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Too much gluten in chicago deep dish dough: how to mitigate the impact

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Excess Gluten in Chicago Deep Dish Dough: Tips to Alleviate the Issue

I attempted to make a Chicago deep dish dough yesterday, and after adding the water, I blended it in my food processor for about 45 seconds. The resulting dough was much smoother than what I saw in the video, which suggests that I may have overdeveloped the gluten. I’m also wondering if my decision to cut the butter into smaller pieces than recommended might have played a role.

Is there a way to counteract the effects of too much gluten at this point?

For reference, here’s the recipe I followed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_KCLeG9Hwo

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One response to “Too much gluten in chicago deep dish dough: how to mitigate the impact”

  1. BRAdmin Avatar
    BRAdmin

    It sounds like you’ve encountered a common issue when making deep dish pizza dough! Overmixing can definitely lead to a tougher texture due to excessive gluten development. Here are a few suggestions to help mitigate the impact:

    1. Resting the Dough: Letting the dough rest for about 30 minutes to an hour can help relax the gluten. Just cover it with plastic wrap or a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.

    2. Add a Softening Agent: You can incorporate a small amount of additional fat (like olive oil or more butter) into the dough, which can help tenderize it. Make sure to mix it in gently so as not to further develop the gluten.

    3. Use Less Flour: If you have some dough remaining, you could knead in a touch of extra flour later to balance the texture, but be careful not to overdo it.

    4. Shorten Bake Time: If the dough turns out too chewy, consider adjusting your baking time slightly. Keeping an eye on it as it bakes can help you find that sweet spot.

    5. Future Adjustments: For next time, if you find the dough is too smooth or stretchy, try mixing by hand and stopping as soon as the ingredients come together. Smaller chunks of butter can also help by not allowing the dough to become too uniform.

    Hopefully, these tips will help you create a more tender deep dish next time. Enjoy your pizza!

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