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Salt
Salt is the traffic cop in dough: it keeps yeast from speeding, tightens the gluten net, and makes wheat actually taste like wheat.
Typical Baker's Percentage
Around 2% is the working sweet spot: enough control, enough flavor, not enough to choke fermentation.
Most bread doughs use 2% salt, which is:
- Enough for flavor
- Helps tighten gluten
- Controls fermentation speed
- Standard across most professional formulas
How Salt Affects Dough
Strengthens Gluten
Salt tightens protein bonds, helping dough hold shape.
Slows Fermentation
Higher salt concentration inhibits yeast activity.
- At 2% - Normal
- Above 2.3-2.5% - Noticeably slower rise
- At 3%+ - Yeast may struggle
Improves Flavor
Salt balances wheat flavor and prevents bland dough.
Tips
- Don't let salt touch yeast directly when mixing - mix into flour first.
- Measure salt by weight, not volume. A teaspoon of fine salt and a teaspoon of kosher salt are not equivalent in grams.
- If dough is rising too fast, increase salt by 0.2-0.3%.
- For low-salt diets, reduce to 1.5%, but expect faster fermentation.
- In hot kitchens or very warm dough, a small bump (+0.1% to +0.3%) can help keep fermentation under control.
- Use non-iodized fine sea salt or kosher salt for cleaner, more consistent flavor.
- If dough feels wild, salt is your brake pedal; if dough feels asleep, don't press harder.