Sourdough Made Simple

rockpillargrounds
Nov 4
2 min read

As the chill settles over Southwest Missouri and ovens start humming with holiday prep, there’s no better time to talk about one of our favorite cold-weather traditions: sourdough baking! At Rock Pillar Grounds, sourdough isn’t just a winter comfort—it’s a year-round ritual. Sourdough isn’t just bread—it’s a living, breathing connection to tradition, fermentation, and flavor.

Why Sourdough Is Worth It

Sourdough bread is naturally leavened using wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. That slow fermentation process unlocks a host of benefits:

Easier to digest – The long rise breaks down gluten and phytic acid
Rich in nutrients – Better absorption of magnesium, folate, and antioxidants
Longer shelf life – Naturally preserved without additives
Complex flavor – Tangy, hearty, and deeply satisfying
Gut-friendly – Thanks to lactic acid bacteria that support microbiome health

It’s the kind of bread that nourishes body and soul—and once you taste it, store-bought just won’t compare.

🍞 Starting Your Own Sourdough Starter

Creating a sourdough starter is like cultivating a tiny ecosystem—just flour, water, and time. Here’s how to begin:

Basic Starter Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup filtered water (room temperature)

Steps:

Mix flour and water in a clean jar until smooth.
Cover loosely with a cloth or lid (not airtight).
Let sit at room temperature (65–75°F) for 24 hours.
Each day, discard half and feed with fresh flour and water (same ratio).
After 5–7 days, you should see bubbles, a tangy smell, and rising activity—your starter is alive!

You’ll know it’s ready when it doubles in size within 4–8 hours of feeding, smells pleasantly sour, and passes the “float test” (a spoonful floats in water).

What is Discard?

Before you feed your starter, you remove part of it first—this is the discard. It keeps your starter manageable and prevents overgrowth. Discard isn’t “bad”—it’s just inactive, meaning it lacks the strength to raise bread but still adds sourdough flavor to recipes.

What to Do with Discard

Sourdough crackers or flatbreads
Pancakes and waffles
Cookies, muffins, biscuits, pie crusts
Pasta noodles
Quick breads with baking soda or baking powder
Compost or chicken feed