Our Sourdough Bread

[Jonok]

We really don’t buy much in the way of bread around our house anymore, and we’ll go through 3-4 loaves a week of Sourdough.
We have an active culture sponge that lives in the refrigerator, of which we use 7/8 or so each batch. Feeding involves only replacing the used sponge with a like amount of flour and water and sticking it back in the fridge.

Rises twice on the counter, (just mix, no kneading to speak of) then into the Benetton in the fridge overnight

Preheat oven with inverted greased Dutch oven to 500

Invert Benetton onto Dutch oven lid, and cover with base. Reduce heat to 450 and cook covered for 15 min.

Uncover, and finish to “thumping hollow” at 450.

Seems to work every time...

 

[oldsmokerdude]

Love me some sourdough bread. My process is similar. Make a "firm starter" out of my starter. Let rise a few hours, into fridge over night. Make the bread with the firm starter and let rise 8 hours or so, then back into the fridge overnight. Final day, shape and rise about 4 hours, then into the oven. Easy peasy.

Thanks for sharing (though I would have enjoyed looking at a picture of the bread's crumb).

 

[Jonok]

Here you go:

 

[weev]

Pass a chunk this way please it looks real good!

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

The last firm starter I made had a lot of waste. Here is an image of left overs. Not sure what to do with it. I used King Auther's recipe. What is the advantage of firm starter?

 

[Jonok]

In our case, it markedly reduces the time it takes to make a loaf of bread. It is always active, and if, for some reason you don’t use it in 2 weeks or so, just chuck 2/3rds of it, replace it with a cup or so of flour, add water to make a loose sponge dough, and put it back in the refrigerator.

 

[Jonok]

Thanks for the like weeve!

 

[Jonok]

Glad you liked it shoebe!

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

In our case, it markedly reduces the time it takes to make a loaf of bread. It is always active, and if, for some reason you don’t use it in 2 weeks or so, just chuck 2/3rds of it, replace it with a cup or so of flour, add water to make a loose sponge dough, and put it back in the refrigerator.

Was wondering what the difference was. I am new to sourdough and has been quite a journey so far. Just starting to get the hang of things.

 

[zwiller]

NICE! Can't wait until I retire to make bread like that. Would totally make SD but still can't seem to find a method that clicks for me.

 

[Jonok]

I’ll put together the whole recipe and post it.
I would be happy to share starter if anybody needs some (of course, this starter is ostensibly a jillion years old as is everybody else’s, so I doubt if it will make much difference if you’ve already got a culture you can use)

 

[zwiller]

Thanks. Might take you up on that but want to understand a little more first. Being a long time brewer (and certified judge) and understand the concept and the fridge slows/stops the ferment but see all sorts of conflicting info.

 

[Jonok]

A cup or two of flour and a Tupperware bowl is all it takes to try.

 

[Jonok]

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup sourdough starter.

Combine with scant 4 cups of bread flour and scant 2 cups water.

Stir until just combined and let rest 30 minutes to an hour.

With dripping wet hands mix in one large fist full of kosher salt in two additions.

Stretch and fold similar to toffee.

Coat with spray olive oil on the top and allow to rise.

Stretch and fold until taut.

Place in banneton sprayed with oil and covered with rice flour to prevent sticking.

Allow to rest in refrigerator overnight.

Remove to counter after rest to rise to top of Benetton.

Preheat Dutch oven to 500° as explained above.

Put bread in Dutch oven lid, reduce heat to 450, bake covered 15 minutes. Remove the cover and bake 10 to 15 more until the loaf thumps hollow.

(You all can’t tell my wife I shared this )