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Sourdough is a healthy source of good bacteria, just like yogurt with live bacteria, it serves well as a probiotic. Sourdough collects yeast from the environment. If you notice on grapes, or other homegrown fruit, you will see a white or opaque coating; that is live, wild yeast. Because of the wild yeast, I have actually taken my sourdough with me on trips to collect the wild yeast from the environment. It's interesting to see how some areas we've traveled, actually activate the sourdough more than other areas. The desert must be a haven for wild yeasts, because that was where I first notice the sourdough bubbling happily away as it flowed over the edge of it's container.
While my sourdough starter is well over 100 years old and passed down at least 3 generations, you can make your own easily and pass it on to friends and family to start your very own sourdough tradition. Three simple ingredients are the entire make up of sourdough starter.
This starter, often called *sponge*, *hooch* and other terms passed down through generations.
Sourdough gained it's fame from the *cookies*, and the *sourdoughs*. The ranch cooks and miners that kept the starter in their pocket to make the biscuits every night for supper, often served with a big pot of simmered beans. If they had nothing else to eat, they always had their beans, pork belly and biscuits.
We heard our dad talk about the *cookies* and *sourdoughs* that cooked out on the cattle drives and for bunkhouse drifters. No doubt, the original sourdough starter that he handed down to our oldest sis, was acquired from one of those range cooks.
Bread, Biscuits, Pancakes, Cakes. pie crust, and other baked goods are easy to make with your sourdough and will be moist and taste wonderful. The depth of sour taste is entirely up to the user. I prefer the mild sour taste, but others want a sour body to their bread and baked goods. The famed San Francisco Sourdough is considered a very sour type sourdough.
Though my sourdough is simply wheat flour, water and sugar, you can make a gluten free sourdough and I have located some recipes for doing that for those of you that need a gluten free diet. Fortunately we do not have the dietary issues that some do. However, this said, sourdough is basically fermented and many people that are celiac can eat fermented foods and have no problem with sourdough products. Recent studies have shown that sourdough rates up there with yogurt for being a beneficial probiotic for those with dietary issues. Only you will know what your own needs are, but I mention this so as not to leave anyone out of the sourdough experience.
BASIC SOURDOUGH STARTER:
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1 cup flour
1 cup water (warm)
1 tsp. sugar
Container to hold at least one quart (a wide mouth quart jar works well, but be prepared with a larger container if your sourdough is especially active)
Wood or Plastic Spoon
Mix the flour, water and sugar in a glass or glazed container. Don't worry if you see little pockets of flour after you have thoroughly mixed your starter, this will disappear with activation. Set in a warm, draft free environment with a loose cover such as a plate or cheese cloth. Do not place a tight fitting lid on the sourdough, it must have air to activate. Each day, stir your starter with a wooden or plastic spoon, and remove 1 cup of the starter. Add 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water back in. You should start seeing your starter bubble and smell yeasty by 3 or 4 days. When the starter is actively bubbling, you can start using it for your baked goods. This process can take as few as 4 days and as many as 7, depending on the temperature and environment it's kept in. (*See Recipes Below)
Never use all the starter. Always leave at least 1/2-1 cup starter and add flour and water after each use. If you give starter away, always replenish your own container by adding the flour and water. If your sourdough is losing a bit of the active yeast, add a little sugar to get it activated once again. If your sourdough appears to have a brownish liquid (hooch) form, do not worry, just stir this in, it is just more of that good bacteria to keep the sourdough going.
The only thing you need to watch for is if you see a reddish mold form. That must be discarded and if the starter starts to get an off odor that is not a pleasant yeast smell, it's time to discard and start over. A sour smell is fine, just not an unpleasant spoiled smell. Within a week of daily tending, your sourdough is ready to use and depending on the weather and active yeasts it could be ready sooner. Just watch for the active bubbling and the pleasant yeast smell. The more bubbly, the lighter the baked goods will be.
You can add the sourdough starter to any recipe. Add 1 cup starter as part of the moist ingredients called for in the recipes.
NOTE: Always use a wood or plastic spoon to stir your starter.
NOTE: If not using daily or several times a week, store the sourdough in the refrigerator, bring out early the day before you wish to use it and allow it to reach room temperature. Remove 1 cup starter, replenish with flour and water to the bubbly stage then use the following day in your recipes.
NOTE: The starter can be frozen if not using for long term. Remove from freezer, allow to thaw and reach room temperature. Remove 1 cup starter and replenish with flour and water and a tsp. of sugar to the bubbly stage and use in your recipe.
FURTHER NOTE: I have seen some sourdough basic starter recipes calling for milk. PLEASE, do not use milk in your starter, it will turn rancid. It's fine to use in your sourdough recipes, just NOT in your starter.
SOURDOUGH:
*Hooch*, the brownish, yellow liquid that may form at the top is 12-14% alcohol. Hence the slang for liquor. The miners or *sourdoughs*, would often drink this, and of course, if you wish to try it, do so at your own risk.
If you wish to make waffles rather than pancakes, just add 2T. oil to the sourdough batter, and bake the waffles according to your own waffle manufacturer instructions
If you wish a rich batter, you can add an egg. If you would like a lighter/fluffier batter use buttermilk rather than milk or water when mixing your batter.
If you would like a fruit batter, add 1/2 cup blueberries, bananas, strawberries, pumpkin or other fruit/vegetable and adjust your liquid accordingly for the consistency you prefer.
The more liquid you add, the thinner the batter will be, so adjust according to your own preferences.
Always use a ceramic, glass or stoneware container with loose fitting lid or cover with cheese cloth or an oversized plate so the sourdough is allowed oxygen to continue to work. Always use a Wood spoon or Plastic spoon for stirring the sourdough.
The container you choose needs to be 2 to 3 times the amount of starter because as the starter works, it also grows.
Your starter should be in a warm, draft free area to work properly.
If you have chlorine in your tap water, allow the water to set overnight, or use filtered or non-chlorinated water.
Alternative flours can be used, or whole wheat rather than regular white wheat.
With active sourdough starter, you can make pancakes, waffles, biscuits or bread every day of the week if you choose. If you feed your sourdough immediately after each use, you can make pancakes/waffles in the morning and biscuits/bread in the evening, allowing at least 8 hours for the sourdough to rejuvinate.
SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
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2 cups flour
1 cup sourdough starter
1 T. Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
Water or other liquid
Mix a little water with your baking soda. Mix the flour, starter and sugar together, add liquid for the desired batter consistency. (The more liquid the thinner batter and likewise the less liquid, the thicker batter.) Add the baking soda slurry and stir in. This activates the batter and it will rise to make fluffier, lighter pancakes or waffles.
Pre-heat a cast iron griddle. Lightly grease if needed. Ladle or pour batter onto the heated griddle, and when bubbles form and start to pop, turn to brown the other side. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
SOURDOUGH WAFFLES
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2 Cups flour
1 cup sourdough starter
1 T. Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
2 T. oil
Warm Water or other liquid
Mix a little water with your baking soda. Mix the flour, starter and sugar together, add liquid for the desired batter consistency. (The more liquid the thinner batter and likewise the less liquid, the thicker batter, adjust as needed.) Stir in the oil. Add the baking soda slurry and stir in. This activates the batter and it will rise to make fluffier, lighter pancakes or waffles. (Note: The oil will prevent the batter from rising as much as pancake batter, however the waffle batter will work fine. Cook according the manufacturer instructions for your waffle iron.
SOURDOUGH BISCUITS
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2 Cups flour
1 cup sourdough starter
1 T. Sugar
1 Package active yeast (1 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 T. oil
Water
Mix a little water with your baking soda. Mix the flour, starter and sugar together, place yeast in 3 T. warm water with a 1/2 tsp sugar. Allow the yeast to bubble. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and add just enough additional liquid to form a workable dough. Knead the dough lightly on a flour covered board. Break off golf ball size pieces of dough and work into a rounded shape. Place each dough round into a greased baking dish, fitting each one close together. Cover the dough lightly with kitchen towel. Place in a warm, draft free place until the biscuits double in size. Place in 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked on the inside. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
For Gluten free instructions and recipes refer to the website below:
http://glutenfreedoctor.com/basic-gluten-free-sourdough-bread-recipe/
(For a crock with lid, suitable for sourdough starter, click on the link below.)
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