5 Reasons Why Even Busy People Should Bake Sourdough

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To the busy suburbanite: Have you ever stopped and wished you had the time to enjoy something homemade?  Maybe you feel like you don’t have time to make anything from scratch, or maybe your attention is divided by so many other things that you don’t feel like baking from scratch is just low on the priority list.  Today, I’m going to explain why I believe that sourdough bread-making is not only possible for the busy homesteader on a budget, but it’s also important.

1.     Baking sourdough bread helps you set a schedule

Most of the time spent baking sourdough is actually spent waiting.  This is one of the main reasons why I recommended baking sourdough as one of the 4 ways busy people can start homesteading on a budget.  But because the wait intervals are specifically timed, you’ll need to plan out your day before you begin making bread.  In other words, you’ll need to have a optimize your time and manage it wisely. 

And at the end of the day?  You can reward yourself for your time management with a delicious slice of butter-slathered bread!

2.     Sourdough is significantly healthier than store-bought bread

True sourdough bread is just flour, water, yeast (in the form of a starter culture), and salt—that’s it!  No added sugar, no preservatives, no “flavor enhancers” or artificial additives.  You know exactly what’s going into it and whether or not it is good for your health.  Speaking of health…

3.     True sourdough bread allows your body to better process gluten

Did you know that many gluten-sensitive individuals can still eat sourdough bread?  This is because the traditional fermentation methods used to make sourdough bread actually breaks down the nutrients in the flour so that they are more digestible.  Among those nutrients are the proteins found in wheat: a.k.a., gluten. 

The gluten structure holds the bread together and allows the lovely air bubbles to make the dough rise, but the fermentation process eventually breaks the gluten down.  The trick is finding the sweet spot in the ferment time: too little, and the gluten isn’t broken down enough; too much, and the gluten breaks down too much and the bread falls flat. 

If you happen to be a gluten-sensitive individual, I encourage you to experiment with sourdough.  Don’t buy store-bought sourdough, as that is often regular bread with sour flavor added (in other words, it's still chock-full of gluten!).  Instead, take the time to bulk ferment your own dough and see how well your body handles it. 

Alternatively, there are some gluten-free sourdough starter and bread recipes.  Check out The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread: More Than 200 Wheat-Free Recipes by Bette Hagman; she has a gluten-free starter recipe and a couple gluten-free sourdough recipes tucked away in the middle of the cookbook.

4.     Sourdough bread is delicious.

Seriously, after tasting your own sourdough loaf fresh from the oven, you won’t ever want to go back to store-bought bread, no matter how convenient it seems.  The complex flavors within the spongy texture of the inner crumb—contrasted with the crisp, chewy outer crust—make homemade sourdough infinitely more delicious than anything purchased at a supermarket.

That being said, one of the inconveniences you may encounter is sourdough's shelf life. It does tend to dry out faster than store-bought bread.  But even when a loaf goes dry, it can be refreshed easily in the oven, or it can be sliced and turned into amazing French toast (seriously, the best French toast you will ever have in your life).

5.     Starter cultures can be used for more than just bread.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m a huge fan of sourdough bread.  But did you know that sourdough starter can be used for more than just delicious loaves?  Flat starter can be used to make crackers.  Active starter can be used to make other baked goods, such as cakes or muffins.  Flat or active starter can be used to make pancakes or waffles.  Dehydrated starter can be used to make cookies.  The possibilities are endless!

One of the blogs I started following shortly into my homesteading journey is The Pantry Mama (I’m not affiliated with her and am not paid to promote her; however, I do enjoy her content and recommend you follow her if you’re interested in upping your bread-baking game).  Her site includes a huge collection of sourdough recipes and hacks, all of which are helpful for both the beginner and the expert. 

So there you have it—five reasons why even busy people should make time for sourdough bread-baking. 

What do you think?  Do you have any other reasons why busy homesteaders should keep and use a sourdough starter?  Let me know in the comments!