish proofing (hitting a pH of 4.1) and feel spot on. Other times the dough would overproof (not over ferment) before reaching 4.1. In these cases I would intervene and cut the proof short, trusting my instincts.
Relying solely on a pH meter is the same as relying solely on volume to judge the fermentation period. It doesn't give the best results.
I believe we need to use all of our senses and trust our intuition when we bake. It's easy to see the dough increasing in volume or to stick a pH meter in the dough, but we also need to learn how the dough feels, smells and tastes.
For example, we can watch the dough increase by 100% but it's only when we touch it we can understand how strong or durable the dough is (important for shaping and proofing). Our sense of smell is great for pinpointing when the dough smells creamy and boozy. We can judge the acidity by smelling and tasting the dough too.
It's only when we bring all of our senses into play that we can really get to know what our dough is up to. This is a tricky subject to describe and to be honest, I'm still trying to get my head wrapped around it. But once I have I'll put a video together to explain how I judge the fermentation process from start to finish.
Until then I suggest getting up close and personal with your dough at every given moment. Get used to handling the dough and thinking about how it feels, smells and tastes. you'll start to develop your intuition quickly.
For those interested in pH meters, I use a Testo 206 pH2 meter for semi-solids. There are several companies that are making these for sourdough baking. Hanna instruments also make a great model. Whichever pH meter you choose, make sure it can be used for semi-solids such as bread dough.
Until next week, all my best,
Phil
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