Homestead Skills: Baking Sourdough Bread

So you've got your sourdough starter started and now you are ready to try to make some bread.  If you don't, check out how to start your sourdough starter (Starting your Starter) so you can jump into the world of fermented deliciousness that sourdough brings!

I was drawn to sourdough bread when I read that it was a way that pioneers made bread as they traveled along the Oregon Trail as they moved west.  They weren't able to buy yeast, so they captured it on their own.  That means this type of bread making has been around for hundreds of years, which is a pretty cool thing.  We're eating a recipe that the pioneers could have used!

I've made quite a few loaves of sourdough, but this really is the best one I've ever created.  It is a moist, fluffy, delicious bread with a buttery golden crust.  It is amazing on sandwiches, toasted, or even as french toast.  My kids ask for butter bread all the time- it really is that good!

This is a long rise bread, so be prepared that it does take some time.  A good way to do the bulk rise is overnight if you don't have the time during the day to do it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup active and bubbly sourdough
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 T. salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 1/2-4 1/2 cups of flour (I wish I could be more specific, but you really do need to go by feel for this!)

Directions:

• Mix sourdough starter, milk, sugar, salt, and baking powder together.  Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing with a dough hook or kneading by hand.  You'll want to feel the bread to know when you have enough flour.  It should feel moist but not stick to your hands.  
• Knead the dough into a ball.​ 

• Grease a large bowl and place the dough inside.  Cover and place in a warm spot (a sunny spot works great!) for 7-8 hours.
• After 7-8 hours, the dough should have doubled in size.  This is the end of your bulk rise.  

Dough before bulk rise

Dough after bulk rise.

• Punch down the dough, knead into ball again.  Cover and let rise for another 3-4 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size once more.
• Transfer the dough into a butter greased cast iron pan.  Score the top of the dough diagonally a few times to let air escape.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Don't wait for it to get heated- place bread in oven as it preheats.  This allows the yeast to rise one last time before it dies.
• Once oven has been preheated to 425, lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20-22 minutes.  
• After 22 minutes, check bread.  It should have a golden crust and should sound hollow when you tap it.
• Slather the freshly baked bread with butter.  
• Let cool, then devour this delicious loaf!

​Let me know what you think!