Fermenting in Forgottonia: Sourdough for Beginners
By: Emma Rauschert
Sourdough!! As all the outdoor activities wind down, I spend a lot more time inside baking. I begin baking homemade bread, pretzels, crackers, and pancakes, all using my sourdough starter. Sourdough has been around for thousands of years. Before people could buy yeast at a grocery store, they captured their own wild yeast for bread making. A sourdough starter is the fermented wild yeast and bacteria that make bread rise without store-bought yeast. Fermentation is a chemical process of microorganisms, such as bacteria, mold, or yeast, breaking down molecules into gases, alcohols, or acids. Fermentation has historically been used to preserve foods. Some examples of fermented foods are cheeses, beer, and sourdough. Fermented foods aren't only tasty but also good for our gut health, immune system, and numerous other bodily functions.
Starting out, all you need to make a sourdough starter is non-chlorinated water, whole wheat flour, and a glass jar. Do NOT use bleached flour. This will kill the sourdough bacteria. It is vital to use the right kind of water as well. Do not use reverse osmosis, chlorinated, distilled, or hard water. Use filtered tap, spring, or bottled water for best results. I also recommend getting a digital scale if you don't already have one. Creating your own homemade sourdough starter from scratch requires time and patience.
Start by weighing 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of water in a glass jar on a digital scale. Now you have 100 grams of an immature sourdough starter. Cover your sourdough starter with a paper towel and rubber band, or put a lid on loosely and leave it on your counter. After 24 hours, you can "feed" your starter flour and water. To create a healthy sourdough starter, use a 1:1:1 ratio: 1 part sourdough starter, 1 part water, and one part flour. You will need to discard half of the sourdough starter during every feeding. After discarding, place your starter in a new jar and mix in the water and flour until it's a pancake batter consistency. That's it! The feeding is done.
You will want to feed your starter twice a day for a couple of weeks, around 12 hours apart, and then once a day for a few weeks to get it going. The goal is to get the starter to double after feeding it within 4-6 hours. I keep my mature sourdough starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. When I feed it, I use the sourdough discard to make pancakes or pretzels. Keeping it in the fridge slows the starter, so you don't have to feed it daily. You can also dehydrate your sourdough starter if you are going on a vacation or need a break from taking care of it. To dehydrate it, once it is 3 months old, feed it and let it reach its peak (doubled in size). Then, using a pastry brush, spread it over parchment paper on a baking sheet. Let it sit out for 24 hrs until it is dry, and you can break it up easily and put it into a clean jar. Store your airtight jar in a dark, cool place. It will last as long as it doesn't touch moisture!
Starters are live bacteria you are feeding and keeping alive! If liquid begins to accumulate on the surface of your starter, that means it is hungry! Pour off the excess liquid and feed it. If your starter smells like nail polish remover, it is hungry. You will know your starter is ready for use when it is aerated and bubbly. If your starter doubles in size 4-6 hours after feeding it, that is a great sign that it is ready for use. Most starters take around 14-28 days until they are ready to use. You shouldn't have problems with your starter if you feed it consistently and don't forget about it. Sourdough starters can grow mold if neglected for long enough, so keep it in a place where you see it!
Don't let sourdough scare you. It becomes a breeze once you get the hang of it. Making sourdough requires patience and perseverance, but the outcome of freshly baked, warm sourdough bread is worth the wait. Happy homesteading in Forgottonia!