Sourdough Starter and Bread Baking Guide

Sourdough Starter and Bread Baking Guide: Julianne and Josh McElroy of Heartway Farms

How to make your own sourdough starter at home! Julianne L. McElroy displays the pioneer method!

Sourdough bread is a type of bread that is made using a sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. The sourdough starter is a mixture of flour, water, and naturally occurring yeast and bacteria that is fermented over time to create a living, active culture. When used in bread baking, this starter gives the bread its distinctive tangy flavor, chewy texture, and longer shelf life compared to bread made with commercial yeast.

If you're interested in baking sourdough bread, here's how to get started:

Make a Sourdough Starter: To make your own sourdough starter, you'll need flour, water, and patience. Mix equal parts of flour and water in a jar and cover with a cloth. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, discard half of the mixture and add equal parts of flour and water to the remaining mixture. Repeat this feeding process every 24 hours for about a week, or until the mixture becomes bubbly and has a tangy odor.

Feed Your Starter: Keep your starter alive by feeding it regularly. This means discarding most of it and adding fresh flour and water. You can store it in the fridge between feedings, but take it out and feed it at least once a week to keep it active.

Bake Your First Loaf: To make sourdough bread, you'll need flour, water, salt, and your sourdough starter. Combine all the ingredients, knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic, then let it rise until it's doubled in size. Shape the dough into a loaf and let it rise again before baking in a preheated oven at 450°F for 30-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Experiment with Different Flours and Shapes: Once you've got the basic sourdough loaf down, you can start experimenting with different flours, shapes, and flavors. For example, you can add whole wheat flour, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit to your dough for added texture and flavor. You can also try different shaping techniques to make boules, bâtards, or even rounds.

Store Your Bread Properly: To keep your sourdough bread fresh for longer, store it in a bread box or a cloth bag at room temperature. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

In conclusion, sourdough bread is a delicious and healthy alternative to commercial yeast bread. With a little bit of time and patience, you can easily start baking your own sourdough bread at home. And the best part? Your sourdough starter will keep growing and improving with each bake, so your bread will only get better over time.

Note: "Hooch" is the liquid that develops on the top of your starter when it has not been fed in awhile. This collection of liquid is the alcohol given off as the yeast ferments. The exitance of hooch is not a sign that your starter is in danger. However, it does show that your starter is hungry and needs to be fed sooner than later. Enjoy your sourdough adventures!