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Salt-rising bread
Mountain bread raised with a wild starter instead of yeast
AmericanSalt-rising bread was baked by settlers in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania who had no yeast; a starter of potato, cornmeal and milk is kept very warm until wild bacteria make it bubble. The loaf is dense, fine-textured and famous for its cheesy, tangy smell, and is best toasted and buttered. Chef's tip: the starter needs a steady 38–40 °C, so stand it in an oven with only the light on, and check it is truly bubbling before going on.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the starter
For the dough
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 1 potato, 2 tbsp cornmeal and 1 tsp sugar in a jar or bowl and pour over the 1 cup boiling water. Stir, cover loosely and keep at 38–104°F for 12–16 hours, until there is a layer of foam and a strong cheesy smell. If nothing has happened, start again.
900 minStep 2: Lift out the potato slices, pressing them to keep the liquid. Stir in the 1 cup milk, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 150 g of the 5 ½ oz strong white bread flour to a batter and keep warm for 2–3 hours, until bubbly and doubled.
150 minStep 3: Add the 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 oz butter and enough of the remaining 16 oz strong white bread flour to make a firm dough. Knead for 8 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Shape into two loaves, put in greased 450 g loaf tins and leave somewhere warm for 3–4 hours, until risen almost to the rim. A common mistake is giving up early; it rises slowly.
210 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and hollow-sounding underneath. Cool completely before slicing.
45 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salt-rising bread take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of potato?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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