Learning how to make sourdough bread is not difficult. There are only a few simple steps to becoming a sourdough bread baker. The most frustrating aspect of making sourdough bread from scratch is trying to get a good sourdough starter. Homemade sourdough bread has the added benefit of smelling the bread while it bakes.

Even though it sounds tricky, making a good sourdough bread starter is not rocket science. Anyone can grow sourdough starter. First, you must create a starter. This is a bubbly batter that you keep in your refrigerator. The starter is mixed into a dough, and it causes the bread to rise. If you do not have your own sourdough starter, there are a number of ways to get some sourdough starter. You can find a friend who makes sourdough or keeps starter. If you start asking around, you might be surprised by how many people have sourdough starter sitting in the back of the refrigerator. Or you can buy a little kit of dry ingredients and mix up your own starter. But the best way is to make your own starter from scratch. A properly cared for starter can live indefinitely, but if you leave it out without using it for too long, the yeast can literally suffocate in its own waste products. If the starter looks off color or turns pink, toss it and startfresh.http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/sourdough.htm

Sourdough starter is a batter of flour and water, filled with living yeast and bacteria. The yeast and bacteria form a stable symbiotic relationship, and as long as you keep the starter fed, it can live for centuries, a thriving colony of microorganisms. To make sourdough bread, you blend the starter with some flour and make a dough. http://www.best-bread-recipes.com/recipe-sourdough-starter.html

One of the things that you will need to remember about your sourdough is the hooch. Hooch is a layer of watery liquid that contains alcohol. It will smells like beer. Hooch builds up in your starter, especially in the refrigerator. If you see hooch in your starter, just pour it off or stir it back in.http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/1959/care-and-feeding-sourdough-starter

Now that you know how to make sourdough bread, what else can you make with it? You can turn sourdough into biscuits, pancakes, pretzels, bagels, muffins, and even cookies.http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07sep10d.cfm

Read on to learn how to make sourdough bread starter and instructions for making your sourdough bread step by step.

Sourdough bread is made the same way as traditional bread, with one addition. Before making the dough, the sourdough starter needs time to work and because the wild yeast in the sourdough works more slowly than commercial yeast.

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• Boiling water

1. Combine the starter, warm water, and 3 cups of flour in a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir well to combine.
3. Cover with plastic wrap.
4. Leave in a warm place for 2-24 hours.

1. Add the sugar salt and baking soda to the sponge.
2. Mix well.
3. Add 2 cups of flour to the sponge and stir until it holds together in a ball.
4. Dump 1/2 cup of flour on your work surface, and place the ball of dough on top.
5. Begin kneading the dough, adding as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as needed to make a stiff dough.
6. Knead for 4 minutes.
7. Wash and oil bowl.
8. Knead the dough until it feels stiff and springy, which should take about another 4 minutes. The dough is done when you can poke a finger into the ball and it pops back.
9. In order to allow the dough to rise, place it in the greased bowl, rolling it around so all sides are coated with oil.
10. Place the dough in a warm place, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until it is doubled in size. This can take 2-4 hours. You'll know it's ready when you can poke your finger in it and it doesn't spring back at you.

1. Turn the dough onto the counter and punch it down, to deflate it.
2. Knead a few more times until smooth, then shape the dough into two long baguettes.
3. Sprinkle the cornmeal on a baking sheet, and place the loaves on the prepared sheet.
4. Let them rise for 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
6. Place a 9x13 pan filled with boiling water on the bottom rack of the oven.
7. Brush the loaves with cold water and make a few decorative slices on the top, if desired.
8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.