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Sourdough Bread

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Vinnyb asked for my recipe in Dave's "Dr.'s Orders" thread, so here ya go.....

 

The original recipe and concept was from Jeff Smith, but I have modified it for my use.

 

Making sourdough bread involves three things....sourdough starter, soughdough batter, and the sourdough itself.

 

(BTW, I use King Arther Flour in this.....it is about the best).

 

Soughdough Starter

 

You can buy commercially made starters, but they are easy to make yourself. Starters can be kept for a long time....many are kept for months, years, and even decades.

 

Some old timers made sourdough starters just by mixing flour and water together and letting it sit for several days, and the ambient bacteria in the air would initiate the reaction, but with the highly processed flour these days, it is not terribly reliable, not to mention that you don't have control over the type of bacteria that is starting the reaction, and take the chance of getting some nasty "critters".

 

A starter can be made by combining 1 cup of tepid water, a scant teaspoon of sugar (I know I said I don't use sugar, but ya need that tiny bit for the reaction to initiate....it is consumed by the yeast), 1 cup of unbleached flour, and 4-5 tablespoons of buttermilk. Combine all together in a glass or stainless steel bowl (DO NOT use aluminum.) Cover with a towel and let it stand at room temperature for a couple of days in a warm place (on top of the fridge is good). It will begin to ferment, bubble and have a sour smell. It should be the consistancy of pancake batter.

 

To hasten the process (and also to be double sure that the reation gets going), I add 1/2 a package of dry yeast to the water before mixing in the other ingredients. Using the yeast, it only takes about 24-36 hours for the starter to get where it should be.

 

It can then be used, or stored in the fridge in a closed container for days, weeks, months. If you do store it in the fridge, be sure to take it out about 8 hours or more before use to allow it to come to room temperature and bring it back to "life".

 

Sourdough Batter

 

Make this the night before you are making the bread. It only takes a minute or two to do.

 

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter and put it in a 2 quart glass or stainless steel mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 cup of tepid water. Mix well, cover, and allow to set out at room temperature overnight. When the batter is ready, the yeast will have spread thru-out, and the batter will be bubbly and have a strong sourdough odor.

 

Add 1 cup of flour back to the remaining starter, mix well, and store for future use. (This is how you promlegate your starter for months and years.)

 

Sourdough Bread

 

In a large stainless or glass bowl, dissolve 1 package of dry yeast in one cup of tepid water. Mix in one teaspoon of salt. The original recipe also calls for 3 teaspoons of sugar, but I forego that, as the yeast in the batter is well underway and fed by the flour, and my goal is to cut out as much sugar as possible.

 

Stir in 2 cups of the proofed Sourdough Batter. Return the remaining batter to your starter bowl.

 

Now, you can either incorporate the flour by hand, or use a KitchenAide type mixer with a dough hook. I don't have a KithchenAide, so I do it by hand. While it is a bit of a workout on the arms, it is not all that hard.

 

Start by adding two cups of unbleached flour to the liquid in the bowl, and mix it in. Add another cup of flour, turn it out on a clean countertop, and start kneading the flour in. Add more flour, one cup at a time, until you have added a total of about 6 cups of flour. (This can be slightly more or less, depending on humidity and the water content of your flour. You will know when it is right.)

 

Knead the dough for a good 15 minutes until it is very smooth and elastic.

 

Leave it on the countertop. Rub a small amount of oil onto the inner side of a very large stainless steel bowl, and invert the bowl over the dough. Allow the dough to rise until at least double in size, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

 

Punch the dough down, knead it a bit, and divide it into 2, 3, or more portions, depending on the size of the loaves you are making. (I usually make two large loaves out of this recipe.)

 

At this point, you can add various flavorings to the dough.....minced onions, fresh rosemary, jalepenos, whatever might suit your fancy, or just leave the dough plain. Knead in your additives, if any.....this takes a bit of work in kneading, folding, and kneading to get the additives evenly distributed throughout the dough. (You could add the flavorings more easily to the batter before the first rise, but the dough won't rise as fast, and you also don't have the option of making two or more different type of loaves.)

 

Shape the dough into loaves, and place them on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal.

 

Using a pastry brush, dab a bit of water all over the surface of the loaves.

 

Allow the loaves to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

 

Dab more water on the surface of the loaves, and make a few shallow cross cuts with a sharp chef's knife. When I make onion bread or rosemary bread, I add a few thinly sliced onions or a bit of fresh rosemary to the top of the loaves.

 

Bake the loaves in a 375 oven for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the loaves sound hollow when thumped on the bottom with your knuckle.

 

While they are wonderful if eaten while still hot slathered with butter, allow them to cool a bit for easier slicing. Or, allow them to cool, and then wrap them in plastic wrap for storage.

 

There are other recipes using the sourdough batter for making rolls, biscuits, corn fritters, clam fritters, and pancakes, but those will have to wait until another time.

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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I'm not sure if it's the correct strain, but I think so;

 

Lactobacillus Delbrukeii, or something close, grow well between 45-48 Celcius, and you can moisten some malted barley and the bacteria will grow on the husks at that temp. Then add your nutrient at 3-1 every 24 hours. Used to culture it in order to brew according to the Reinheitsgebot.

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My wife has had over the years a sourdough starter in the fridge for months on end. She keeps it in a crock and feeds it when she is ready to use some.

 

On the bread theme, brewroom - have you ever used any of your spent grains to make bread? A homebrew buddy of mine does it all the time, his is great. I have done it a couple times with marginal success redface.gif . He takes spent grains, grinds them in a food processor and then mixes them with flour and water and yeast to make a whole grain bread. It's hearty and delicious bread icon14.gif .

 

Alan

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Ahh yes spent grain, i am glad the cows like it.

 

 

 

When I brewed in Germany we had a bakery next door and frequently gave them spent grain. I found that too often the husks would get stuck in your teeth. Perhaps if they are really pulverized it may help. Your friend is right in doing that.

 

 

 

Also, I would want spent grain from a high gravity beer that had some sugar left in it because if the grain comes from a high yeild extract, it's really just cellulose and protein with little flavor.

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Brew....have often though of using brewer's yeast in my sourdough bread.....and since we have a homebrew supply shop right in town here, I think I might give it a go......smile.gif

 

And speaking of such, many times when I HAVE to add sugar to something (such as making tomato sauce less acidic), I use corn sugar that I have from making my home brews. It is much less a "negative" (in my hatered of refined sugars in foods) than refined cane sugar.

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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The first time I was in Jackson Hole I ate at a place Jedediah's House of Sourdough which only served breakfast. The specialties of the house were sourdough products: rolls, biscuits, muffins, bread, etc. The starter they use is 100 years old. Just flour, water and natural yeast; no dairy or anything else. I brought a mason jar of it home in 1997 and have been using it since. It stays in the fridge till the day before I use it. Whatever amount is used in a recipe is replaced by equal amounts of flour and water to keep it going. In fact I made another jar of it using the same method. It came with a great little recipe book and our favoites are oatmeal raisin cookies, cornbread, buttermilk biscuits and a coffee cake that will knock your socks off. I'll put them on another thread so this one doesn't get hijacked.

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  • 5 years later...


I'm in the process of making my own. I got this off of a website's video. I'm at day 4 and it appears to be working. Smells great.



              Day # 1



  3 1/2 tbsp King Arthur's Bread Flour



  1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice ( I got a can of unsweetened pineapple & used the juice.) The juice has high levels of citric acid that prevents the growth of unwanted yeasts & bacteria.



  Mix well, leave set at room temp, loose covered. I'm using a small tupperware container & just set the top over it.



              Day # 2 Stir 3 times a day , every day until starter is complete.



              Day # 3, 48 hr, Add 2 Tbsp flour & 2 Tbsp juice, stir. Then 3 stirs per day.



              Day # 4 Daily stirs



              Day # 5, 96 hrs, add 5 1/4 Tbsp flour, 3 Tbsp WATER, continue stirs.



              Day # 6, Add 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 cup WATER, stir, continue at room temp. for 2-3 hrs. Start using it at any time.



    If you're starter is a good culture, It's been noticeably working (bubbly) since the 5 day & smells yeasty like good bread. If smells like crap, you got bad bugs, throw out & start over with a different container. After/during day 6, transfer your starter to a permanent container that you will keep in the fridge. When you want to use some, remove it, add 1/4 cup flour & 1/8 cup water, stir & let set at room temp for 6-8 hours to re-activate it. Use what's needed & return to fridge.



              I plan on using mine for no-knead bread & pizza dough recipes. Good luck.



 


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Starter up date: I sorta/kinda lost a day and did day 6 yesterday eve. I shoulda did what the guy in the video did & went to a larger container! Stuff volanoed on me overnite! Caked starter all over the cabinet top this morn. Got it cleaned up afore the married woman I live with seen it, all's well. Fed it, seems great, & going to make pizza dough with KOQ'S recipe today. I'm planning on a 2-3 day refridgerated rise as per Varansano. Later.


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My starter worked excellent for my pizza dough! Better than any I've ever made before. Better than any I've ever bought! Better than all of the chain pizza houses!



          I've already posted the starter recipe, so here's what I did:



                      Dough recipe



 



1 1/2 cup KABF



5 oz. purified water



1/4 cup starter



3/4 tbsp salt



                      Instructions



Combine dry ingredients in a bowl & mix well



Dissolve starter in room temp water



Mix both until a dough is formed, about 1-2 Min's.



Turn dough out onto floured surface, knead until dough is fairly smooth, about 2 mins.



Form into a ball, put into a lightly oiled Plastic container w/seal-able lid 



Let stand, covered for 15 min's, then put in fridge for 3-5 days. I did 3.5 days



Remove from fridge, turn out onto floured surface, knead 2-3 min's until dough is smooth, form 5"-6" round disk



Cover with plastic wrap, let rise at room temp for 2-3 hrs. I did 3hrs.



               



         I preheated my elec. oven with stone in place to 550 degrees. Not having a peel, I formed my dough on a floured sheet of alum. foil. I didn't toss or roll it, just picked it up & stretched it into shape leaving the edges un-worked. Always before I've had to fight the spring of the dough shrinking it back, this dough didn't do that! Sauced & topped it, picked it up by the alum foil & put it on the stone. At 10 min's the monz was just starting to brown & I removed it.



 



I gotta learn how to post pics! Even made my own sauce with frozen maters from my garden.



 



I owe my success to all of the contributors on here that I gained direction from, THANK YOU! Kinda like winning the Boston Marathon, 'cept I could never do that!HappyWave.gif



 



From what I've learned, I believe that I can make a larger batch, cut it into portions after the cold ferment & freeze this dough for up to 3 mos. or more before thawing & using it just like it came from the fridge! ( man, i've been trying to make a great homemade pizza for bettern 15 years.) WHOO HOO!



  



 



 



  


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I made a sour dough starter by mixing some flour and water and leaving it uncovered for a couple of hours next to a pile of grapes. The white stuff on the grapes, that's yeast.

 

I forget what else I did, but it worked.

 

It's always in the fridge, and I feed it (similar to Gilby's wife) when I'm going to use some.

 

It's name is Lev, short for Levining.

 

He's been on class trips when I went to school and taught the kids about the science of pizza dough on science enrichment day.

 

And I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on how much I miss brewroom. :(

 

 

#otterlivesmatter

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 On Varasano's site he was against starting your own naturally, claimed you didn't know if what you got was good or not. That's why I used the pineapple juice recipe. I never opened any windows either, to dang cold for that crap. Don't have a clue where the yeast came from, maybe the married woman I live with! bigeyes.gif I just uncovered a loaf of Artisan bread w/starter & 14 hr rise. Looks & smells GREAT!  Next I'll try a loaf w/ 3-4 days cold ferment & 12-16 hr rise.


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