Anyone into sourdough?

[creekbend]

I have never personally made homemade sourdough bread. My wife loves it and I pick up two loaves every two weeks or so at the local Amish bakery.:licking:

 

[Furu]

In the late '70s, I got a sourdough recipe from Alaska magazine and used it for a few years. I do love good sourdough bread, but haven't made any in quite awhile.

I started my first starter (sponge) from that same recipe back in 1977. I kept that starter going until I got shipped overseas in 1982. Could not figure out how to keep in transatlantic moving so had to give it up .
Started a replacement in 1985 from same recipe and still have it going to this day. The age of a starter ( sponge) is said by many to improve with time. I keep it on the icebox when I am not actively using it and it stays very healthy. After nearly 27 years with this batch I guess mine definitely has some age on it. It sure turns out good bread and flapjacks.

 

[polo1665]

The starter is more like a pancake batter. I dumped the whole thing into a bowl last night and added 2 cups of flour and two cups of water. I pulled a half cup or so out this morning to be my starter for the next go round. This is according to the instructions I got with the start.

Two cups of flour and two cups of flour would make your starter about 166% (that is a relationship between the weight of the water and the flour). Meaning that weight of water in your starter is roughly 166% of the weight of the flour. It will be handy to know that ratio if you ever get into recipes that call for a certain amount of water.
When you added the flour and water you were essentially feeding your starter. If you were to leave it out on the counter you would need to feed it every day to keep it healthy for the long term. If you aren't going to bake every day it means that you won't use any starter up, so you would need to discard some and then add flour and water to feed it. If you keep it in the fridge you don't need to feed every day. I've heard of people leaving starter refrigerated for several weeks and then reviving it.

This morning I added a half cup of olive oil and a heaping tablespoon of honey. I let that sit for about 15 minutes to let the honey dissolve and then added flour until the dough had the right consistency (about 3 1/2 cups of flour). It was a little loose as bread dough goes, but it was workable. I let the dough raise for about 4 hours. Then I formed it into loaves and let it raise another 3 hours. I baked it at 350 for 30 minutes.

The recipe sounds good. Loose is good as long as it is workable and the results you posted looked delicious.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Two cups of flour and two cups of flour would make your starter about 166% (that is a relationship between the weight of the water and the flour). Meaning that weight of water in your starter is roughly 166% of the weight of the flour. It will be handy to know that ratio if you ever get into recipes that call for a certain amount of water.
When you added the flour and water you were essentially feeding your starter. If you were to leave it out on the counter you would need to feed it every day to keep it healthy for the long term. If you aren't going to bake every day it means that you won't use any starter up, so you would need to discard some and then add flour and water to feed it. If you keep it in the fridge you don't need to feed every day. I've heard of people leaving starter refrigerated for several weeks and then reviving it.




The recipe sounds good. Loose is good as long as it is workable and the results you posted looked delicious.

Thanks for the help, Polo. I've heard of drying and freezing a sourdough start. I may try that if I have to discard some of the start due to not using it. Then if I screw it up somehow I can revive the dried start and keep it going.

The mention of sourdough bread got me a dinner invitation at my Mom's house. She offered turkey noodle soup if I'd bring sourdough bread. Sounds like a good trade to me.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

For putting away your starter, taking it our of service, spread some starter out thin, let it fully dry, then break into small pieces and store away in a jar or other container that will keep it free from moisture. Will keep for many yrs.

To reactivate, use a small amount of the dry starter and add eq amount of water. Let sit for some hrs until you can see a little activity in it. Add a teaspoon of flour and another teaspoon of water and let it set some more. After a couple round and doubling the flour/water, you should have enough active starter to eq about a cup. Should be ready to use after the last round of flour/water and dwell time.

I typ keep a 1/2 - 3/4 cup of starter in the frig. When I get ready to use, let it set on the counter until room temp. About a third of the starter will be hooch, i.e.alcohol. Stir it up to mix well then add water and flour to increase starter by a cup. When I start to make a recipe, I use a cup from the starter container. rest of starter goes back into the frig.

I have enough dry starter I can reconstitute several batches if needed.

Have a batch of dough rising now. Will have 2 loaves come dinner time.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

My wife makes sourdough bread, rolls and buns all the time. She uses potato flakes for her starter. Any one else use potato flakes as the starter? I'm sure she adds something else to the potato flakes but I don't have the recipe with me.
It also makes good toasted garlic bread:licking:

 

[djw250]

I used to make what we called sourdough bread with a very liquid starter that I fed with sugar, water, and potato flakes. It made a sweet, slightly heavy bread that was fantastic, and was also great for rolls and pizza crust. I probably made it for 4 years, and did not buy any other bread. Wish I could get another start for that bread.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I need a good sourdough pancake recipe. I've been making bread for a while, and I have withdrawals if I go more than a day or so without it. However, I've tried a few pancake recipes, and they always come out tasting too much like baking soda.

Can I just reduce the baking soda? Does anyone have a good pancake recipe that doesn't use soda? I'm fine if the batter has to set out overnight or something to accomodate the lack of baking soda.

 

[Combustix]

In 5th grade we were studying about the early settlers heading west and we had a girl who just moved into town from Utah I think. her mom came to class and made sourdough pancakes for everyone. I skipped recess so I could eat more pancakes. I believe I had 27, and I've been hooked ever since. Wife makes all her own bread but has not made a sourdough bread, until I build her a pizza/bread oven, so that is my summer project.

 

[polo1665]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I need a good sourdough pancake recipe. I've been making bread for a while, and I have withdrawals if I go more than a day or so without it. However, I've tried a few pancake recipes, and they always come out tasting too much like baking soda.

Can I just reduce the baking soda? Does anyone have a good pancake recipe that doesn't use soda? I'm fine if the batter has to set out overnight or something to accomodate the lack of baking soda.

I always make these. They have always turned out well and very tasty. Enjoy! :drool:

http://www.northwestsourdough.com/blog/OJacks.pdf