Sourdough bread

Does anyone have a really good reproducable recipe and technique for producing amazing sourdough bread? The concept of the sourdough starter has always confounded me a bit as well as the procedures.

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Brandon_Byrd_40557

I'm not much of a baker, but Ken Forkish's book "Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast" has some of the most accessible explanations and recipes for bread I've found anywhere. The key to sourdough is using a preferment (or starter) which you'll have to feed and keep going (which means you'll have to bake semi-regularly). Forkish explains a few different types of starter and goes over how to feed and maintain them. He also has some companion videos on his website that explain some of the techniques in more detail. Check out the "Thoughts on Levain" and "Feeding the Levain" videos to get an idea of some of the content of the book. His recipes are precise, with ingredients listed by weight and temperatures of some things (like water) specified to ensure optimum yeast activity. Highly recommended.

Brendan_Lee_56950

I second this, Forkish's book is excellent and I also really like the fact that he emphasizes the timeline aspect of baking so you can actually plan your day around the process.

Jacquie_DiPego_105004

is this for home or in a professional kitchen? There is a book called "Crust and Crumb" by Peter Reinhart, it has recipes written for the home cook and professional, it a good baseline. Our sourstarter is used on a daily basis for the restaurant. I keep two cups frozen (up to 6 months then rotate) just in case something happens to the mother. It also helps if your not baking bread on a daily basis the starter needs to be feed whether you use it or not. it needs to eat to stay alive. if you have any questions please let me know.

johnbonds

This is not for a professional kitchen. I did see that book online so I will check that out.