Best 2 Simpler Sourdough Starter Wild Yeast Recipes
In the realm of bread-making, sourdough starter stands as a testament to the harmonious union between wild yeast and flour. This natural leavening agent, crafted from a simple blend of flour and water, embarks on a journey of fermentation, nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of microorganisms that impart a distinctive tang and depth of flavor to bread. Embark on a culinary adventure with our collection of sourdough starter recipes, ranging from classic methods to innovative variations. Discover the art of maintaining a sourdough starter, nurturing it with regular feedings and unleashing its potential to transform ordinary flour into extraordinary loaves of bread.
Let's cook with our recipes!
WILD SOURDOUGH STARTER
You absolutely can purchase a starter over the interwebs, or, if you're lucky, acquire one from a family member or friend. But you don't actually need to: All you need is flour and water and, of course, yeast and bacteria, which are literally EVERYWHERE. There are a lot of different ways to do this, but this method has worked consistently in our test kitchen and builds a robust and flavorful starter.
Provided by Alton Brown
Time P8DT25m
Yield 250 grams
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- To begin: Mix together 125 grams flour and 125 grams water with a clean hand in a medium glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit undisturbed at room temperature until the mixture is full of bubbles and has nearly doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 days. During this time, yeasts and bacteria from the air and from the flour and probably from you will set up housekeeping in the bowl (see Cook's Note).
- For daily feeding: Peel back any crust that may have formed and transfer 20% of the culture (50 grams) to a clean, wide-mouthed jar. Stir in 100 grams flour and 100 grams water, loosely screw on the lid and stash at room temperature for 24 hours. (The culture will have a stinky-sour smell at this point.) Discard the rest of the original mixture.
- Repeat step 2 every 24 hours for 5 days. By then the culture should smell yeasty-sweet-sour, which means you're ready to put the starter to work.
WILD YEAST SOURDOUGH STARTER
You can make your own wild yeast starter from scratch. The yeast is already on the grains you use in the starter. You just need to create the right conditions to wake them up! The pineapple juice may sound like a strange ingredient, but it is what makes this recipe work so well. The juice creates an acidic environment that prevents bad bacteria from taking over and causing spoilage during the fermentation period.
Provided by Donna M.
Categories Sourdough Breads
Time P5DT10m
Yield 1 Starter
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- I bought whole wheat berries at the health food store and ground my own flour in a coffee grinder from them because I wanted the yeast on the flour to be really fresh, but this probably isn't really necessary. The pre-ground flour at the health food store is probably quite fresh, also, and you can buy very small quantities in bulk.
- DAY ONE: Mix 2 Tablespoons whole grain flour and 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice. Stir well, cover and let sit for 24 hours at room temperature.
- DAY TWO: Add 2 Tablespoons whole grain flour and 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice. Stir well, cover and let sit another 24 hours at room temperature. You may, or may not start to see small bubbles at this point.
- DAY THREE: Add 2 Tablespoons whole grain flour and 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice. Stir well and let sit 24 hours at room temperature.
- DAY FOUR: Stir mixture and measure out 1/4 cup--discard the rest. To the 1/4 cup, stir in 1/4 cup unbleached AP flour and 1/4 cup water. Let sit 24 hours at room temperature.
- REPEAT Day Four until mixture expands to double its size and smells yeasty. Mixture may start to bubble after a couple of days and then go flat and look totally dead for a couple more days. If this happens, at about Day 6 add the 1/4 teaspoons vinegar with your daily feeding. This will lower the PH and wake up the yeast, which will then start to grow.
- Once the yeast starts growing, starter should be fed equal parts of flour and water in a quantity sufficient to make enough starter for your recipe. Store the starter in the refrigerator when you are not using it. It needs to be fed equal parts flour and water once a week to keep it alive. Either use or discard at least half of it when feeding--THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT to maintian a healthy starter! If you forget to feed it for a few weeks, it probably will be fine but may take several feedings to get it back up to par.
Tips:
- Use a clean glass jar or container for your sourdough starter. Do not use metal or plastic containers as they can interfere with the fermentation process.
- Cover the jar or container with a cheesecloth or breathable lid to allow air to circulate.
- Feed your sourdough starter once a day with equal amounts of flour and water. Stir well to combine.
- Keep your sourdough starter in a warm place, between 75-80°F (24-27°C). A warm kitchen counter is a good spot.
- Discard half of the starter before each feeding. This will help to keep the starter active and prevent it from becoming too sour.
- If you're not planning to use your sourdough starter for a while, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Just be sure to bring it back to room temperature before using it again.
Conclusion:
Sourdough starter is a valuable tool for any baker. It can be used to make a variety of delicious breads, pastries, and other baked goods. With a little care and attention, you can easily maintain a healthy and active sourdough starter at home. So what are you waiting for? Give it a try!
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