Sourdough Starter-ers

[Bo.]

I use Bob's Red Mill whole wheat at 50/50 to feed, leaves it nice and dry with a really great rise. Unbleached all purpose to cook with, I love sourdough... starter has been around since 2011.

 

[Woodyth]

Gosh, and I thought I was one of the only weirdos that had multiple weird hobbies

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

Mine was also like yours in that first few days it was really active but then appeared to stop on day 4. I just left it for a few days until i could see some water separation on the top which meant had eaten all the food and needed to be fed again. Did that twice which was about 2 days between feedings, then after 2 feedings and four days it was crazy active again. So don't stick so religiously to schedules but react to its behavior. It's young, so it will have wild swings just like your reef tank when new.

Absolutely, I started realizing towards the end of the 2nd attempt that the 12 hours was for rough guidelines and that there is opportunity to refine. I now watch it closely for the rise and as as as it starts deflating, I feed again. It's currently still in the quiet phase.

There really are a lot of similarities to reefing... I think that's why I'm enjoying the challenge.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

I use Bob's Red Mill whole wheat at 50/50 to feed, leaves it nice and dry with a really great rise. Unbleached all purpose to cook with, I love sourdough... starter has been around since 2011.

A 9 year old starter? That is impressive! Those are some beautiful and tasty looking bread!

 

[danieyella]

I think it's time for me to try my hand at sourdough, you guys have inspired me. As it stands right now, I generally just bake loaves with spent grain flour for that extra flavor and that's as fancy as I get. Could that be incorporated into a sour dough??

 

[WVNed]

I have used this recipe many times. It doesn't require a starter.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-sourdough-bread-recipe

 

[NS Mike D]

I have used this recipe many times. It doesn't require a starter.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-sourdough-bread-recipe

1 cup (227g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter



what are you substituting for the starter?




One point for anyone who has been to San Francisco or has purchased a starter from there, don't expect the same results. Sourdough is, at it's essence, local since you are using the naturally occurring yeast that enters your house to make bread.

You can manipulate your water, add some ingredients or take steps to influence the flavor, but one of the joys of sourbread is letting it become your own local bread as our ancestors have done for millennia.


With that being said, I am just as likely to make bread with packet yeast, use short cuts and all purpose flour to fit in time constraints of not thinking ahead two or three days.


I addition to the using the dutch oven, I also use a loaf pan. As much as I love how my Lodge cast iron Dutch oven bakes bread, I also like making sandwiches by toasting bread made in a loaf pan. When I pre-heat the oven, I put a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven to make steam which helps form the awesome crust that you get using a Dutch oven.

Keep your fridge stocked with bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato and your cupboard with frilly toothpicks to complete the lunch utopia.

 

[WVNed]

DOh, I posted the wrong one. I have intended to make a starter but never did it. I had that recipe saved as well.

This is the one I make.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe


The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it'll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it'll rise, then fall. That's OK; that's what it's supposed to do.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

I think it's time for me to try my hand at sourdough, you guys have inspired me. As it stands right now, I generally just bake loaves with spent grain flour for that extra flavor and that's as fancy as I get. Could that be incorporated into a sour dough??

DO IT! lol.

My family have been raving about the flavor of their bread and bagels that they've been making from their sourdough starters these last several weeks. I can't wait to make first.

The process of starting my own sourdough starter was frustrating, but I think the challenge of it is part of the fun. Just like reefing! Let me know if you decide to jump into the sourdough starter fun.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

1 cup (227g) ripe (fed) sourdough starter



what are you substituting for the starter?




One point for anyone who has been to San Francisco or has purchased a starter from there, don't expect the same results. Sourdough is, at it's essence, local since you are using the naturally occurring yeast that enters your house to make bread.

You can manipulate your water, add some ingredients or take steps to influence the flavor, but one of the joys of sourbread is letting it become your own local bread as our ancestors have done for millennia.


With that being said, I am just as likely to make bread with packet yeast, use short cuts and all purpose flour to fit in time constraints of not thinking ahead two or three days.


I addition to the using the dutch oven, I also use a loaf pan. As much as I love how my Lodge cast iron Dutch oven bakes bread, I also like making sandwiches by toasting bread made in a loaf pan. When I pre-heat the oven, I put a pan of boiling water on the bottom of the oven to make steam which helps form the awesome crust that you get using a Dutch oven.

Keep your fridge stocked with bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato and your cupboard with frilly toothpicks to complete the lunch utopia.

My brother-in-law and I were both talking about how water and other factors makes each starter unique. He's in Denver and I'm right outside of Phily. Some of the factors we came up with include different:
- microfloras (unique to our homes/city/region)
- types of flour and/or flour brands used to start and feed the starters
- water (local tap/well water, bottled, etc)
- ambient temperatures
- altitude

Here in Philly, a lot of bakers and foodies attribute our amazing tasting bread, bagels, and pretzels to our water. Which puzzles me because our water source is... ummm... it's city water.

 

[Woodyth]

My brother-in-law and I were both talking about how water and other factors makes each starter unique. He's in Denver and I'm right outside of Phily. Some of the factors we came up with include different:
- microfloras (unique to our homes/city/region)
- types of flour and/or flour brands used to start and feed the starters
- water (local tap/well water, bottled, etc)
- ambient temperatures
- altitude

Here in Philly, a lot of bakers and foodies attribute our amazing tasting bread, bagels, and pretzels to our water. Which puzzles me because our water source is... ummm... it's city water.

I think they mean the ocean water humidity in the air?

 

[danieyella]

DO IT! lol.

My family have been raving about the flavor of their bread and bagels that they've been making from their sourdough starters these last several weeks. I can't wait to make first.

The process of starting my own sourdough starter was frustrating, but I think the challenge of it is part of the fun. Just like reefing! Let me know if you decide to jump into the sourdough starter fun.

Okay, doing it. And.... me being me, I'm doing an experiment with it as well. My brother-in-law is a chef, and said when they worked the restaurants in Martha's Vineyard they used an 1847 Oregon Trail starter that you can get for free (just send a self-addressed & stamped envelope to the company). Needless to say, I sent off for that this morning. There's a bit of a turnaround, but once it arrives I'm going to revive it and start my own as well and see if I can determine any differences, etc.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

My brother-in-law and I were both talking about how water and other factors makes each starter unique. He's in Denver and I'm right outside of Phily. Some of the factors we came up with include different:
- microfloras (unique to our homes/city/region)
- types of flour and/or flour brands used to start and feed the starters
- water (local tap/well water, bottled, etc)
- ambient temperatures
- altitude

Here in Philly, a lot of bakers and foodies attribute our amazing tasting bread, bagels, and pretzels to our water. Which puzzles me because our water source is... ummm... it's city water.

Or, as you say in Philly, city wudder.

 

[NS Mike D]

DOh, I posted the wrong one. I have intended to make a starter but never did it. I had that recipe saved as well.

This is the one I make.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe


The longer you keep it in the fridge, the tangier it'll get; if you chill it for 7 days, it will taste like sourdough. Over the course of the first day or so, it'll rise, then fall. That's OK; that's what it's supposed to do.

That's a traditional no knead bread. And where most of us start.

yeast: Instant and active commercial yeast are easy and reliable. The difference is that active requires you pre-soak it in warm water and sugar for a few minutes to get it going and account for that water to adjust the recipe water.

Then there are starters. Using water flour and a tiny amount of commercial yeast. Poolish and Bigas. Poolish is a long slow rise (a day) that will be wet and provide a "stretchiness" to your dough that is great for making pizza, foccacia and baguettes .

A Biga is similar but starts drier and takes a little longer to ferment/rise. This will result in a starter that has more structure and flavor and is perfect for country loaves, whole grain flour and ciabatta.

And then we have sour dough. Instead of using commercial yeast we use the yeast in the air. This requires us to cultivate the yeast. This natural cultivation (fermentation) requires a little time and care to ensure the yeast is the main benefactor along with some beneficial bacteria. This is what gives it that signature flavor and structure.

You can use a sour dough starter much like the Poolish and Biga to vary these attributes, and you can also ferment everything in cooler temps to increase the sour flavor as you mention, however, I would not attempt that until you master a basic sour dough and experience what your local yeast and conditions produce.

I was making bread for a while (even have my own thread in this forum) and started by using recipes from ATK and KA as well as the internet. Then my son gave me a book for x-mas that has become my bread making bible (much of what I posted I got from the book)


Bread Baking for Beginners by Bonnie Ohara.

 

[WVNed]

I have been reading this

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

Okay, doing it. And.... me being me, I'm doing an experiment with it as well. My brother-in-law is a chef, and said when they worked the restaurants in Martha's Vineyard they used an 1847 Oregon Trail starter that you can get for free (just send a self-addressed & stamped envelope to the company). Needless to say, I sent off for that this morning. There's a bit of a turnaround, but once it arrives I'm going to revive it and start my own as well and see if I can determine any differences, etc.

Awesome, another one in the club. Lol. I didn't know about the 1847 Oregon Trail starter and looked into it and it's fascinating. Can we follow along your experiment? I'm totally intrigued.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

I have been reading this

King Arthur and perfectloaf.com have great recipes and explain things really well.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

So third attempt was a success. My starter is alive! Unfortunately, I won't be able to bake my first sourdough bread until next weekend. But I'm going to use the starter to either make some biscuits, bagels, or pretzels.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

Someone is finally going to be making his first sourdough bread today!!!

 

[MTBake]

Someone is finally going to be making his first sourdough bread today!!!

Can't wait to see the results!

I had a starter going some years ago. This thread inspired me start a new one. Born last Saturday 5/31/2020 at 3pm. Tripling in volume every 4 hours or so right now. I'd say its ready to make some bread with. Hope to have time to bake a loaf tomorrow

Color looks off because it's in a blue Mason jar.