Sourdough Starter & Sourdough Recipes

[Teresa]

This is where things can get complicated.
Just like Fried Chicken.....which I might add I am well known for (**taking a low bow**.. ) 
Or Chili...which my boys, Danny & Derek, are well known for (**taking another big bow " for them")   

There are many ways to to it, and just like anything..
You always generally think that  the way you do it is best.

Some used milks / creams and flour, some use water and flour some add sugar.
I do it simple, I just feed it flour and water.

What you need to do is induce a yeast into it, an active yeast.
The bacteria is in the air and sometimes you can get a good yeast from the air.
Some areas like the San Francisco area or the Nome area are famous for good wild yeast.  Some of my bread making cohorts likes yeast found on wild grapes.

I like to buy my yeast, but regular bread yeast doesn't work well.
It tends to get weak very quickly.  I like to make yeast  type sourdough and I don't want to add much yeast to the dough as some do.

What I have found is the best and this is based on some help from a friend of mine who is an old west ( period correct) cook on wagon trail cattle drives and cowboy shoots.  I use a yeast called "Saccharomyces bayanus"  and I buy a package for a $1.00
If you are a yeast expert you already know this is nothing but French Champagne yeast.
It has a high tolerance to it's own alcohol and it of course is famous for making CO2.

I simply dissolve it in about a cup of warm water in a 1/2 gallon jar.
I add another pint of water and stir in a couple of cups of flour.
I add more each day and use more flour than water till after about 3 days I have a jar that is almost full of something about like thin pancake batter.
By then it has that sour smell and is ready to use.

I try to use it at least 2 times a week and replace what I use, usually about 3/4 of it.

~~
I had some awhile back that I hadn't used in a long time. It was kept in the refrigerator for almost two months. It looked weak and sick... It didn't even look or smell alive..so I poured it down the drain, cleaned the jar well with soap and Chlorox and rinsed well.
I got my spare pack of yeast out and started another one. 

I'll add some recipes for sourdough breads later on.

P.S.~~ Some have ask if the Amish Friendship Bread started is the same.

**Most make Amish F.B. out of bread yeast. It is just a weak version of sourdough starter, more for flavor than a real leavening.. cause most recipes add baking powder or yeast.

[Teresa]

Sourdough Pancakes

The night before:

Mix together........
1/2 cup starter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup warm water (approx. Use enough to make the thick/thin you like)

In the morning add:

Stir in 2 large/jumbo eggs, one at a time.
Mix the following together and then fold in:
2 tablespoons sugar ( optional.. I don't use sugar)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt...

[Teresa]

You can turn any basic recipe for yeast or quick breads into sourdough breads.
Here's how:

Take your recipe and use sourdough for about half the liquid.
Add whole milk if milk is required and use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda for every teaspoon of baking powder.
  A little less flour might be needed, but this will get any quick bread such as corn bread, biscuits,
coffee cakes and such converted to sourdough.

[Sherry]

Teresa,

Where do you buy your "Saccharomyces bayanus" yeast? I searched the internet and couldn't find any for sale.

-Sherry

[Teresa]

I have a friend who is a period correct cook (called a Cosie) and he is from Nebraska.. and he gets it for me.

Dell goes to all the Cowboy Shoots and does all the open range fire cooking .. doing everything as they did in the 1800's.

I have seen the man have 6-8 cast iron skillets and dutch ovens going at once with bread raising in a bowl in the sun on the rocks.. and 2 or 3 old-time pots of coffee going on the fire
(that you could stand a horseshoe in, I might add ) 

I learned so much the 4 days that I was in the outside open with him. He cooked for aobut 50 people those 4 days..

3 BIG meals a day..and all of it done with the tools and ingrediants of the 1800's.
Quite impressive.

So he gets some of my supplies that I use...
In fact I have 10 packages that he put in the mail a few days ago..
I should be getting them today or tomorrow...
( I could probably be talked into letting one go... )

let me know what your address is and I'll send it to you.
or if you live here.. stop by and I'll share one with you.

[Teresa]

Sherry,
Your yeast is ready to be mailed in the morning.
I started some new starter 2 days ago.  It is doing nicely.
I have to add some more flour and  water to it in the morning and then in a few days, it will be ready to use.
Let me know how your bread or pancakes or biscuts or whatever you bake, turns out.

[Sherry]

Teresa,

Thank you so much. I can't wait to try making Sour Dough Bread! But whatever the outcome, I will come back and let you know.   

-Sherry

[Sherry]

Hi Teresa,

I received your package yesterday. Thank you very much. I am going to try to make the starter this weekend.

I was also able to find the yeast online at Homebrew Heaven. https://secure3.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=hombre&BusType=BtoC&Count1=58727443&Count2=975867867&ProductID=577&Target=products.asp     (Select DISTILLATION SUPPLIES & ALCOHOL FLAVORINGS. Then pull down the Current Category found at the top of the page and select Wine Yeast.)

Thanks again.

-Sherry

[Teresa]

Thanks a bunch for adding the link . I can now start to get my own.. I never even looked as Del gets his yeast and just got mine and sent it on.. ( I was lazy I guess)
I have used my starter and made pancakes.. Which Ashley loves and ate 4 of them..
I have made sourdough cornbread and also used it to make my homemade flour tortillas...
They turned out awesome..
Then of course after each time, don't forget to fed your starter..and add back flour and warm water.
It should last you up to a year if you use it every week or so... The yeast just keeps regenerating itself..
Kind of neat and it is delicious..

Good luck..

[Sherry]

Hi Teresa,

I have a couple of questions about making a sourdough starter

1. Should the mixture be kept in the refrigerator even when you are first making the starter?
2. Should it be bubbling or anything? Mine isn't so I am hoping I didn't kill the yeast.
3. Today is the third day, but it doesn't smell sour. Should it?

I may have to resort to buying a starter. This site seems to have some really good ones including a San Francisco sourdough and Italian starter. http://www.sourdo.com/culture.htm

-Sherry