Sourdough Starter

[Joyfilled]

So....we would like to start making sourdough bread, but don't have access to the starter. Any ideas? I know I can make it, or at least think I can. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[Mother]

You can make your own sour dough starter with or without yeast.  The only thing the boughten starter does is give you a specific culture for a specific taste.  There are lots of recipes and instructions online.  I use simply water from boiling potatoes, flour to make a thin batter and a very small amount of sugar to feed the yeast as they start to grow.  Set in a warmish place (I set mine right on the counter) and cover with a cheese cloth or porous material and let it work.  Each day stir in more flour and water until you have a bubbly slightly sour smelling ‘starter’.  
 

Be sure to check online for specific recipes as there are a lot of really good ways to make it. 

[Joyfilled]

13 minutes ago, Mother said:

You can make your own sour dough starter with or without yeast.  The only thing the boughten starter does is give you a specific culture for a specific taste.  There are lots of recipes and instructions online.  I use simply water from boiling potatoes, flour to make a thin batter and a very small amount of sugar to feed the yeast as they start to grow.  Set in a warmish place (I set mine right on the counter) and cover with a cheese cloth or porous material and let it work.  Each day stir in more flour and water until you have a bubbly slightly sour smelling ‘starter’.  
 

Be sure to check online for specific recipes as there are a lot of really good ways to make it. 

If I was to buy the starter, where would I buy it?

[Mother]

9 hours ago, Joyfilled said:

f I was to buy the starter, where would I buy it?

I’m sure you can buy it online.  I know that Cultures for Health (.com) has it.  Amazon most likely.   Natural Grocers, Fresh Thyme stores, or other places where they sell health market items would have it as well.  I believe I saw it recently at our HyVee grocery store recently in their health market section.  I haven’t bought it in years as I always make my own. 

[Joyfilled]

2 hours ago, Mother said:

I’m sure you can buy it online.  I know that Cultures for Health (.com) has it.  Amazon most likely.   Natural Grocers, Fresh Thyme stores, or other places where they sell health market items would have it as well.  I believe I saw it recently at our HyVee grocery store recently in their health market section.  I haven’t bought it in years as I always make my own. 

I honestly had no idea!! I thought I could only get it from a friend or make it myself. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Thanks a bunch for the info!!

[Annarchy]

I used an ancient recipe.  Kinda sorta…..

Flour, I use unbleached flour. 1 cup.  Add water, preferably, without chlorine.  I use the bottled water we have delivered.  1 cup of water.  In a pint or quart jar.  Mix well, no lumps.  Put some cheese cloth over it.  I secure the cloth with a jar ring.  Set in a warm place, under 100°F. I use the top of our freezer, it’s warm, but not that warm.  Every day, mix it.  Every other day add a Tbs. of flour and 2-3 Tbs. of water & mix well.  After 3-5 days, you will notice it beginning to bubble & rise.  I use a rubber band to mark the height in the jar.   You can take out a cup or two, and use it, it won’t be quite ready yet, but, getting there.  I use the ‘take out’ for pancakes & such.  I just couldn’t see discarding the dough/liquid…. Waste not, want not….

 

I keep my starter in the frig, pulling it out & feeding it regularly.  It now grows double the quantity in the quart jar I’m using.  Gave a 1/2 quart to my dear friend & she is still making bread weekly from it.
 

Here’s where I got my starter instructions from:  

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-starter-recipe

[Annarchy]

Oh, and Westbrook’s comments, are priceless and keeps me tending my “yeasty beastsies”….  Lol

 

 

[Mother]

Thanks Annarchy..  That is basically the same one I use but for some reason I couldn’t get my mind together to do specific directions.  
 

The last ten years I have been living and baking gluten free and have been using sorghum flour for making sourdough but I’m finding it more useful for pancakes than bread.  With no gluten for the yeast to ‘loft’ I have to use xanthan gums to get a really good rise and I’m not crazy about it.  I have been experimenting with gelatins and various flours with varying degrees.  The good thing about this though is the possibility of using wild flours like acorn, seeds, dock, amaranth, or cattail as a substitute.  I haven’t attempted sourdough with any of the wild flour but I’ve been thinking about it.  

[Mother]

30 minutes ago, Annarchy said:

Oh, and Westbrook’s comments, are priceless and keep me tending my yeasty beasts….  Lol

That link brought back lots of memories.  A GREAT tutorial.  Westy had a wealth of knowledge on so many many subjects and was a super asset to Mrs. S.   I still miss her.  
 

By the way, what IS your sourdough’s name. 

[Annarchy]

I don’t use sugar in my starter, it’s never seemed to need it, plus, sugar doesn’t like me.  
 

The sour dough breads, I get from it, makes excellent breads, French bread, authentic regular loaves, pizza crusts, biscuits, pancakes, tortillas for burritos, (if I want the thicker type, but I’m not fond of them, DH likes them, so…), etc.   

 

Mother, have you tried some of these flours? 
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-flours#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3

[Annarchy]

1 minute ago, Mother said:

By the way, what IS your sourdough’s name. 

My “Yeasty Beasties”, because, that’s what Westbrook called them.   DH knows exactly what I’m talking about. …  Even my friend calls them that, she knew Westbrook too.  

[Necie]