An article from Coutryside Magazine
July/August 1999

Doc Salsbury makes Sourdough
D. L. Salsbury, DVm
3492 Stafford
Wellsville KS 66092

An article on sourdough by Stan and Judy Payne of Licking, missouri, appeared adjacent to one I had written on making hams and bacons, back in the Nov./Dec. 1991 COUNTRYSIDE. The subject really caught my fancy, but it remained an itch I didn't scratch until some months ago. Now I'm hooked. It is so delightfully easy and fun, I can't imagine why I didn't get into sourdough years ago.

Just what is "sourdough"?

Basic sourdough had its beginnings before recorded history. The "leavened" vs. "unleavened" bread mentioned biblically was sourdough. Flour and water were mixed together and set aside to do "something." That "something" was a fortuitous catch of a naturally-occurring "friendly" yeast present on the grain and in the flour. Sometimes they would catch a wild mold that wasn't so friendly and the mixture would spoil, rendering it unusable. It was a tricky procedure. Starting over each time was fraught with disaster. People learned centuries ago that if they "caught" a good starter, they should take care of it.

That was the beginning of our concept of sourdough, and that friendly yeast is now known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has the ability to ferment sugars and starches common in cereal grains. It is more commonly known as "bakers' yeast," which was not commonly available in stores until sometime after the turn of the century. Many immigrants to the U.S., especially European bakers, brought their bread starter cultures with them.

Unfortunately, modern bakers' yeast is not an efficient fermenter of starch. Although it will do so weakly, it gets its kicks from sugar.

So, what is the difference between sourdough, with its unique flavor and aroma, and common fresh bread, if both utilize the same yeast?

It's the strain of yeast that's different. Bakers' yeast, and the endless varieties of lager beer, ale, and wine yeasts, are all strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but that's where the similarity ends. It's these unique strains, containing their peculiar physiological traits, that makes them unique for their particular purpose.

All modern homemade sourdough starter recipes begin with common bakers' yeast - and they are flat! But over time, they will slowly begin to develop that characteristic sourdough flavor. How does this happen?

By beginning with a culture of bakers' yeast, the rapidly developing acid pH and partially anaerobic conditions that develop in the flour and water media are rendered favorable to the culture of the friendly wild yeast in the grain to the detriment of undesirable organisms, especially molds. Over time, with the constant re-inoculation of fresh flour, the strain of yeast in the culture begins to attenuate and/by natural selection, bring out those individual yeast cells with unique genetic traits that are most efficient in fermenting starch. You will notice that, over a period of weeks or months, your sourdough starter will begin to ferment more quickly and more aggressively after each feeding. My starter is now 3-4 times more aggressive than it was at the outset. Whereas it required 3-4 days to complete its fermentation in the beginning, the ferment after feeding is now almost complete in 24 hours! The "sourdough" flavor it imparts to the breads has also increased several-fold.

Preparing the sourdough starter

Variety may be the spice of life, but it is also apparently the key to success. There are literally dozens of recipes for sourdough starters, presumably handed down because "Grandmother did it that way."

Well, all the grandmothers but one couldn't be wrong. They probably used what they had on hand, guided by experience and superstition, so one must assume that there isn't any single "best" recipe.

The singular factor that caught my eye in perusing dozens of these old recipes was the combined variety of flours used, particularly rye and unbleached wheat flour, plus numerous references to the initial use of potato water (which is highly fermentable) and of all things, many references in German recipes to the use of fresh hops in the pollen stage. If it make das bier gut, maybe geputten der hops in das pot maken das brot gut also, ja? Begin with a large-mouthed container, sufficient to easily accept a one-cup measure and to hold a total volume of 5-6 cups. It can be plastic or glass, but if it has a screw-on lid, be sure to poke a small hole in the lid with an ice pick or small nail. If the lid is tight the container could explode. An old cookie jar with a smooth interior or an old ice bucket are ideal.

I began using non-bleached wheat flour, assuming it might contain more "natural" yeast than the bleached variety (but I don't know this for a fact). Once things began working, I substituted small amounts of rye, black rye, and semolina (durum) flour during my regular feedings.

Recipe for starter

2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 cup cooled potato water (this really gets things going)
1 package bread yeast

Mix well and allow to stand in a warm area until there are no more signs of fermentation. (The solution will separate and no more bubbles are present.) Stir well, remove 1 cup of the contents and stir in another cup of flour or flour mix and a cup of water. Do not use "self-rising" flour!

Initially, the new starter is ready to use after 2-3 days, but it will not have that typical sourdough flavor until it has acquired some weeks or months of age.

After the first fermentation is established, you can use it anytime, even if it has gone "flat." Do not refrigerate! Leave it on the counter.

Many have told me that they mixed up a sourdough starter and used it once, but it didn't have a good sourdough flavor and then it "spoiled," i.e., it looked and smelled "yuckie."

"Well dummy," I thought. "It's supposed to look and smell yuckie!"

Sourdough will not spoil due to its highly acid pH, and because of its acid pH, it doesn't require refrigeration. Think about it. Covered wagons were the 19th century version of the RV, but they weren't equipped with refrigerators to hold the pioneers' sourdough starter! It bumped along experiencing all the elements of heat and cold in a small crock or wrapped in a leather pouch! Just remember to feed the little critter about once a week if you are not using it. To speed things up on baking day, you can feed the culture the day before and it will have little "yeasties" growing like mad at the time of use.

My culture is now about six months old, the container has never been washed, and there are no signs of mold. Most likely because its pH measures 2.0!

English muffins

Patience is not only a virtue: it's an essential ingredient in sourdough breads.

The thing that really caught my eye in the Payne's article was the recipe for English muffins. My first attempts were extremely disappointing! They were hockey pucks! Over time they began to improve slightly and by the 4th or 5th try they were somewhat edible, but they were still hockey pucks! Recipes simply cannot convey the art of cooking or baking gained by experience. Analyzing my problem, it occurred to me that I might not be giving them enough time to rise. Since the yeast must do its thing primarily on starch, as opposed to sugar, and starch is less fermentable than sugar, it stands to reason that it will require more time. However, as my starter became more aggressive, the time required for the dough to rise has been drastically reduced.

Then it occurred to me. I have a perfectly good jerky dryer that maintains an internal temperature of about 105 degrees. That cut the rising time down to three hours for the initial sponge and two hours for the rising of the cut muffins. This is also how I learned not to allow them to over-rise. (See below.)

Basic recipe for English muffins

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup semolina (durum) flour (This is used for pasta and can usually be found in larger supermarkets. It really improves the muffins, but if you can't find it, use 2 cups white flour.)
1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup buttermilk (or plain milk, but buttermilk is a lot better.)

Mix the above thoroughly. It will form a wet, sticky dough. Cover tightly or enclose entire bowl in a 2-gallon Zip-loc bag which retains the moisture. Allow to rise overnight or until its volume has at least doubled. It takes only three hours in a 105 degree environment. When ready, the dough (sponge) will be almost frothy and easily stirred.

Add:
2 level tablespoons sugar, honey, molasses or syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon (rounded) baking soda

Add variations, if wanted (see below, and I'll guarantee you'll want them once you've tried them!)

Mix the above ingredients thoroughly into the sponge, then add an additional 3/4 to 1 cup white flour and mix. Knead with additional flour until a dough has formed that will hold a fairly good ball that only slightly sags. It may also have minor kneading "overlaps" that do not immediately reseal.

Thoroughly sprinkle your work surface with white corn meal, and spread dough. Flip dough so it is covered with corn meal on both sides. Roll to approximately 1/2 inch thick. (I cheat by using two strips of wood cut 7/16 inch thick as rolling guides for uniformity. I also have a commercial 24 inch baker's rolling pin.)

Cut into biscuits with a large biscuit cutter or small tuna can (preferred). If the thickness of the dough is right, the small tuna can will produce 12-13 large muffins.

Allow to rise on a non-stick surface or cookie sheet sprinkled with white corn meal until they have about doubled in thickness. This will again require 3-4 hours at warm room temperature or 1-3/4 to two hours at 105 degrees. Don't allow them to over-rise or they will very rapidly crash into wet, sticky blobs. If they start to sag a bit, i.e., mushroom at the base and begin to lose their firm domed appearance on top, cook immediately, as they are getting ready to crash!

Bake in a tightly covered electric skillet at 325 degrees (if you're cooking on a wood or gas stove use your best guess) for exactly 10 minutes on each side, and then an additional 5 minutes on each side. A timer is very helpful, if not essential, at this step. They should be a nice medium-brown on both sides.

Cool exactly 30 minutes at room temperature, place in a two-gallon Zip-loc bag, and allow to "sweat" overnight to evenly moisturize.

Variations:

Onion dill: Add 2 heaping teaspoons dried chopped onions and 1 heaping teaspoon of dill weed. Great buttered and/or with a slice of good cheese. (I was eating one of these the other night with a slice of stink bier kase. Not paying attention to what I was doing, my wife sniffed the air and then asked me if I had left some old trash moldering.)
Black rye: Use 1 cup white flour and 1 cup black rye flour. This is pumpernickel flour, not the regular rye flour found in stores. It is almost impossible to find in supermarkets. Check with your local bakery.
Black onion rye: Add 2 heaping teaspoons dried chopped onions to the above.
Raisin: Add 1/2 cup raisins and 2 teaspoons cinnamon to basic recipe.
Orange raisin nut: Wonderful! Add 1/2 cup raisins, grated peel from 1 orange, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, and 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon. This is a real winner!
Blueberry: Add 1/2 cup blueberries to basic recipe.
Cranberry nut: This is everyone's favorite, including mine! Take 1/2 heaping cup fresh cranberries and cut them in half (or 1-1/2 oz. dried cranberries), grated peel from 1 orange and 1/2 cup chopped black walnuts.
Cinnamon apple: Add 1/2 cup apple pie filling and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Cheese ranch: Another excellent recipe. Add 1 tablespoon ranch salad dressing mix plus 1/2 cup grated sharp cheese, the sharper the better. No, these don't taste like salad dressing, nor are they that cheesy. The two ingredients synergize with one another to produce a truly unique taste.
Jalapeņo: Add 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese, or mozzarella, or 1/4 cup each, and 1-2 finely chopped fresh jalapeņo peppers. Or for a third variation, add 1-2 chopped jalapeņo peppers to the cheese ranch recipe.
Sourdough doughnuts

1 cup starter
1 cup milk
2 cups bleached or unbleached flour

Mix well and allow to rise overnight. Then add:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted or liquid shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (beaten)
2-3 cups flour
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

Knead well on floured surface and allow to rise until doubled. Knead again and allow to rise until doubled. Roll dough about 1/2 inch thick and cut with doughnut cutter. Allow them to rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes. Cook in hot oil (375 degrees) on each side until golden brown. Use a spatula to introduce them to the oil. A small wooden dowel works best to remove them from the hot oil. Drain for a few minutes on absorbent toweling, then shake in a paper bag with sugar until well coated.

The following recipes for pancakes, waffles and bread are reproduced verbatim from the Payne article:

Sourdough bread

2 cups starter
1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar or honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
5-7 cups flour
1 tablespoon yeast (optional)
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional - add with flour)

Stir butter, sugar and salt into milk and cool to lukewarm. Add sourdough starter. Dissolve soda (and yeast if used) in a little warm water and stir in. Add flour until dough is kneadable. Knead well. Let rise three hours - or about one hour if yeast is used. When doubled, punch down and shape into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise until the hump is above edges of pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Sourdough pancakes

(Note: Remember to feed your starter the day before, or let the batter set several hours.)

1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1/2 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

Mix all ingredients except soda with starter. Heat a griddle or skillet to 375 degrees. Just before cooking, fold dissolved soda into batter. If batter seems too thick, dilute with lukewarm water. Bake as for ordinary pancakes.

Sourdough waffles Use the above recipe with 4 tablespoons oil or melted butter.

Using sourdough in other recipes

Sourdough can be used in almost any recipe for quick breads, cakes, cookies, etc., by this simple substitution formula:

For recipes using 2 cups of liquid, substitute 1 cup sourdough starter for 3/4 cup of the liquid and add 1 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of starter.

Example:
For each 2 cups liquid required in recipe, use:
1 cup sourdough starter
1-1/4 cup liquid (water, milk, etc.)
1 teaspoon baking soda

For each 1 cup liquid required in recipe, use:
1/2 cup sourdough starter
5/8 cup liquid
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preserving a starter culture

Did you ever wonder how immigrants sailing in the cramped quarters of steerage managed to protect their starter culture during the weeks at sea? It is highly doubtful that they did it with a liquid culture in a loose-topped container! Neither did they have the convenience of modern dried yeast. . . or did they?

Although I can't say for sure, they might have used one of the many methods I uncovered while researching old cookbooks. The following seems to combine all the essential elements of preserving starter cultures by drying.

Dried yeast patties

2 cups starter
5 cups warm water
5 tablespoons shortening
5 tablespoons sugar, honey, molasses or syrup
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups rye flour, light or dark (There's that reference to rye again)
1/4 teaspoon ginger (Old wives' tale?)

In a warm crock, mix everything but ginger into a thin batter. Let rise overnight in a warm place. Reserve 1 cup for future starter or current baking. Add ginger (?) and enough white corn meal to make a stiff dough. Stir well.

Knead on corn meal-covered surface if necessary until dough can be worked. Roll and cut with cookie cutter or pat into small round patties (cookie style). Place on corn meal covered cookie sheet and turn daily until thoroughly dried. Keep in a cool dry place, but not the refrigerator!