Can you Make Sourdough without Oven

[1950]

Sparx,
Yes, i watched s/v Delos about a year ago on YouTube where they switched from propane to electric induction cooking. I went on Amazon and bought an inexpensive unit (about $45) to try it for myself. I am very pleased with the results. It heats as fast or quicker than kerosene if you count the time to warm up the burner. It is easier to run at low temp like simmering soup. I heat water for tea in a small cast iron teapot. It works great on stainless steel pressure cooker. The lid on my dutch oven works as a frying pan. If a magnet will stick to the pot or pan, the induction cook top will heat it. I think you will like it.

Dwight

[dannc]

Originally Posted by 1950

...
To bake bread, I mix all ingredients in the dutch oven. Put it in a warm place to let the dough rise,. After about an hour I nead it with a wooden spoon in the oven, put in warm place, let it rise again and nead with spoon again. Then I scrape the sides of oven with spoon so they are clean. Then I lay the oven almost on it's side and apply olive oil the upper side and exposed bottom with my fingers. I work my way around till all sides and bottom are oiled. Then let rise third time, then cook on induction top set at 360 degrees Fahrenheit with towel wrapped around it to keep oven warm. The cook top has a thermostat and only uses as much watts needed to keep 360 degrees on the bottom of dutch oven. I hope this makes it more clear.
Best regards,
Dwight

Thank you Dwight. That is a really interesting technique. Really interesting.

I do something similar except I mix the dough in a big stainless steel bowl. I also use olive oil to coat the dough. I have let the dough rise in the bowl and put it in whatever I cam going to bake the dough. Does not really make a difference. Lately I have been kneading the dough with a spatula too! Though I did break a spatula.

Your technique of using the dutch oven for everything mean less clean up.

When I ordered flour from King Arthur, I bought a dough whisk. Was not sure it was worth the money, or it would work, but it was worth the money and it does work. Wonder how I lived with out it. Mixing the dough is soooo much easier and faster with the dough whisk.

https://shop.kingarthurflour.com/items/dough-whisk-14-long

The other thing I have found useful is a scale. Put the mixing bowl on the scale, zero the scale, add ingredients, zero the scale, repeat until done. This minimizes other things to clean up.

I have a big stand mixer and have not used it in YEARS. Really don't see the use for the thing. Same with a bread maker. Before the virus hit, I was trying to give the bread maker away at work. When the coffee machine broke, I was looking at what to buy next when the light bulb went on in my head. WHY am I buying a device to boil water? What a waste of money. I bought a stainless steel funnel to hold the coffee basket and just pour hot water over the grounds. We have multiple ways to heat water so when the power goes out I can still have coffee!

Later,
Dan

[Sparx]

I have been on a baking devolution.

Years ago I tried the bread machine, but quickly found I got much more excellent results without it. Gave the bread machine away.

I made many many loaves using an electric stand mixer.

My journey moved away from the stand mixer in favor of mixing using a dough wisk similar to the one you linked to in a very old clayed fried bowl.

Now I mix frequently using just my hands using the same clay bowl, but also just on the counter work surface. I enjoy the sensory feed back of feeling the dough transform as it hydrates and the gluten develops.

I am wondering what the next step is in this progressive simplification of tools.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Sparx

(..)



I am wondering what the next step is in this progressive simplification of tools.

We mix with a steel spoon in a plastic bowl. We use dry (instant) yeast. Wait some 30 to 40 minutes then bake (gas oven). Baking 30 to 40 minutes (in ambient 25 degs cent). Longer bake gives tastier crest.



I think a wooden spoon is fine as these normally have fat and large handles - likely improving hold and force. We noticed thicker dough makes tastier bread. Doing the mixing by hand sure allows one to make pretty dense dough, I think.


Recently we started adding sourdough to the mix. This further improves taste.


b.

[Giro]

I’ve been baking all types of bread on land, for over four decades, approximately five times per week. I have never baked any type of bread while sailing our boat nor on board our boat. However, what most of those who contribute good advise concerning the art of sailing, I am more than confident I can be helpful with concerning the production of homemade breads.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why everyone on this forum is so interested in baking sourdough bread. Yes, sourdough bread is very tasty and there is a tremendous amount of satisfaction derived from creating it with your own hands and skills. However, with the way sourdough bread is so fickle and temperamental, why would any sailor be wanting to burden himself of herself with such added additional stress and concern?
I must admit that I’ve been nurturing my current natural sourdough starter for about two years now and I will also admit that perhaps the ideal environment for a sourdough starter live would be aboard a boat in salt water but the aggravation of the process of making the bread would probably not be worth the effort.
In my humble opinion, if your anywhere close to a warehouse type retail store (like Costco or a Smart and Final type store, pick up a 2lb. bag of commercial yeast and make a your bread using a a long proof method to increase and enhance the flavor.
For those who are not cruising near first world countries, I would suggest either buying commercial yeast when you are. If kept in a cool, dry place it will last for a long, long time. That way, you don’t have to fret over inconvenience and inconsistency of sourdough.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Giro

...
For the life of me, I cannot understand why everyone on this forum is so interested in baking sourdough bread. Yes, sourdough bread is very tasty and there is a tremendous amount of satisfaction derived from creating it with your own hands and skills. However, with the way sourdough bread is so fickle and temperamental, why would any sailor be wanting to burden himself of herself with such added additional stress and concern?...

What is hard about making sourdough bread? I don't find it hard at all. Tweaking it until I get it the way I want it is the fun of baking, and in my case, does not really having anything to do with the sour dough but figuring out how my new oven works to get the right crust. My first bake with sour dough was not the way I wanted it but still was pretty danged good and better than anything at the grocery store.

The sour dough I baked today was REALLY good. But not quite the way I wanted it. I was busy with work, decided to bake at a higher temperature than last week, and the bread baked faster than I expected. I wanted to take the bread out of the pan and get a better crust on the bottom and sides but the bread was at 210F soon that I expected. Oh, well. Next week, we will see if I can get closer to what I want.

The "hard" part about baking bread, at least for me, is getting the crust just the way I want it. Yeast or sour dough does not seem to matter.

Originally Posted by Giro

In my humble opinion, if your anywhere close to a warehouse type retail store (like Costco or a Smart and Final type store, pick up a 2lb. bag of commercial yeast and make a your bread using a a long proof method to increase and enhance the flavor.
...

There has been no, zippo, nada, zilch yeast in the stores in my area since March 13/14. Nor can I order it online anymore. I managed to get some of the last yeast King Arthur flour had for sale on their website. I just searched Costco and they do not have any yeast in stock. I think this was for the Costco we would shop.

For a good month or so there was NO flour on the store shelves. People bought it all up, along with the yeast. Non brand name all purpose flour started to show up but was quickly bought up. The last trip to the store I saw ONE bag of King Arthur flour and it was all purpose. First time I have seen that that brand since March 13/14.

The yeast shortage forced me to create a sour dough starter, which is something I have been wanting to do for the months. The virus, and resulting yeast shortage, made me create the starter instead of thinking about it.

I did use some of my precious yeast and bread four to make bagels but it is nice to know I can keep baking as long as I have flour. I have almost 10 pounds of whole wheat left and about 5 pounds of bread flour and all purpose. Once that is gone, I will have to buy flour in 20/25 pound bags from a local mill. The local mill has all sorts of flours, and stuff I can't get in the store, so it could get really interesting.

Later,
Dan

[Pete17C]

maybe try King Authur's sourdough recipe for bread machines

though they still add yeast, so if your trying to be 'true' sourdough, it's not

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/reci...h-bread-recipe

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Pete17C

maybe try King Authur's sourdough recipe for bread machines

though they still add yeast, so if your trying to be 'true' sourdough, it's not

https://www.kingarthurflour.com/reci...h-bread-recipe

Many of the sour dough recipes I have read, including the ones on the King Arthur website, use bread yeast and/or a rising improver, whatever that is.


I am not using yeast in order to husband the yeast I have, but also just to try to use 100% sour dough for the fun of it.



Later,
Dan

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

There's a product called Omnia Oven. Solar.

There is an Omnia oven which is a small Wonderpot that you use on the stovetop. I use it on my Origo stovetop and it bakes nice bread, but in roll-sizes.

Some Middle East shops sell big Wonderpots, they look awesome!

Solar cookers are a bit different. I've known people make these themselves.

[neg]

I make "sour dough" bread in my bread machine once a week.
The drawback is you don't get the hard crust on top.
The trick is the "wild" yeast is not as active as the store bought yeast.
Use your standard recipe - and just as the bread maker starts to cook the bread - unplug it and let the yeast have time to do their thing. When it's stopped rising, then plug it back in and set it on bake. (don't let it kneed the dough - it will take the bubbles out of it)

works for me

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Giro

I’ve been baking all types of bread on land, for over four decades, approximately five times per week. I have never baked any type of bread while sailing our boat nor on board our boat. However, what most of those who contribute good advise concerning the art of sailing, I am more than confident I can be helpful with concerning the production of homemade breads.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why everyone on this forum is so interested in baking sourdough bread. Yes, sourdough bread is very tasty and there is a tremendous amount of satisfaction derived from creating it with your own hands and skills. However, with the way sourdough bread is so fickle and temperamental, why would any sailor be wanting to burden himself of herself with such added additional stress and concern?
I must admit that I’ve been nurturing my current natural sourdough starter for about two years now and I will also admit that perhaps the ideal environment for a sourdough starter live would be aboard a boat in salt water but the aggravation of the process of making the bread would probably not be worth the effort.
In my humble opinion, if your anywhere close to a warehouse type retail store (like Costco or a Smart and Final type store, pick up a 2lb. bag of commercial yeast and make a your bread using a a long proof method to increase and enhance the flavor.
For those who are not cruising near first world countries, I would suggest either buying commercial yeast when you are. If kept in a cool, dry place it will last for a long, long time. That way, you don’t have to fret over inconvenience and inconsistency of sourdough.

Hi Giro,
Great to have someone with your bread making experience chime in.

If you live onboard full time then the bread making is at home and in my case in the Asian tropics, local bread is tasteless.

I am a newbie about baking bread, but apart from the crusty sour taste which I enjoy, I thought sourdough was also healthier for you?

[Pelagic]

https://images.app.goo.gl/yjV2xzBhejkw41Gt6

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Hi Giro,
Great to have someone with your bread making experience chime in.
If you live onboard full time then the bread making is at home and in my case in the Asian tropics, local bread is tasteless.
I am a newbie about baking bread, but apart from the crusty sour taste which I enjoy, I thought sourdough was also healthier for you?

I'm not certain if it's "healthier", that's an ambiguous term sometimes.
Some people swear by it, that's fine for them.

Bread is cooked at a temperature that kills yeast and the bacteria that form sourdough, so there's little to no wild culture in the end product.

The sour taste is usually related to alcohol or other by-products, none in significant amounts and anything volatile mostly gasses off.

"A little bit of what you fancy does you good!" Marie Lloyd.

[rsn48]

I only got half way through of responses so I might repeat. But, you have an oven. BBQ's that we are familiar with are not true BBQ's. A real BBQ is more a smoker which natives used for cooking salmon, cooked over many hours, cooking in the south with smokers are BBQ's.

Your BBQ is two things. First it is an oven, if you don't have a reliable thermometer on the lid of your cooker, just spend a few dollars for something that goes inside the BBQ. This cooker is also a grill, so for example, you could put a frying pan on the wrack and cook bacon and eggs this way.

[Badsanta]

Fry bread