The Home Front

In my family, homemade sourdough bread is considered a gift from the Good Lord above. My husband, David, says when we pass through the pearly gates, we will surely dine on sourdough bread hot from the oven slathered with a good dose of butter and drizzled with honey.  

My family has been making sourdough bread for generations. My Nanny Swann, my mother, me, and my daughter have been serving this to family and friends for years. As a matter of fact, when I wrote my cookbook, Happiness is Homemade, Y’all!, I called our family recipe “4-Generations Sourdough.” It has now been handed down to my granddaughter. That sourdough starter that has lovingly been tended by my family has now reached the fifth generation. When I was a young married woman with little children and struggling to find my culinary niche, I began searching for a recipe that would be my specialty and that I could always be counted on to bring to all the family get-togethers and special events. Well, I asked the Good Lord to show me my recipe- and it was sourdough bread right out of our treasure trove of family recipes.

I prayed about that recipe, and the first time I made it for a big family event with around 80 people, I was nervous. David’s grandmother, who we called Momma Holt and who was the matriarch of that big crew, took a bite of that bread. She got quiet and said, “Who made this bread?” I tentatively said, “I made the bread, Momma Holt. Do you like it?” She looked at me and got teary-eyed. “It tastes just like my momma’s bread from when I was a little girl. I love it!” That simple slice of bread took her back to her childhood. That touched my heart, and I realized the strong passion we have for food that connects us to each other and events in our lives. I made sure Momma Holt had plenty of my sourdough bread from then on until she graduated to Glory. I have served it to my family, friends, and neighbors. For many years, I would make 24 loaves at Thanksgiving for the huge family get-together. So, this recipe has been very good to me.

Making sourdough bread. The easiest way to get started is to find someone who makes it and get some starter from them. Then follow the recipe and steps below for your bread. If that’s not an option, there is a recipe I’ve included for you to make your own starter from scratch. It is a one-time recipe to establish your starter, then you will simply feed your starter and make the bread as the recipe states. Do you think you may want to give it a try? Check out our family’s easy recipe below. 

Want to watch me make it? I will make my sourdough bread on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. on the cooking stage at the Birmingham Home Show. I’ll walk you through the steps and let you sample my homemade bread. Use the promo code HOUSE to save $4 per ticket, www.birminghamhomeshow.com. 

Want to make sourdough bread with me? You can join me at Psalm 34 Bakery and Catering on March 28 for a sourdough class. Grab your tickets by clicking here.

-Danna Standridge

Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all! 

Read her faith story at www.birminghamchristian.com/issues.

Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.

4 Generations Sourdough Bread

Ingredients:

• 6 cups bread flour (be sure it is bread flour)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ cup corn oil
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• 1 cup sour dough starter 

Instructions:

Add flour, sugar, and salt to large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center, add water, corn oil, and sour dough starter. Stir and make a stiff batter. Place your dough in a bowl that is well greased with cooking oil. Brush the dough lightly with oil to keep from drying out. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or wax paper.  The dough must breathe so the seal should not be airtight. Let dough rise overnight or for 8 to 10 hours. After the rising, punch down the dough with your fist and divide into 3 parts. Knead each part on a lightly floured surface and put into 3 greased loaf pans. Brush the tops with oil and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 8-10 hours. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned on top. Brush the tops with butter. Cool on rack. Use a serrated knife or bread knife to slice. Enjoy! 

Feeding the Sourdough Starter

Take the starter out of the refrigerator on the day it is to be fed.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cups sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 Tablespoons potato flakes

Instructions:

Mix the ingredients together and stir it into the starter. Let stand at room temperature all day, from 8-10 hours. Take two cups out. Use one cup to make bread and share one with a friend or make a second batch of bread. Return the balance to the refrigerator. Note: Yeast is a living organism and must be allowed oxygen; therefore, make sure to have airflow in the lid of the container you use to keep your starter in. I use a canning jar with air holes in the lid.

How to Create a Sourdough Starter

This is a one-time process to establish your starter.

Ingredients: 

• 1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons potato flakes
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup warm water

Instructions: 

Mix all the ingredients together. Cover loosely and allow this to sit on the counter for two days. It will smell fermented and start to bubble. After the two days, feed the starter using the recipe above and let it sit on counter for 12 hours. Then place in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. You now have an established sourdough starter.