Sourdough Bread—It's Easy!

[miss_thenorth]

Frugal--I tried this recipe from seeing it on your website. I made the starter, it bubbled, --so I made the bread, but it didn't rise. this is my first time ever with sourdough. I obviously don't have the starter down pat. Any suggestions on what I did wrong? i still have some of the starter in the fridge. Can I still feed it and hope that it grows? I'm still not sure what the consistency of the starter should be like when it is ready. i really want this to work!!!!!!

 

[frugal]

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I expect that your starter wasn't quite ready. Feed it for a few days and see what happens. It should have the consistency of pancake batter before you use it.

Hope this helps.

 

[frugal]

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I've got a beautiful Siamese and a handsome Black Lab that live in the house but they've never bothered any of my cooking projects. Of course they know they'll get to share in it when it's done cooking...

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My stove is a Heartland Oval.

Several years ago, when I realized the market would crash and crash bad, I converted most of my monies to PMs and other hard assets. This is one of my hard assets and I'll be using it for the rest of my life. Since I did this pictorial I've installed a complete thermosyphon system on my wood cookstove and it heats and circulates all my hot water. Here's a pic of the set-up:

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I'm not happy with my instructions and will be updating them.

Make sure you leave the grapes in the starter until it's fully fermented and bubbly. When you remove the bag squeeze all the extra juice into your starter. Now feed your starter with one cup of flour and one cup of water. Stir daily for 3 days and then it should be ready to use. Remember to feed your starter after each use and store in fridge.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Oh my goodness Frugal! That is a gorgous system you have there! Where did you get your stove?

We have a 1727 colonial home that a stove like that would fit right into!

 

[wishin4chicken]

I'm buying cheesecloth and grapes today. Really looking forward to getting started. Thanks Frugal!!

Michele.

 

[Lobzi]

Wow, that is great, thank you. I cant wait to try it as I have been making bread for a while and wanting to try sourdough. I wasnt sure if I could get the starter going correctly. I feel much more confident after reading and viewing your directive.

 

[miss_thenorth]

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Thank You. I did squeeze out the grapes when I took them out, and I did take them out when it was bubbly. I think I should have waited--fed it for a few more days before using it.

I have since taken the remaining starter out of my fridge, fed it and have it sitting on the counter. i will see if I can revive it--if not I will start from scratch. I am determined to make this work. So, in the meantime, I am making "regular"yeast bread. (time to turn on the oven!)

 

[Their Other Mother]

Can we have a tour of your house? I love the stack of dutch ovens, What other goodies do you have around to make your life more self sufficient?

 

[frugal]

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I like my Dutch Oven Tree myself and I use alot of other cast iron to cook with.

I live off the grid so I'm self-sufficient in many, many ways. I grow most of my own vegetables and fruit and have the ability to grow all the veggies and fruit I need each year. I raise or hunt most of my own meat and have the ability to easily live off what I raise and what I harvest from the woods each year. My heat and cooking fuel is harvested from land I clear or blow downs from the winter storms. All the normal stuff of a typical homestead.

 

[CrzyChknLdy]

This starter is awesome....thank you.... I have made sourdough in the past but this was by far the best I have used. I envy your way of life....it is great. Thank you for sharing your starter with us and I look forward to any other recipes you decide to share