Salt Rising Bread from Drums of Autumn

Read the whole recipe through at least once before you begin.

Mix together all of the starter ingredients and pour the mixture into a pitcher or tall jar and cover with a lid.

Place the pitcher in a crock pot filled with enough water so that it is 1” higher than the level of the starter in the jar. Set the crock pot on warm and leave it overnight. The starter must be kept in a warm place (90-110° F) for 8-16 hours. When the starter has successfully fermented, it will be foamy/bubbly and will have developed a distinct aroma of “rotten cheese.” If, after that time, the starter is not activated, discard and start again.

Put the starter into a large bowl. Into the fermenting starter, add the milk, salt, sugar, butter and flour and mix to make a soft, slightly sticky, dough that can be easily handled.

Form into a ball, cover with clean towel or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until almost doubled in size, approximately 2-4 hours.

Grease 2 loaf pans with butter.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured counter, press each piece into a rectangle about ½” thick. Starting on the shorter end, roll up the dough using your thumbs to pinch the seam closed after each roll. Pinch the final seam closed, then gently rock the loaf to even it out—do not taper the ends.

Transfer the loaves of dough into the prepared pans. Ensure the loaf touches both ends of the pan to ensure an even rise. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean dishtowel and set aside to rise again, until the dough is doubled in size and cresting the top of the pans, approximately 2-6 hours.

Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes.

Yield: 2 loaves.

Note: You will find an interesting history and more helpful tips for success in the original post on Outlander Kitchen. Click on the related blog link for this post.