Cooking With Chef Jo- Homemade Sourdough Bread

Now I realize many of my readers aren't as back to nature extremists like I am. To make my flour, I'll buy Montana, non GMO wheat kernels from the Amish store or use my home grown Einkorn/Emmer wheat to start with. I'll soak it for two days in our spring fed water to sprout it, and then lay it out by the wood stove to dry completely before I hand grind it into flour. Yeah, I'm a dyed in the wool homesteading extremist for wanting to know where my food comes from. If this is not you, no worries any good quality wheat all purpose flour will do.

Do Not use municipal water supply in this. Use bottled spring water.

Day 1 & 2-To Make my sourdough stater is two ingredients 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water. That's it. I'll place the mixture in a half gallon mason jar. To cap it off, I'll use the ring and screw over a piece of cheesecloth. I'll leave it to do it's thing for two days. You may notice tiny bubbles in your mixture. This is a good thing.

Day 3- Stir the mixture. You might notice a slight yeasty smell as you do this. Add 1/4 c of water and 1/4 cup of flour to your mixture. Stir well. Replace the cheesecloth cover. Return it to its spot on the counter.

Day 4-6 Repeat day 3's instructions. You may notice a dark liquid forming in your jar. This is the by product of the yeast eating the sugars in the flour. You will also notice the yeasty sour smell getting stronger. This is very good thing.

Day 7- Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and water.

By now your starter is inflating and bursting to the cheesecloth. Pull out a cup of this mixture and make bread or rolls with it.

My recipe for sourdough bread is this.

Sourdough Bread
Makes 1 large loaf
1 cup of starter
1/2 cup of water, lukewarm if fine.
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 c flour

Mix all ingredients until a soft, elastic dough forms. Knead about thirty to fifty times on a floured surface. Place dough in a greased bowl and lightly cover. Let dough rest and double. Depending on the natural yeast in the starter, this can take several hours.

Once the dough has doubled, fold one edge towards the center and continue around the bowl in this fashion. There is no call to punch the dough in the center to deflate it. The dough did nothing to you to warrant this kind of violent treatment.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead it about thirty times. Flatten the dough with the heel of your hand. With a pastry brush lightly brush the flattened surface with water. Roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Place the cylinder into i generously buttered loaf pan tucking the ends underneath the loaf. Press the dough firmly into the loaf pan. Brush melted butter on top and cover with a damp cloth.

When the loaf has dough has doubled in size, it's time to bake your bread. 400 degrees for 20 minutes. You'll know your bread is done when you thump it with your knuckle and you hear a hollow sound.

Although you'll be tempted to cut into it right away wait. Let the bread sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter. Turn it out onto a cutting board and lay it on its side for 10 minutes. After that, cut yourself a slice. Before you slather it with butter taste it. If the bread is sour enough to your liking slather away and enjoy.

I cut slits in the top of mine

If your want it more sour, Continue doing doing Day 3 for a few more days and try making bread again. Repeat until you get the taste you enjoy.

To feed your starter add 1/2 c flour and water weekly. If you do not make bread every day or every other day, your starter can be stored in the refrigerator.  If you do, keeping your starter on the counter is fine. Remember, your starter is a living organism. Feed it and care for it lovingly and you will be rewarded with years of sourdough.

Y'all have a blessed day.
Jo