Sour Dough Bread

To make bread, our pioneer ancestors began with a "Starter" which makes the bread rise without yeast, baking power or baking soda.  Here is a recipe that can make one (1) to thirty two (32) one (1) cup Sour Dough Bread Starter, a.k.a. Pioneer Yeast. Prior to this, Corn Bread and Hardtack was popular along with Pemmican.

Starter

Ingredients

1. Wide mouth sterile quart canning jar(s)
2. Dechlorinated Warm water (1800's recipe specifies spring water) - 1/2 cup to start. If your tap water is treated with chlorine, you can purchase de-chlorination tablets to remove it, or let it sit out for 24 hours. The minerals found in "hard" water may help the yeast culture develop, so using distilled water is not recommended.
3. 3-1/2 to 32 cups of Flour (depending on how much you want to make) - 1/2 cup to start
4. Cheese cloth or clean dish cloth

Procedure

1. Pour 1/2 cup of water in to your jar and stir in 1/2 cup of flour.
    
   
   
2. Cover with the cloth and set this in a warm place for 24 hours.
    
   
   
3. After the first 24 hours, add/feed 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of flour; mix in, cover and sit in a warm place for 24 hours. Repeat this every 24 hours until the mix looks frothy or foamy, then its ready.  This can take up to a week and make lots of starter. You can bake lots of bread, share them, freeze them, dry them, or discard the extras. 
4. Dried starter is a good back up and can last for years.  Simply spread it thin on wax paper and dry at the lowest dehydrator setting; then store in a cool dark place in a container. Freeze in a freezer bag when starter is at peak rise; this should last a year.  To use these, bring to room temperature and feed.
5. Put your starter in a jar with holes punched in the lid (is must breath) and keep it refrigerated.
6. Feed it 1/2 to 1 cup of flour and water once per week while refrigerated.  Note:  A watery layer called "Hooch" will form on the the top.  You can stir this back in, or pour it off to promote faster growth.
7. Before making sourdough bread, you will need to make a sponge or proof your starter.  To do this, remove the starter from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature.  
8. Add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water to your quart jar of starter and stir until lumps are gone.
9. Place this in a warm place until it shows lots of bubbles on the surface.  Now it is ready to use in bread. 

When baking bread, 2 cups of starter are the equivalent of one (1) table spoon or packet of modern dry yeast which is sufficient for a loaf made from 3-4 cups of flour.  To make waffles or pancakes, just use the proofed starter after it has risen to its peak.

Remember to feed room temperature starter every day and refrigerated starter every week by adding equal amounts of water and flour (1/2 cup each).

Bread

Ingredients

1. 2 Cups proofed starter
2. 4 tsp sugar
3. 2 tsp salt
4. 2 tbs butter or oil
5. 3 cups flour

Procedure

1. Mix starter, sugar salt and butter together and mix well. On a floured work surface, knead in flour a little at a time, forming a flexible bread dough.  Make sure the dough is well kneaded.
2. Put the dough in a bowl and cover with a cloth; place in a warm place and let it rise.
3. After rising, press it down and knead it again.  Then make it into a loaf and place in a lightly greased loaf pan.  Cover with a cloth and allow it to rise again in a warm place until it doubles in size.
4. Bake in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes at 300 to 350 F. Bread is done when the crust is brown and the bottom sounds hollow when thumped with a wooden spoon. 
5. Remove bread from pan and allow to cool before slicing
6. Enjoy

For additional information see the following links:
Blog Table of Contents
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Blog Table of Contents
Acorn Flour Pancakes
Pemmican Recipe
Hardtack Recipe
Corn Bread
Sour Dough Bread
Corn Fritters
Apple Cider Vinegar
More on making Vinegar
Backing Soda vs Yeast
Baking Soda uses

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