Sourdough Bread and Starter

Sourdough Bread

When I started getting back into bread baking several months ago now, one thing I really wanted to try making was sourdough bread. While it is probably more common in the US than in the UK, there does seem to be a growing interest here, due to the increase of US cooking shows on our TVs.

I think that the name, sourdough, is also quite misleading. I have spoken to people who have not tried it because they are expecting the bread to have a sour taste. I would describe it as having a more 'bread-like' taste and a very slight tang. There is a slightly deeper flavour as it is a more fermented than usual bread, so if like me, you are a bread fan, then waste no time in getting your hands on a starter. It is fantastic with soup, and it makes the most unbelievably tasty toast.

Unlike bread that is made using cultured yeast, sourdough bread takes a lot longer to prove than you are used to. It takes me about a day and half to make my bread, but in the time, my actual involvement is very little.


How to grow your own sourdough starter

Having a sourdough starter in your life is much like having a pet. We have actually named ours Heston. You have to keep him in the right conditions and feed him, or he will die.

The hardest bit is getting your starter started, but once its going, it is much easier to look after. There are many variations of method on the web if you care to look, but this is the method I prefer. You could also ask around your friends, because if someone has a starter already, that would make your life much easier.

Equipment you need:
* a clean large glass jar or jug (I use an old pickled gherkin jar)
* bottled water - not tap water
* organic rye flour

Day 1
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add 100g rye flour and 140g bottled water. Mix thoroughly into a paste. Cover with towel, and leave away from direct heat (radiators etc) at room temp (20c/21c) for 24hrs

Day 2
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You may not see much activity at this stage. Discard half the starter and add in 100g rye flour and 140g water. Cover and leave at room temp for another 24hrs

Day 3, 4 & 5
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You should see some activity now, and have maybe a fresh beer-like yeasty smell. There should be bubbles in the mixture which is caused by the wild yeast population eating the flour.Now that your yeast population is growing you now need to feed twice a day at evenly spaced intervals - roughly every 12 hrs.

For each feed - keep 100g of starter, and discard the rest. Add 100g of rye flour and 140g water, cover and leave.

Day 6
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By now you should have quite an active starter. It should have a slightly acidic smell. If at any point it smells 'off' and offensive, discard and start again as something nasty has gotten in. If you get a slight layer of off-coloured liquid on top, that is 'hooch'. Essentially its alcohol produced by the yeast. Pour it off or stir back in - either is good.

Your starter should be stable enough to use now and store in the fridge, which means it is much less maintenance.

Baking with your starter.

There are many recipes out there for sourdough bread if you do some searching online,  but this is the recipe/routine I have developed which works best for me.

Sat AM
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Fed starter

I take my starter out of the fridge, and place 1 large tablespoon into a clean glass bowl, and discard the rest. Instead of chucking it in the bin, you can use it to make pancakes or waffles for breakfast.

Add 100g of rye flour & 140g bottled water. Cover with tea towel and leave to double in size - approx 5-6 hrs depending on room temp. When it is risen, spongy and bubbly, it's now called a 'fed starter'.


Sat PM
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Take 200g of 'fed starter' and place in a large mixing bowl. There should be a small amount left of fed starter which can be popped back into your large jar with 100g rye flour and 140g bottled water. Stir, then place the lid on loosely, not tightened, and leave in the fridge until next week.

Add to the 200g of starter - 500g strong white or wholemeal bread flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 240ml bottled water (and I also add on a squirt of honey to feed the yeast but not enough to make the bread taste sweet, but this is completely optional).

Mix until combined, and then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic for 8-10 mins. If the mixture seems too sloppy, add a smidge more flour before turning out to knead, but beware the more flour you add the denser and heavier your bread will be, and a wet dough will tighten up as you knead and produce a much better crumb.

Once kneaded, place in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm, then place in the fridge overnight.

Sun AM
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Your dough should have doubled in size by now. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knock all the air out, then half the mixture. Shape into smooth rectangles and place gently in to 2 x greased and floured 2lb loaf tins.

Dust the top with more flour, and make a shallow slash cut along the top in the middle, from about half inch from each end.

Cover both loaves with a clean tea towel and leave at room temp for about 5-6 hours at least, longer if it is cold, until it has doubled in size again.

Sun PM
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Bake in middle of oven at gas mark 5/375f/190c for 30 mins, then turn out onto a baking tray, upside down. Place back in over for a further 10 mins, then cool on a cooling rack.


Once cooled, I tend to place one loaf in a freezer bag and freeze. The bread will keep fresh for several days, but it is definitely at its best eaten within 2 or 3 days.

About Sourdough bread

Sourdough bread, unlike bread made from cultured yeast, is slightly better for you because the lengthier rising times actually breaks down a lot of the proteins(gluten) making it more digestible for humans. Good if you have a sensitivity to wheat gluten.

Like all other fermentation processes, the bacteria present in the sourdough starter eat the starch and sugars present in the grain. This results in a lowering of the starch or carbohydrate content of the bread, which is helpful for keeping blood sugar levels regulated. It also increases some of the vitamin and mineral content of the grain.

The increase in lactic acid, what gives it that light tang, actually works as a natural preservative, and prevents mold growth.

Finally, the bacteria present in the sourdough help to activate phytase, an enzyme that breaks down an anti-nutrient present in all grains, beans, and seeds called phytic acid. This may seem minor, but phytic acid is known to strip your body of minerals and can be hard on your digestion.

Your starter will live quite happily in the fridge for a week. You will notice it rises after about 3 or 4 days then starts to drop a little by the 7th day as the yeast population has peaked. I would advise feeding once a week, even if not baking with it, to keep the yeast and bacteria population strong, but it can go up to two weeks at a push. It's not unknown for sourdough enthusiasts to take their starter with them on holiday.

If you want to bake more than once a week, you can always take your starter out of the fridge after about 3 or 4 days. Alternatively, you can store it at room temp but you will have to bake with it and feed it every day.

Have a play, do some reading on the web, but don't be too put off - everyone seems to handle things slightly differently but the basic rules are the same.