Instructions: Are You Ready For Sourdough?

I really enjoy making sourdough breads. I havent yet developed many original recipes, but there are some further down the page. Here are also some thoughts and some links to more information.

In my opinion, it is best to get your feet wet (or just your hands, I hope) making non - sourdough breads using commercial yeast. When you have more experience and a good feel for bread, then by all means try sourdoughs. This may just be another way of saying, "Do what I did."

What is Sourdough?

You may be surprised to learn that sourdough bread may be made of whole wheat or rye or other whole grains as well as white flour; the flavor may be tangy or "sour" or so mild that you would hardly recognize it as "sourdough." The commonality is in the traditional method of allowing the grains own yeast to develop slowly until there are enough yeast to power the rise of the final dough. This longer fermentation results in improved flavor and nutrition.

To purists sourdough bread is made using no commercial yeast. Others think of sourdough as only a flavoring method and rely on commercial yeast for the final rise. They do this for speed or convenience or because they are following a recipe and dont know there is any other way. I think there is room for both approaches.

What is a starter?

Almost everyone knows that sourdough bread begins with a "starter." There is nothing mystical or magical about the starter; it is merely the vehicle for holding and nurturing the non commercial yeast between baking sessions. It contains yeast, friendly bacteria and the flour and water on which they feed. I recommend that you begin by using a good commercial starter or one from a friend. You will then know that the particular strain of yeast and its companion bacteria are stable and good tasting. With more experience you may want to try making your own starter from scratch. I have heard of making these starters with raisins, grapes, cabbage or other vegetables. Why not just use the yeast that nature provides us clinging to the grains themselves?

Its Easier than You Might Think

You may think sourdough starters are temperamental and troublesome, demanding special containers and regular attention. Not so. Ask yourself how breadmaking survived through the millennia before Pasteur. Do you think it was the arcane province of a select priesthood or the widespread practice of common folks like us? Starters can last for years (even centuries) with minimal care or concern on our part. I confess to neglecting my starters for long periods without negative effects. I use tap water in my starters though I have read that this is a fatal error. No one told that to the starter though.

For years I had tunnel vision when it came to sourdough. I thought only of making hearth breads with only flour, starter, water and salt. I am now using sourdough in many kinds of bread, modifying old recipes; often the only change is an adjustment in liquid to accommodate the wetness of my starter, omission of the commercial yeast, and breaking the process into different stages.

The basic process is to prepare the starter by feeding it and letting it froth, then at the peak of activity, adding water and half the flour in a bowl for what some call a sponge and others call a second starter, then letting this sit until really bubbly (bubbles throughout the batter, not just on top.) Finally the dough is made by adding the rest of the ingredients and kneading, shaping and allowing the final rise before baking. I may never buy yeast again.

The Busy Peoples Bread

It may take two days to make, but sourdough is more accommodating to work schedules; your attention is required only briefly at long intervals. Meanwhile, you are sleeping, at the job, in school, whatever.

General Characteristics and Tips

Generally sourdough breads have thin, crisp crusts without any special measures on your part.

I have always stressed the importance of good kneading to adequately develop the gluten in flour. Actually, there are also chemical ways to develop gluten. I am told that big commercial bread makers rely on this to make things easier. Sourdough naturally develops strong gluten without as much kneading. So you will find it easier to achieve that perfectly springy dough. And you can make very nice sourdough batter breads.

Because the gluten is so readily developed, I think its a good idea to use plain old (unbleached) all purpose flour in feeding your starters, especially if you think you might want to make biscuits, pancakes, waffles and the like.

Having said that sourdoughs develop gluten, I must warn you that if the sponge or dough becomes too sour, the gluten will be degraded. This can happen from letting the sponge or dough sit too long at a warm temperature. It is important to try to catch each stage at its peak of yeast activity when it is foaming and bubbling and go on to the next stage.

Rye and whole wheat flours sour more easily than white. So the above caveat about oversouring applies mostly to rye and whole wheat breads. It is actually quite difficult to develop a very sour tasting white bread. Mostly you will make fine flavored white breads that few will instantly identify as sourdough. I once made a whole wheat brad that was sour enough to give me indigestion. Most of it was thrown out. If extra sour sourdough is what you hanker for try Barb Becks two starter method.

The dough tends to dry out quite easily and should be covered whenever you are not actually working with it. I tend to use more plastic wrap than I ever did before.

The dough is also drying to your skin. Daily baking or handling starters (and the frequent handwashing) can cause dry peeling skin. I wasnt prepared for this, since I usually dont use hand cream. I found a little olive oil on my hands worked fine. I wouldnt want to get hand lotion into the bread dough anyway.

There seem to be more gooey bowls and containers to clean. Use cold water to rinse away most of the goo before washing with hot suds.

Use SD starter in quick breads, like biscuits, pancakes, scones. Sure, theyre no longer quick, but there are benefits. You will need less fat. You will use less baking powder and or soda and notice a wonderful absence of chemical odors and flavors. The yeast in SD makes wheat more useable by our bodies, so it is more nutritious. There are some recipes further down this page, but experiment on your own as well.

For More Information and Recipes

Since I dont believe in reinventing the wheel, I refer you to the many excellent sources already available:

Stephanie Kuzmack offers recipes and tips.

Joe Jaworski provides a recipe with photographs of each step in making San Francisco sourdough bread.

Carl Griffith will send you a dried bit of the starter his great grandmother brought on The Oregon Trail in 1847. The cost is merely a self addressed stamped business envelop (US postage $0.32) Mail your request to: Carl Griffith
322 Ravens Ridge Road

Sourdoughs International sells starters from all over the world and a book "World Sourdoughs From Antiquity." The book tells the interesting stories of how Ed Wood gathered these starters and how he participated in a National Geographic project to duplicate the ancient bakery that fed the builders of the pyramids. It gives good advice on maintaining and using starters. The recipes include everything from hot dog buns to Christmas stollen. I am a little disappointed in the rye and whole wheat recipes; they are mostly white bread. I wouldnt make his bagels which contain milk and eggs. I like that these recipes nearly always yield enough sponge to make an instant treat of waffles while waiting for the bread.

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