I’m sure we all remember the time during quarantine when it seemed like everyone and their dog was trying their hand at sourdough. I’m not sure what spurred so many people to develop this specific skill, even if they’d never made any breads before, but I’m glad they did! Since then, so many people have discovered the wonderful world of sourdough!
Before we get started in this post, I’d like to make it clear that sourdough, while beneficial in many ways, is not necessary to being a good homemaker. A good homemaker is one who finds what works for their family and continues to do that. If sourdough isn’t something that works for you, don’t try to force it. You can absolutely serve your family well without it.
I actually didn’t learn anything about sourdough until this year. I had gotten pretty good at making some quick breads like pizza dough, sandwich bread, and artisan loaves with active and instant yeast, but sourdough seemed like whole different beast. I had no idea, back then, just how easy sourdough could be!
In this post, we’ll dig into some of the major benefits of sourdough, the basics of getting started, and some of my favorite resources for sourdough recipes. I hope this post encourages you to try something new or start something up again. Before you know it, You’ll be on your way to sourdough everything (or almost everything)!
What’s so great about sourdough?
Aside from being a more flavorful bread than a traditional loaf, using sourdough recipes has proven to have some great benefits to health and the pocketbook!
We hear all the time, from holistic practitioners and medical doctors alike, that our gut health plays a major role in our overall health. This is why so many providers will encourage dietary focus in order to heal our bodies and prevent disease. Sourdough has time and time again proven to aid the microbes within our gut due to fiber and polyphenols.
Another benefit is that it may aid in blood sugar management. This is also due to the higher fiber content as compared to conventional breads.
Choosing sourdough over other breads may also reduce the risk of heart disease and include more nutritional value, but the largest benefit that I have heard from friends, family and many others is that it is easier to digest for people who have an intolerance or sensitivity to wheat or gluten. Those with a true allergy should try sourdough with caution, but it may be a good option for those who struggle to digest grains. This is because many people can tolerate grains when the fructan is removed, and the fermentation process of sourdough does just that!
Here is a brief article on the health benefits of sourdough bread, and a more in-depth article on fructans and reducing FODMAPs in your diet.
How to get your starter
The truth is, sourdough is extremely scientific, but like most things, including walking and breathing, you don’t have to understand the scientific ins and outs to know how to use it and reap the benefits of it. Sourdough can be as simple or scientific as you want to make it. I choose simple for now, but who knows? I might start to really nerd out one of these days!
My method of sourdough includes keeping my starter in the refrigerator, only feeding it when I need it or every once in a while, and just making sure it rises well. I find that keeping it simple has allowed me to avoid the overwhelm and learn as I go, and if you’re like me, you might enjoy it this way too.
Now I said I keep it simple, but I definitely chose that harder way of getting started. I guess it’s good that the harder way is still pretty darn easy.
There are a few ways to acquire a sourdough starter. You can purchase a starter from a company online and they will mail you dried starter with instructions on how to rehydrate and begin using it. This does allow you to purchase a mature starter or maybe a specific flour starter, but it can get pricey if you don’t have a particular need for one of those things.
You can also get some from a friend! If you know someone who has sourdough starter, you can ask them to share with you. Trust me, anyone who makes sourdough wants to share it with everyone! If you opt for this way, I’d suggest feeding it daily and letting it live on your counter top just to make sure it’s happy in its new home. Then, you can move it to the refrigerator and move on to a simpler way of sourdough!
The third way, and the way I did it was starting from scratch. This one does take a little discipline, but doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds. I have instructions for making a new starter in a separate post here.
What you’ll need to begin making sourdough everything
- An active sourdough starter
- Unbleached flour of choice (I use All-Purpose)
- Well-filtered water
- A mason jar or other non-metal container that can be covered loosely
- Non-metal stirring utensil
- Stand Mixer (or patience for hand-kneading, but the mixer really helps)
- Banneton basket or bowls and tea towels for shaping
- A Lame, scissors, or serrated knife for scoring
- Something to bake your loaves in (I use a ceramic dutch oven, but have also used cast-iron, and both work wonderfully.
- Parchment paper for baking
I know, it seems like a lot, but if you’re looking into sourdough, there’s a good chance you already have many of these items. Once you have everything, you’re well on your way to making your first loaf!
My recipes and favorite resources for all things sourdough
If you already have an active starter, here is my recipe for easy sourdough bread. It has been adapted from a few recipes I found when I was starting out, and I think it has turned out well.
If you want to make your own starter, you can find instructions in this post!
If you want to see all the possibilities for sourdough loaves and other recipes, I really enjoy recipes from Farmhouse On Boone and Little Spoon Farm. Lisa and Amy both take simple approaches to sourdough, and I’ve had consistent success with their tips!
I hope this post has encouraged you to dip your toes the sourdough pool and find out if it’s worth it for your family. If you’re a seasoned sourdough baker, I’d love to hear from you! Share your tips, tricks, stories, and resources for all things sourdough!
Have fun in your baking!
Until next time,
Bekah
