Previous | Next

Durum Wheat is a different species of wheat altogether from the wheats normally used for breads and baking.

The plant is very hardy in the face of drought, heat, and cold. It is easy to thresh, because the grain falls easily out of its husk.

The kernels are large, reddish-yellow, and very hard. The endosperm is yellow.

It is normally considered a spring wheat in North America, but winter varieties are grown in other parts of the world. It is cultivated in the great plains areas of North America, as well as in the Tavoliere plain in Puglia, and in Argentina. Over 70 percent of the durum wheat grown in America is grown in North Dakota. Most Durum Wheat grown in Canada comes from Saskatchewan.

Popular varieties of Durum Wheat to grow in North America are Westbred 881, Kofa, Tacna, Mohawk, and Cortez.

Durum Wheat has a very high protein content, but despite that, it isn't generally favoured for making bread from, because the gluten in it isn't as strong as that in regular wheat.

Flour and meals from Durum Wheat are generally used for pasta, couscous and noodles. Durum Wheat flour is used for some baked goods in Sicily.

History
Durum Wheat probably originated by natural mutation from Emmer. It is the second wheat that man used after Emmer.

Also called:

Other entries for:

Wheat
Bulgur Wheat, Cracked Wheat, Durum Wheat, Emmer, Hard Wheat, Soft Wheat, Spring Wheat, Wheat Berries, Wheat Bran, Wheat Flakes, Wheat Germ, Winter Wheat

Other entries for:

Grains
Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Cereals, Corn, Flax, Kamut, Millet, Oats, Quinoa, Red River Cereal, Rice, Rye, Semolina, Sorghum, Spelt, Teff, Triticale