New sourdough starter NOV 2025

[JC in GB]

Good day all. Hope this post finds you all doing well. I have been looking for ways around the house to improve my home economics by saving money on food items that I can make myself. I have now gotten to the point where I want to bake my own bread. Loaves of good quality bread have gotten ridiculously expensive so I had to cry uncle. I like a good sourdough bread so I grabbed my King Arthur Flour baking companion book and got a batch of starter going. I used my oven as the proofing box and modified an old thermal controller to keep temp stable. The starter I got going turned out to be very vigorous. I was quite pleased. I love making three ingredient bread. YUM!!

Here are my results. Not really sure if I did good or bad but the bread tastes good and makes even better toast.

Thanks for reading.

JC

 

[beckajf1]

Good day all. Hope this post finds you all doing well. I have been looking for ways around the house to improve my home economics by saving money on food items that I can make myself. I have now gotten to the point where I want to bake my own bread. Loaves of good quality bread have gotten ridiculously expensive so I had to cry uncle. I like a good sourdough bread so I grabbed my King Arthur Flour baking companion book and got a batch of starter going. I used my oven as the proofing box and modified an old thermal controller to keep temp stable. The starter I got going turned out to be very vigorous. I was quite pleased. I love making three ingredient bread. YUM!!

Here are my results. Not really sure if I did good or bad but the bread tastes good and makes even better toast.

Thanks for reading.

JC

Hi JC,
Jim in Manitowoc, WI. Welcome to the sourdough world. You will like it! I created my starter in 1982, when my wife and I were newlyweds, and have kept it going.
Your pictured loaf looks great, nice open crumb and evidence of good oven spring. You're on your way.
I purchased a Black Cat PID Digital Controller from you several years back for my converted MES 30 smoker and it has been working great, thank you! I am interested in "I used my oven as the proofing box and modified an old thermal controller to keep temp stable." The only problem I have in proofing, without going out and bringing another appliance to my kitchen (boo!), is temperature control. Room temp is too cool most days, and the oven with the light on is too hot. My oven is electric, and it has a "warm" setting at nominally 170F.
Would appreciate any info you might pass on regarding using the oven as a proofing box. Thanks JC!
-Jim

 

[sandyut]

Making bread is very satisfying. your SD looks great!

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Good day all. Hope this post finds you all doing well. I have been looking for ways around the house to improve my home economics by saving money on food items that I can make myself. I have now gotten to the point where I want to bake my own bread. Loaves of good quality bread have gotten ridiculously expensive so I had to cry uncle. I like a good sourdough bread so I grabbed my King Arthur Flour baking companion book and got a batch of starter going. I used my oven as the proofing box and modified an old thermal controller to keep temp stable. The starter I got going turned out to be very vigorous. I was quite pleased. I love making three ingredient bread. YUM!!

Here are my results. Not really sure if I did good or bad but the bread tastes good and makes even better toast.

Thanks for reading.

JC View attachment 727499

View attachment 727500

Good bread.
I fixed your pics for full view.