The thing i hear the most from people about why they haven’t began sourdough is because they are intimidated, and they don’t know where to start. Sourdough is actually very simple once you figure out what you are doing through trial and error.
Simple things that make sourdough not so complicated:
- Don’t read a million posts on pinterest or instagram about sourdough, just dive in! So many of these posts are saturated in complicated terms and specifics that make sourdough seem more complicated than it is. Here is my bread recipe I’ve wrote simply after making many different recipes from Pinterest.
- Get a starter from someone you know, or order one online. Making your own starter is time consuming. You are more likely to succeed if you have a strong, reliable starter to begin with.
- Don’t give up after a failed loaf of bread. I’ve had many failed loaves, and still do occasionally after doing sourdough for 3 years. In the beginning, there is a lot of trial and error with temperature of your house, and just learning the process.
- Learn to watch the dough, not just the clock. Recipes all have specific rise times, but they can vary. The temperature of your house is what determines this. In the summer, recipes take much less time. In the winter, i tend to have to put my dough in a slightly warmed oven to speed up the process of rising. After watching the dough a few times, you should notice when it’s doubled, and when it looks ready to bake.
- You don’t need all the fancy tools. When I started, all i had was a bread loaf pan and starter. I made sandwich bread every time until i bought a dutch oven. I still don’t have all the fancy tools or banneton bowls. One thing that i do love is having a good Lame to score artisan loaves.
- Start with something that is not bread. In my opinion, bread can be the most complicated to get perfect. bagels, rolls, tortillas, etc can be much easier just to get started.
- You don’t have to follow recipes exactly. Almost all recipes say that you have to feed your starter then let it peak before you use it in a recipe. I rarely ever do that. I usually feed mine after i used it last, and throw it in the fridge. Ill pull it out about 8-10 hours before i’m ready to start a recipe, and use it once it peaks.
- Keep your starter in the fridge. It takes much less maintenance when kept in the fridge. Ideally you should feed it around once a week when in the fridge, but i have went two weeks before with no issue. I’ve heard of people that can revive a starter than has been in the fridge for months.
have fun with it! Sourdough has so many possibilities, and your family will appreciate all of the love you are putting into their food ❤️