Behold my Sourdough

[AhBiscuits]

Like a lot of us, I'm trying to reduce UPF. I'm a huge bread fan and decent, non-UPF bread costs a lot. Decided to have a go at cultivating my own sourdough starter. It was ready to use after 19 days and today I have baked my first ever sourdough loaf. Made using just flour, water, salt and time. It's so tasty and I'm really pleased with it. Now I have a mature starter, I might make another straight away.

The only reason for this post is showing off because I am proud. 😄

I put a clean bowl on the kitchen scales, pour and scrape the starter into it. Then spoon out all but 50g into my discard jar. Then add 50g of flour and 50g of water and give it a good mix. Give my starter jar a wash and then pour the starter back in.

Your bread looks great OP.

I've been making sourdough for a few years too and use this site https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough for starter and bread recipes. The no-knead loaf is particularly tasty and is great for me as I have CFS. I make a loaf or two a week and the starter lives in the fridge (I feed it at least once a week), only coming out a couple of days before baking to be fed a couple of times before I use it.

If anyone is struggling with their starter, try using rye flour to start it. After the initial rye mix I just use the cheapest white flour. If it ever goes a bit flat I add a bit of rye flour when feeding it. I use large kilner jars with the seal removed for my starter and to store discard in the fridge. When they get too messy I change to a clean jar and wash the messy one.

I'm not keen on sourdough crumpets so I make delicious crackers and dog treats with my discard, using this very easy recipe https://littlespoonfarm.com/sourdough-discard-crackers/ (for dog treats I make them slightly thicker and cut into small squares. The dog loves them).

Sourdough is amazing!!

I never use a casserole dish. I have one I can use. At what point should I put the bread in it? I usually put it on a preheated baking sheet and use hot water to create steam.

The recipe I followed for the loaves I've made so far, you put it into a cold casseole dish after the fridge stage and then put the whole thing into a preheated oven.

Ok thanks. Do you use water in the bottom of the oven? What temp and for how long? Thanks

I don't because the lid on the dish ensures there's enough steam. I preheat to 260 then immediately reduce to 230 when I put the dough in. 30 minutes lid on and then 10 minutes lid off, or until you have the colour you want.

Thanks @AhBiscuits . I've started mine tonight!

Can I ask another really stupid question? When it's ready do I use the whole lot to make a loaf of bread, or is the idea to have some left over and keep feeding it?

Also do you have to use cooled boiled tap water or is straight from the tap ok? I've just used straight from the tap but wondering if I should have boiled it first 🤔

There's always professional sitters, too 😆 There used to be a "sourdough hotel" at Arlanda Airport in Sweden for people to drop off their starter for safekeeping. Not sure if it's still operating.

https://www.odditycentral.com/travel/swedens-charming-sourdough-hotels-take-care-of-your-bread-while-youre-gone.html

It looks fabulous and I bet tastes really good.

I tried a sourdough starter a few years ago and the bread could only be used as a doorstop, a discus or a weapon. Never tried again. I find it easier and less disappointing to get someone who knows what they are doing to make them. I only buy occasionally otherwise it would cost me a fortune.

The idea is to have ‘scrapings ‘ left and put them in the fridge. Feed within a week to keep active .

I recommend attending a workshop first it really helps.

That looks so good! Well done op 🤤

I just use tap water with a splash from the kettle to make it lukewarm.

I use 50g starter and feed with 50g flour and 50g water, so I have 150g of starter once it peaks. I use 100g to make a loaf, leaving me 50g to feed again the next day. If the recipe needs more, you could keep 100g and feed with 100g flour and 100g water. Make sure you have enough that there's leftovers to continue with.

3rd loaf baked early this morning.
I used a different method this time. All of the bulk fermentation was done yesterday then into the fridge overnight, straight into a cold dutch oven (casserole dish) and into a preheated oven. It came out just as well as the other two. It hasn't suffered for being cooked from chilled. The recipe I followed for my first two involved 3 hours of bulk fermentation, then fridge overnight, then another 3 hours the next day.

I'm playing around with different methods and timings as I'd like to do some baking in the week but it's tricky around work. The main issue I have is that if I feed my starter before work, it peaks by 1pm and has fallen right down by the time I'm home at about 5. I think next I'm going to try baking with it anyway and just see what happens.

That bread looks great! I am experimenting too. Used a casserole dish to bake one loaf and the other as normal. I’m going to compare them. I struggle to get the starter at the right time too. I often start making the bread at 3 pm and put it in the fridge when I go to bed so that my whole day doesn’t revolve around making bread.

I used 200g starter this morning to make two loaves. There were literally just scrapings left so I fed it and have left it in the airing cupboard. Has anyone done this? I’m not sure it’s going to work. I had already weighed the flour or I would have made one loaf .

This looks delicious again OP. You are making me hungry now.

I made up my first starter yesterday, so hopefully in about 2 weeks I will be able to try my first.

I felt a bit dim as I couldn't work out what equal quantities were when one is liquid so would be ml and flour which is g. So I weighed each, but the consistency didn't seem right, it was really dry so I just bunged in a bit more water. We will see how that turns out, as I never usually cook to exact quantities, I go by eye really. Even with normal bread in my breadmaker it is usually a rough rather than exact measure. And they seem to come out okay.

I am going to get some proper jars, I used an old jam jar but the top seems a bit small, but it will work fine for now I am sure. I think going forward the wider clip off lid seems to be easier to use.

Thanks again for posting and prompting me to start something I have been meaning to for ages now.

I think that should work OK. If not, do you have any discard you could feed up again?

Sounds perfect.
I do 50g flour and 50g water for feeding. It's easier to do the water by weight. From memory I think the first mix was a bit thick but it loosened up after the first few days.

I’ve got two other jars of starter that just didn’t increase in volume or get bubbles. I assume they are dead. I used the scrapings and it’s started to bubble again.

3rd loaf.
I made it over 2 evenings and used the starter when it was about 5 hours past its peak. It worked fine and is very tasty. I think maybe very slightly under fermented. I didn't give it as long, it looked very puffy in my hot kitchen and I was worried that it was going to go over so just cooked it.

Can this be used for a pizza dough as well ? Just started using my new Ooni, I'm very experienced with making most doughs but have never really managed to keep a sourdough going before because I didn't have enough ideas to use it for . I love the idea of using the waste for crumpets cos we love them and I've got some silicone rings I could use.

Yes it can definitely be used for pizza dough.

what jat do you use for your starter?

i bought a mother (cos i'm impatient) and the instructions say to use a 400-500g jar, no bigger or smaller, so i reused an old jam jar which is 430g, but it does't seem big enough. i need a dedicated jar i think but jars are in ml not grams