Easy Leftover Sourdough Starter Crock Pot Rye Bread

I have two different sourdough starters that live in my fridge. There is Carl, and the new one, which is named Caleb. They are both very nice, the first being more sour in taste than the second.

I had to be away from home for nearly a week and so my sourdoughs languished in the fridge. Normally, I feed them twice a week, and so they are very happy and Not Too Sour. But, after a week’s neglect, I needed to refresh them. I poured out all but 1/2 cup of each, added 1/2 cup of filtered water and 1/2 cup of freshly ground whole wheat flour to each jar. But then I had about 2 cups of extra starter. I didn’t want to throw it away!

In a medium - sized bowl, pour in the sourdough starter, add the salt and the caraway seed.
A little at a time, stir in rye flour until the dough is stiff enough to knead by hand (it will be sticky, and you will not be kneading it.)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment for 24 hours on the kitchen counter.
Butter a crock-pot. Any size will do, but I suggest one not larger than 3.5 quarts.
Pour in the dough, and smooth the top of the dough.
Put on the lid.
Plug it in and set on “high” and cook for 2 hours.
Take out the loaf of bread and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
When you are done eating as much as you wish, slice the rest of it and keep it in the fridge.
If you would like to freeze the bread, place pieces of wax paper or parchment paper between the slices, wrap it tightly and freeze. (It is very moist and would otherwise stick together.)
Then, you can remove one slice at a time from the freezer to reheat or toast.
Eat with plenty of grass-fed butter!

David’s Slow Rise Rye Bread

My husband is an OTR Truck Driver (Over-the-Road), and you know how healthly these guys eat. NOT! I developed this recipe because he needs whole foods that will keep him filled and nourished throughout those long days. He loves it too. This recipe yields to large loaves, and it freezes well. Great with roast beef sandwhiches or in a classic Rueben!

In a large mixer bowl add yeast, water, succanat, oil, molasses.
Stir to mix, let sit for 10 minutes or until mixture becomes creamy.
Add caraway seed, orange peel, and rye flour.
Mix to combine and let rest for 10 min.
Add salt to whole wheat flour.
Add whole wheat (2 lb), using dough hook, knead with mixer until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides.
(About 7 min)
Remove from bowl and knead in remaining flour if needed.
Cover and let rise until doubled (6-8 hours or overnight)
Remove from bowl and shape into two loaves.
Let proof for another 4-6 hours or until it is twice the size.
(This bread will have a nice dome on the loaves)
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Quick Sourdough Starter - 12 Hour

How you can make sourdough starter in the morning and serve your family rolls at dinner. I use this starter as is for rolls or biscuits, and even bread.

Place equal amounts flour (I like whole wheat) and kefir water in a Fido or mason jar. The amount will depend on what you’re going to make. 2 cups of each is how much I typically combine.
Stir the flour and water kefir, cover with white plastic lid on your mason jar, or close your Fido, and wait 9-12 hours for your bubbly starter!

Slow Rise 8 Grain Bread

I love whole grain bread, however I noticed that most store bought breads use soy nuggets. So I came up with this recipe to fill my craving for this bread. It is a tasty treat toasted with butter on it. I use weighted measurements in this recipe to maintain consistency.

The night before, place grain mix in a bowl.
Pour boiling water and lemon juice over grain mix.
Let sit 8-9 hours (overnight).
Make Sponge in a large mixing bowl.
Let it rest covered 8-9 hours (overnight)
Make dough by adding the remaining flour and salt.
Knead until dough forms a ball. (10 min.)
Cover with a damp towel and let dough proof for the next 4-6 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
(Note: This may take longer due to the room temperature.)
Shape and place dough in greased loaf pans.
Cover with damp towel and rise until doubled in size, 2-4 hours.
(See earlier note)
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool.

Sourdough crock pot rye bread

If you love a dense, moist, flavorful rye bread, you will love this! It is the Easiest Bread I’ve ever made! No kneading, no proofing… It keeps very well and makes wonderful sandwiches and heavenly toast!

Stir together the sourdough starter, water, flours, salt and caraway seeds. Stir it well and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 12 hours.
Butter a 2.5 quart Crockpot.
Pour a Tablespoon of Extra-virgin olive oil onto your bread board or counter and smear it around with your hand to make a place to dump out the dough.
Scoop the dough out of the bowl. It will be very soft and sticky. Gather it up with a dough scraper or spatula, and place it in the Crockpot.
Put on the lid and set the temperature on “high” and cook for 2 hours.
Use a knife to loosen from the sides of the crockpot.
Remove the loaf to a cooling rack. Allow to cool quite a bit before attempting to cut your loaf.
Cool completely before storing it on the counter or in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. It will keep for a few days on the counter, and much longer in the fridge.
This bread makes heavenly toast. Serve with real butter or cream cheese, or make into sandwiches.
The caraway seeds may be omitted if you prefer.

Sprouted Wheat Essene Raisin Bread

Sprouting wheat not only deactivates anti-nutrients that can interfere with proper digestion and absorption of minerals in the wheat, but it also provides a boost in nutrition, bringing into play enzymes and vitamin C that do not exist in un-sprouted wheat. This dense, satisfying loaf is easy to make, and freezes well.

First, sprout the wheat: Pour 2 cups of wheat berries into a wide-mouthed canning jar. Fill the jar with filtered water, cover with either a sprouting lid, or a canning ring over a piece of cotton cloth. Let it sit on the counter overnight, or 8 hours.
Drain the water out of the jar, fill again with water and drain well. Rinse the wheat berries, in this way, twice a day, until the little sprouts that are growing are slightly less than the length of the wheat kernels. Be sure you are looking at the sprouts, and not the little fine rootlets. Depending on the conditions in your kitchen, it can take 1 to 3 days for the wheat to sprout sufficiently. Watch them carefully. If they get too long, the sprouts will taste bitter. It is not a good idea to store them in the refrigerator. They will continue to grow.
Prepare a baking pan by lightly greasing with coconut oil, or put a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet.
Put the sprouted wheat berries into the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade. Add raisins and salt. Attach the lid.
Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees F.
Turn on the processor and let it run for 2 minutes. The dough should be soft and not very grainy at all.
Grease your hands with coconut oil (Important! This dough is STICKY!)
Remove the dough from the processor and on your baking pan, form it into a rectangular flat loaf that measures 4 inches by 8 inches.
Bake at 225 for 3 hours. Allow to cool, completely, on a wire rack before slicing.
Serve with butter, nut butters, honey, fruit spread, or simply plain!
This bread freezes well when tightly wrapped and makes a lovely gift for a like-minded friend along with a jar of your favorite topping or even a package of grass-fed butter.
I like to make 4 at a time, which only takes a few more minutes and saves much time and clean-up in the long run. I simply sprout 4 jars of wheat berries. It smells wonderful when it is baking.

Sourdough Whole Wheat Bagels

A real special treat. Freshly baked, lightly toasted these bagels make a welcome addition to anyone’s breakfast.

To make the sponge:
Combine all the ingredients in a glass bowl, cover with a towel and let rest for 8 hours
To make dough:
In a mixing bowl, combine 2 C sponge, eggs, milk, sea salt, and barley malt syrup.
Gradually add flour until dough forms a ball.
Knead for 5-7 minutes, using more flour if needed
Place dough in a oiled bowl and cover.
Let rise for 8 hours, or until dough has doubled.
Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, and shape into bagels rounds.
I make a rope, wrap it around my hand, and roll the dough together.
Place bagels on an oiled baking sheet, and cover with a towel.
Let rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In the meantime prepare the wash.
Fill pot with water and dissolve barley malt syrup in water.
Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
Place bagels, 2 at a time, in simmering wash. Let them soak in wash until they float. This will take less than 1 minute.
Remove from water and place on an oiled baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until done.

Simple, Healthy, and Delicious Slow Rise Yeast Bread

Healthy breads are mostly made out of whole grains and sourdough. But not everyone prefers sourdough. Here is a good alternative to sourdough bread. I especially like the simplicity of it and we all like the taste. I am OK with making a fancy bread now and then, but since I bake all of our bread, it has to be simple!

Mix dry ingredients together in a big bowl.
Add 2 cups water and mix well, you do not have to knead, but you can if you like :). I usually go in with my hands, just because it is fun, and makes sure it is mixed well, I do not knead.
Cover with plastic (so it does not dry out) and leave for 12 - 16 hours at room temperature.
Forming the loaf: put a bit of oil and gently place the dough on a clean surface, do not disturb the texture too much.
Spread it out a bit and fold it so it fits into the baking form. Sprinkle it with seeds if so desired. Let it rise for 1-2 hours - depending on room temperature.
If it has approximately doubled in size, bake for 45 minutes at F400.
Sometimes if I feel like it has not risen, I place it in a cold oven, turn on the heat and set the timer for 1 hour, and it comes out great.
Yummy!!!

Reviving a Dehydrated Sourdough Starter

Have you ever wanted to learn how to use sourdough and where to get a starter? Of course, you can make your own at home, but here is information on how to begin, and where to get a Very Good Starter at no cost! It is a vigorous, pleasant tasting starter, and very easy to work with!

If you visit the Carl Griffith 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough website at www.carlsfriends.net, you can order, free of charge, (although they welcome contributions) some of their wonderful dried sourdough starter. It is extremely easy to get going, and what they send is more than enough for at least 3 “starts”.
On the website, there is a brochure to download with the simple instructions. Within 1 day, you will have a viable starter to begin your sourdough adventure!
Click on the link to my blog above to read how I use and care for my Carl Griffith starter.
Here is how to revive the powdered starter they will send to you:
Use a small container with a lid, or a little bowl that can be covered.
Into your container, put 1 Tablespoon of lukewarm water and add 1/2 teaspoon of the powdered starter. Stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Then, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour (you can use wheat, rye, spelt or unbleached, if you like.) Depending on your flour, you might need to add a teaspoon or two more lukewarm water. The batter should be like thin pancake batter.
When the batter becomes nicely bubbly, transfer to a somewhat larger container. Then, add 1/4 cup of lukewarm water and 1/4 cup of additional flour.
Again, when it gets nice and bubbly, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour. When this mixture is active and bubbly, you will have about a cup of very active starter to use. It can be stored in the refrigerator, or with twice daily feedings, it can live in a covered container on your kitchen counter.
when you use some of your starter, be sure to save back some, and feed it to replenish your supply.
If stored in the refrigerator, feed it at least once a week by adding 1/2 cup of flour and as much lukewarm water as you like, to make the starter the consistency you prefer.
When reviving the powdered starter, it will take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours to see it come alive.
Store the rest of the powdered starter, carefully wrapped, in the freezer. It will last a long time… at least a year.

Sourdough Herb Focaccia Bread

A light quick cooking bread. Perfect for dipping in flavored oil or making sandwiches with. Full of flavor and versatility.

Mix the water, starter, and add salt and oil.
Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well.
Start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a stiff but still moist dough. You will know the dough is ready when you can touch it and it doesn’t stick to your fingers. If it still stick to your fingers add a little more flour. The dough should still look slightly moist and not dry.
Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. I normally make mine after supper and let it sit until after breakfast and then proceed.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Mix in the baking soda, thyme, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. Make sure the soda is mixed in well if it is not you will have parts of the bread that will have too much soda and will taste like soda and other parts that don’t rise very well.
Roll/ pat into a 15 1/2 by 10 inch rectangle. I make mine in the large bar pan from Pampered Chef. If the dough is sticking to your fingers or rolling pin get them damp and then roll the dough is less likely to stick when they are damp. Poke with finger all over to make dimples
Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil and spread to cover top and then sprinkle with salt.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove and cool. This bread is delicious warm with a little flavored olive oil for dipping.

Oatmeal Bread

This is my basic sourdough bread with a little oatmeal added to change the flavor and texture a little.

Mix the water, starter, salt and oatmeal. If you want a sweeter dough you can add the honey.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and mix well.
Start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a stiff but still moist dough. You will know the dough is ready when you can touch it and it doesn’t stick to your fingers. If it still stick to your fingers add a little more flour. The dough should still look slightly moist and not dry.
Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. I normally make mine after supper and let it sit until after breakfast and then proceed.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Mix in the baking soda. Make sure the soda is mixed in well if it is not you will have parts of the bread that will have too much soda and will taste like soda and other parts that don’t rise very well.
Place the bread into a loaf pan, cover and let rise until it is rises 1 1/2 to 2 times it’s original size.
When it has risen place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. The best way to tell if it is done or not is to take it’s temperature. For me at about 5,000 feet above sea level it done when the middle reaches about 185 degrees. If you are closer to sea level you will want to wait until it is about 195- 200 degrees.
When it is done let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool then bag up slice and eat.

Basic Sourdough Bread

This is my basic sourdough bread recipe. I use this for our loaf bread and add a few simple ingredients to change it up a bit.

Mix the water, starter and salt.
Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well.
Start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a stiff but still moist dough. You will know the dough is ready when you can touch it and it doesn’t stick to your fingers. If it still stick to your fingers add a little more flour. The dough should still look slightly moist and not dry.
Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. I normally make mine after supper and let it sit until after breakfast and then proceed.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Mix in the baking soda. Make sure the soda is mixed in well if it is not you will have parts of the bread that will have too much soda in some parts you will have bread that tastes like soda and other parts that don’t rise very well.
NOTE: You do not need to add the baking soda if you like your bread more sour, if you don’t add it I recommend placing the dough right into a well greased loaf pan and letting it do only a single rise. If you try and do a second rise the time it will take may make it too sour.
Place the bread into a loaf pan, cover and let rise until it is rises 1 1/2 to 2 times it’s original size.
When it has risen place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. The best way to tell if it is done or not is to take it’s temperature. For me at about 5,000 feet above sea level it done when the middle reaches about 185 degrees. If you are closer to sea level you will want to wait until it is about 195- 200 degrees.
When it is done let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack and let cool then bag up slice and eat.