How to Store Pizza Dough at Home | My 48-Hour Cold Ferment Routine
|
|
Time to read 4 min
Hello my pizza fiends! If you are making 70% high hydration dough, you already know that mixing it is only half the battle. The real nightmare is storage.
I used to do my bulk cold ferments in giant plastic trays, or worse, I would wrap individual dough balls in plastic wrap. It was a disaster. High hydration dough is notoriously sticky. By the time I tried to pry the dough out of the tray or unwrap it, I would end up degassing all those beautiful air bubbles I just spent two days developing. The dough would tear, my hands would be a mess, and the crust would bake up flat.
That frustration is exactly why I started developing our KEVJES silicone dough containers. I needed something that actually worked for wet Neapolitan dough. Here is my exact step-by-step routine for storing dough at home to get that perfect, airy crust every single time.
🥯How I Store My Dough — Step by Step
1. Divide the dough into equal portions
After my initial bulk fermentation, I divide the dough into equal portions. For a standard 12-inch Neapolitan pie, I always aim for 250 to 280 grams per dough ball. Tip: keep your hands slightly wet during this step so the dough does not stick to your skin.
2. Lightly oil the inside of the container
This step is optional, but if you are pushing your hydration above 70%, it is a lifesaver. I take a tiny drop of olive oil and lightly coat the inside of the silicone container. It just adds an extra layer of insurance.
3. Place the dough ball inside
When you place the dough ball inside the container, you want to make sure it has a tight, smooth surface on top, looking like a little dome. This surface tension is what helps the dough hold its shape as it relaxes.
4. Seal the lid tightly
Snap that lid on tight. This is crucial for three reasons. It stops the fridge fan from turning the top of your dough into a hard, dry crust. It locks the moisture in so your hydration level stays exactly where you calculated it. And most importantly, it stops your dough from absorbing the smell of whatever leftovers are sitting on the shelf next to it.
5. The 48-Hour Cold Ferment
I toss the sealed containers right into the fridge. I normally store them on the bottom or middle shelf where the temperature fluctuates the least. I let them sit there for 48 hours to slowly build that complex, sour flavor.
6. Bring dough to room temperature before stretching
This is where people mess up. You cannot stretch cold dough; it will just snap right back. I pull my containers out of the fridge exactly 2 to 3 hours before I plan to fire up the oven.
When it is time to stretch, I just flip the silicone container upside down over my semolina-dusted counter. The dough drops right out effortlessly.
Using KEVJES individual silicone containers has genuinely improved the quality of my home bakes more than any tool in my kitchen, except maybe the oven itself.
🍕 Results: Soft, Bubbly, and Easy-to-Stretch Dough
The difference is obvious:
Dough stays smooth
No dryness and odor-resistant
Perfect rise
Beautiful oven spring
More consistent pizza every time
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I freeze my pizza dough right in the silicone containers?
You definitely can. Sometimes I mix way too much dough, so I just toss the extra sealed containers straight into the freezer. When I need them, I move them to the fridge the night before to thaw out slowly. The next day, I just give them that standard 2 to 3-hour counter rest before stretching. The dough still drops right out of the silicone exactly like it does during a normal cold ferment.
Can I cold ferment my dough for longer than 48 hours?
You can, and pushing it to 72 hours will give you an insanely complex, sourdough-like flavor. But there is a catch. With a 70% high hydration dough, the gluten network starts to break down after day two. By day three, the dough might become so relaxed that it tears easily when you try to stretch it. If you plan to leave it in the fridge for 72 hours, I recommend dropping your hydration closer to 65% so the dough stays strong enough to handle.
Do I really need to oil the container before putting the dough in?
Honestly, no. The silicone we use for KEVJES is naturally non-stick. I only add a tiny drop of olive oil when I am pushing the limits with extremely wet, sticky doughs. If you are working with a standard 60% to 65% hydration recipe, you can skip the oil completely. Put the dough ball right in the dry container, and it will still release flawlessly when it is time to bake.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin Lo
Passionate pizza maker and the heart behind KEVJES. Since I first designed our original silicone dough containers in 2021, my mission has been to simplify the art of proofing for everyone. Today, I’m incredibly proud to see KEVJES highly rated by the pizza community on Amazon. This space is where I share the techniques and tools that have transformed my baking—dive into the science of fermentation with me, one perfect crust at a time.
