My grandma told me to stop kneading my dough so much and I almost didn't listen

Mason Ward · 2026-10-09T05:35:04.32476+00:00

My grandma watched me knead a batch of sourdough at her kitchen table in Boise last weekend and told me to quit after 6 minutes, not the 12 I usually do. I told her my starter was stubborn and needed the extra work, and she just laughed and said the dough knows what to do if I let it sit. She grew up baking in a tiny oven that ran hot on one side, so she learned to trust feel over timers. I tried her way on Tuesday, cut my knead time in half, and the crumb came out more open than anything I've baked since March. Now I'm second guessing every recipe that gives me a strict number instead of just telling me what the dough should look like. Has anyone else had an old timer call out their technique like that, and were they actually right?

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My grandma told me to stop kneading my dough so much and I almost didn't listen | Bakers - Topic Shares