Sourdough Bread Attempts

Tom C · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject: Sourdough Bread Attempts

A while back someone posted a link to a No-Knead Bread recipe. With my interest peaked, I decided to give it a try and loved it. Little did I know this was the start of another hobby.

From there I decided that I wanted to make some sourdough bread. I soon found out that you really need to have a sourdough starter to make authentic sourdough bread. I tried and failed at a couple of attempts to get packaged dry starter (Goldrush) up and going. Then I came across the method for using pineapple juice and flour to get a starter going. Finally success! I now have a starter that is over two months old and is extremely active. Very Happy

I thought I would share some of the success in bread making I have had since.

This is my starter. I keep it thick, 100% which means I feed it equal amounts of flour and water by weight. After feeding it will rise for up to 6 hours and will more than double.

This was my first sourdough loaf with the starter. I cooked it in my Dutch oven. It looked great but didn't have a lot of sourdough flavor. As my starter has aged the flavor has improved. Here are some more of my attempts.

Oatmeal sourdough, it had great flavor but was a little dense.

Sourdough ciabatta. This is truly great stuff! I had to modify a recipe that called for dry yeast to make it with starter instead. I also made a thicker version of this dough to make these sourdough English muffins.

It's been a lot of trial and error but a lot of fun too!
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PaulOinMA · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

Looks great!

I bake a lot, but haven't done sourdough yet.
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BUGSnBBQ · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

Looks good Tom C! I loooooooooves me some sourdough bread. I started baking it about 6 years ago after finding a starter from this company -

http://www.sourdoughbreads.com/

The 'Sponge' has been in my fridge, in an airtight glass jar, since then. Take some out for a 'starter' and simply refresh the jar with more flour/water. Un-Freaking-Believable goodness!

Question for you - Do you use a water pan in the oven and also spray water on the oven walls during baking to create steam? This makes a nice chewy crust.

Oh crap, now I'm hungry Laughing

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T00lman · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

first off great looking bread great pics tom c I see a big bowl of bean soup with that bread

been doing pizza making my own dough for about a yr now makes good pizza still playing with my dough recipe not totally happy been thinking about diving into the baking thing gotta get a couple more hrs in the day though .
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killswitch505 · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

Oregon smoker · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

I have tried my hand at baking bread a few times or rather my wife tried to replicate some of the awesome breads that we can find around town.
That picture right above is exactly what I/we want.
So would either post or pm me the exact method and recipe, please with a big ol pile of these on top.

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Tom C · Posted: Jan 24 2011 Post subject:

PaulOinMA,
Thanks! You should give the sourdough a try. It takes some experimenting to get it down. I'm still working on it myself but after a while you start getting bread that beats anything you can buy.

BUGSnBBQ,
Thanks for the comment and the link! It sounds like you have a pretty good head start on me with your starter. I found the method for getting my starter going here: http://www.breadtopia.com/sourdough-starter-management/
There are lots of recipes and supplies to be found there.
I have placed water pans under the cooking stone and sprayed the walls and the bread for a good crust. However, for the firs loaf of sourdough bread that showed on the post, I used the recipe and method I found here:
http://www.joejaworski.com/bread/bread1.htm
I used my Dutch oven in place of the La Cloche they show.
I now keep my starter in the fridge as well. I originally let it set on the counter and fed it twice a day. Now I can let it go up to two weeks in the fridge without any harm. When I want to bake I pull a 1/4 to 1/2 cup out of the jar and mix with war water and flour. After a feeding or two it's ready to go. After I make my bread I build up the left over starter with a couple of feedings and replace what I have in the fridge. It works great!

T00lman,
Thanks!
We do our own pizza dough too! I'm still working on a sourdough version. Until I started working with the sourdough I thought smoking a brisket or pork shoulder took a long time. Rolling Eyes

It takes a lot less tending but I've waited almost two days for some of my dough to be ready to bake.

killswitch505,
Give the sourdough starter a try it's a challenge but fun.

Oregon smoker,
Burnt ends would go great with this bread!
This is the link to the recipe I started with for this bread. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2984/jasons-quick-coccodrillo-ciabatta-bread
It really requires a mixer to save your arms for this bread but it is really good stuff. I have now the bread as described on the site and modified the recipe to work with my starter. If you have a starter, here is what I do:

443 grams (just under 2 cups) Bread flour
453 grams (2cups) starter (Mine is 100% starter)
10 grams (about 2 tsp) salt (original recipe calls for 15 g)
297 grams ( 1.3 cups) water

The amount of water really can change depending on the flour. You really have to go by texture of when everything is mixed.
The following link is for a video that shows the process for the original recipe. The dough looks a little different at first when starter is used but looks about the same at the end of the mixing process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v24OBsYsR-A
Good luck with your bread! Just ask if you have nay questions.
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BUGSnBBQ · Posted: Jan 25 2011 Post subject:

Those are some good links Tom C! I just went in the kitchen and 'fed the bitch' (Anthony Bourdain reference). I do need to try the Pineapple thing for a diffferent starter. YUM YUM YUM thinking about fresh hot bread with a big ol slab of butter melting on top Wink

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SmokeHound · Posted: Jan 25 2011 Post subject:

Good Lord. . .you guys are killin' me. . . . . . ..

VERY nice job on the bread Tom C! Hope to see more posts from you on this! Smile

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Canadian Bacon · Posted: Jan 27 2011 Post subject:

Tom C all those loafs of bread look real nice.........maybe I have to take up baking as well now. Laughing

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Tom C · Posted: Jan 27 2011 Post subject:

Thanks SmokeHound & Canadian Bacon.
I just finished baking up somemore of the ciabatta. We can't get enough of the stuff. Very Happy

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killswitch505 · Posted: Jan 27 2011 Post subject:

feldon30 · Posted: Feb 02 2011 Post subject:

That is a beautiful Ciabatta! And making English Muffins with it is a great idea.

Lot of work to make good Ciabatta but it's so good.
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Tom C · Posted: Feb 18 2011 Post subject:

Thanks again guys! I've been having a great time baking with this stuff. It's kind of like cooking on a smoker in that it looks a lot easier than it is. To get a good product takes getting a feel for things like dough moisture, fermentation time, rise time, number of rises and a little luck. Here is my latest attempt. It really toast up great!

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Oregon smoker · Posted: Feb 18 2011 Post subject:

Tom C · Posted: Feb 18 2011 Post subject:

Sorry it didn't take off for you, it's been a good starter once it get going. I gave my sister some ad I think she has baked more bread with it than I have. Rolling Eyes

Good luck getting your own up and going. I really recomend using the pineapple juice method for getting one started.
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BBQMAN · Posted: Feb 19 2011 Post subject:

Wow Tom, I'm a big bread fanatic and that just looks OUTSTANDING! Cool

Gimme a loaf of that and some Anchor Steam and I'd be all set for the night.
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BigOrson · Posted: Feb 19 2011 Post subject:

You really haven't lived until you've had a pulled pork sammitch on a ciabatta bun.

Tom C · Posted: Feb 19 2011 Post subject:

Thanks Mike!
We just had some with a beef stew that my wife made up. Yum!!
I'm looking up bagel and soft pretzel recipes to try this weekend! I keep finding new things to try with the starter.

BigOrson, Ive been thinking that very thought. I've been playing with the idea of smoaking up some pulled pork this weekend or next. Putting some on a SD ciabatta roll sunds great!
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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Feb 19 2011 Post subject:

Not all strains of wild yeast have characteristics that you may find desirable. Some have great flavor, but zip for leavening, others are great for leavening, but the flavor blows.

I am fortunate enough to have an active sourdough sponge that was handed down through the family, I have been told it originated in Palermo Sicily. One of my favorite items from it is sourdough pancakes, with real maple syrup that was harvested locally, and of course my own breakfast sausage.

I have dried some samples, and sent it out to people so they could reactivate it, they had great success with no failures with it, It is a very hardy strain I guess.
when I get my wood-fired pizza oven at the restaurant, I plan on using this sponge for creating a larger offspring for my pizza dough.

Pizzamaking.com has a great sourdough thread happening down near the bottom of their main forum page, check it out if interested. Many have used raisins and/or grapes to start a culture with great success.
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