Does anyone make their own sourdough ? Is it hard ?

[cleo333]

I’m thinking of making sordough but it seems quite complicated . Any thoughts / advice?

Not complicated. But takes time. It's a science. With many variables. Give it a go. It's not an expensive 'hobby'. You can buy starter online if you prefer too.

Go for it. Been making sourdough bread just under two decades now. Got into it at 14/15. Before all the fascination too, had to call my grandma 😂 youtube wasn't helpful. Now you can just watch and do as they do. Have fun.
Yes it's easy once you get to know it.

It just takes a bit of practice, once you have a routine going it's very easy. It takes a long time but most of that isn't hands on. However you do need a day when you will be around to attend to it every couple of hours or so. I feed my starter on Thurs eve, make the dough on Fri as it is my day off and I am usually in ad out of the house all day and bake on Saturday morning. Once a week is enough for us.

I tend to feed the starter on a Friday evening, make the bread Saturday morning and cook on Sunday (cos I get half price electricity).

I also use the starter to make pancakes, thicken sauces, and make other baked goods (I made sourdough hot cross buns yesterday).

Yes, I use it to make crumpets.

I keep the starter in the fridge and feed it and leave it out, the night before. I don’t do all the reg marble but use a bread maker.

The starter is a faff but you can buy that from various bakeries on Amazon.
After that it's just about a routine.

As PP said you do need a day when you are around to tend to it even though the hands on time isn’t massive. I like Bake with jacks method as there’s no discard and his videos are really easy to follow.

I made it once when my sil gave me some stater. I remember it being time consuming but I’d give it another go. I do make other bread occasionally and it’s worth it.
A much easier loaf is soda bread. I use yoghurt in place of buttermilk.
https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/clodagh-mckennas-lockdown-soda-bread

I use Bake with Jack too, this page (I don't get on with videos).

https://www.bakewithjack.co.uk/blog-1/2018/7/5/sourdough-loaf-for-beginners

I keep my starter in a loose lidded jar in the fridge, get it out, divide in two (into another matching jar), feed both, put the newer jar back in the fridge for next time and make the dough the next day.

It's easy once you get the hang of it. I started out with the 'Bake with Jack' instructions. Then I moved onto to using the methods of other bakers (with better results). But he's a good place to start as he breaks it down into simple steps.

I’ve made pizza dough with it today. I need to rediscover my mojo.
Warning- it’s all too easy to keep buying gadgets that you think will improve your baking! 🤣

All I use for my sourdough is a mixing bowl, spoon, sharp knife, two jam jars (for the starter), pasta bowl to shape it and a couple of cloth napkins for lining the bowl and covering it. All of which I already had. I bake it in a Le Creuset casserole. But yes, it is tempting to go out and buy baskets, special knives, the cutter thing, all the extras.

This book is fab, bought it for my DH at Christmas and he has the routine sorted, fresh sourdough every Saturday morning!!

Serious Eats takes you through everything with photos.

www.seriouseats.com/search?q=Sourdough+