One must remember that a century and a half ago, frontier settlers didn’t have refrigeration, so sourdough bread was created out of necessity. The process of making sourdough starter became a common staple requirement for all wilderness households. Hell, my Grandma had sourdough starter that was over a hundred years old, goin’ back to her grandma, who in turn, passed it down generation to generation.
Each time you made bread (makin’ sure you always an extra big hand of dough to return to the starter crock), the leftover dough was added back to the crock of sourdough starter, along with the amount of water taken, rejuvenating it back to its original level. This was repeated week after week, year after year, decade after decade. The yeast of the starter is a living organism that constantly grows.
Sourdough Starter
Five packs dry active yeast
10 cups warm water
12 cups all purpose flour
One large mixing bowl
One large crock container
One large piece linen cloth (an old linen sheet will suffice)
One whipping whisk
One cooking spoon
Procedure:
1. In a large mixing bowl, add 10 cups warm water and five packs dry active yeast, whisking together till incorporated. Let set one hour, allowing the yeast to foam up. If the yeast doesn’t foam up, you got dead yeast cells that are totally useless. Chunk’em and start over, repeating activation process.
2. Once yeast solution is activated, fold in 12 cups flour with spoon till solution and flour become one, creating the foundation known as Sourdough Starter.
3. Pour starter into large crock container and cover with linen cloth, finding a permanent home for it, at constant room temperature, on you kitchen counter or shelf. Let your starter grow at least three to four days before using it for the first time.
4. I’ll tell you, nothing beats the smell and taste of homemade sourdough bread baked in your very own oven.
5. You shall receive instruction on making Sourdough Bread using the starter’s sister recipe (coming soon to the Home and Food section near you).
