Wheat Montana Flour vs. King Arthur–Which is best for Bread?

While purchasing groceries for making bread, one question comes to everyone’s mind: which is the best Wheat Montana Flour vs. King Arthur? 

Though both are famous for making bread, how can a person select one? After all, we can’t pick both types of flour because it would be a waste of money.

Rest assured, we have a solution; here in this guide, we’ll dig into what type of Bread flour will suit you. So you can make the right decision without making any mistakes. 

Quick Answer

Wheat Montana All-purpose flour and King Arthur Bread flour can be used to make bread. For bread, you need flour that contains protein content between 11% to 13%. Wheat, Montana All-purpose flour, has 11.11% of protein and King Arthur 12.7%. 

However, the result of bread will be a little bit different. Bread made of King Arthur Bread flour will be dense and more fluffy than the Wheat Montana All-purpose flour. 

So the choice is yours; if your bread needs a fluffy top and dense crumb, you should go with King Arthur Bread flour. Otherwise, the best choice is Wheat Montana All-purpose flour. 

How?

The article covers all the details. So, Keep reading…

What’s Wheat Montana All-Purpose Flour?  

Wheat Montana is one of the famous flour companies that started in 1990 in Montana, USA. It’s not only a flour company but a well-known chain of restaurants and product stores. 

The All-purpose flour of Wheat Montana is renowned for making bread. The best part is it’s 100% natural, made of wheat, and no preservatives are used to make the flour. In addition, the flour is unbleached, making it the best choice for bread. 

The protein content of Wheat Montana All-purpose flour is about 11.11% in a 4.5kg pack. It’s a similar amount to any other All-purpose flour that’s perfect for baking items. 

What’s King Arthur Bread Flour?  

King Arthur is another renowned flour brand of the United States founded in 1790. It’s a baking company that supplies cookbooks and baking items besides producing flour. 

However, the prominent product of King Arthur is the product line flour. They have introduced a large variety, such as bread flour, pizza flour, gluten-free flour, whole wheat flour, and so forth. 

The bread flour of King Arthur is considered the best choice for making all types of bread. The reason behind this is the protein content, that is about 12.7%, a little more than the Wheat Montana All-purpose flour. 

Besides the protein content, there’s no such big difference. It’s unbleached flour, doesn’t contain artificial preservatives, and is made of red wheat. 

Key-Differences Between Wheat Montana Flour and King Arthur Flour 

You can read the key differences between the Wheat Montana All-purpose flour and King Arthur Bread flour. 

Ingredients of Flour 

The major difference we’ve found between both flour is their wheat type. 

According to the King Arthur Company, bread flour is made of hard red wheat. Hard red wheat has an outer shell of kernel known as “bran,” which makes it red. 

On the other hand, the Wheat Montana All-purpose flour is made of white wheat that doesn’t have the outer shell of “bran,” that’s why it’s not red. Instead, the color of the wheat is sandy beige. 

Remember, it’s not just a color difference but also affects the taste of your bread. Since both flours are made of different types of wheat, the protein content will be different, as well as the dough texture and bread taste. 

Protein Content 

If someone asks us what’s one thing you should keep in mind while selecting flour for bread, it would be the protein content. You might not know, but the texture of your bread and how much the dough will rise all depend on the flour’s protein content. 

Too much protein content or lower both scenarios can ruin your bread’s overall look and taste. For bread, the ideal protein content in flour should be between 11% – 13%. 

Both Wheat Montana All-purpose and King Arthur Bread flour meet the requirement as wheat Montana All-purpose flour contains 11.11% and King Arthur Bread flour 12.7% protein.  So, you can use them alternatively if your bread recipe doesn’t demand a particular protein ratio.

Bread Texture & Taste

There’s no big difference in the protein content. Does that mean the bread will be the same? No, there will be differences, which we’ll discuss below in detail.

The first main difference you’ll notice is the shape of the bread. The Wheat Montana, All-purpose flour bread top, wouldn’t be the same as the King Arthur Bread flour because of containing low-protein content. 

Aside from the shape, the crumb of the King Arthur Bread flour would be dense and dark in color compared to the Wheat Montana All-purpose flour, which will be softer and lighter in color. 

So What’s the Best Choice?

Should you choose Wheat Montana All-purpose flour or King Arthur Bread flour? 

Honestly, both can be used for making bread, and you can pick anyone you think is suitable for the bread you make. 

Just remember one thing: King Arthur Bread flour is made of hard red wheat, so the bread would be dense, more fluffy, and dark in color. The Wheat Montana All-purpose flour bread would be soft, fluffy (not like Bread flour), and light in color. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can you make pizza with King Arthur Bread flour? 

Yes, you can make pizza (not all types) with King Arthur Bread flour. It contains about 12.7% protein, sufficient for making thinner dough like for Neapolitan pizza. However, if you’re making Sicilian pizza with a thick crust, you need to find flour containing about 14% protein content. 

Is King Arthur a good flour brand?

King Arthur is one of the most trustable brands of flour. They’ve launched multiple types of flour in the market, like All-purpose, bread, gluten-free flour, and so forth. Surprisingly, all the flours are of good quality and provide good results. 

Is red wheat flour good for baking?

Yes, red wheat flour is good for baking, and you can use it. But remember, the baking dish requirement should be high protein; otherwise, you won’t like the results.