Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

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Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

Postby KittyJ on Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:24 am

I'm getting close to trying my first sourdough bread, working with a variety of methods/recipes I've found to settle on one that I want to try. Have made a successful and robust starter.

I do know that I want the bread sour, and I read that longer ferments produce more of the sour/acid bacteria than short ferments do. Most of what I read says to put the dough in the fridge to proof/ferment, but I'm wondering if that's really necessary? Seems to me that overnight in a cool room should also work. I don't have much fridge space, as I share it with a roommate.

I had to take my copy of Wild Fermentations back to the library, so can't refer to Sandor's words, but I'm guessing he just left them on the counter or something.

Any ideas?
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Re: Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

Postby Tibor on Sat Apr 23, 2016 3:13 pm

I can't imagine why a person would put a sourdough ferment in the fridge if they wanted action. I put my rye sourdough starter in the fridge when I want it to slow down so I don't have to feed it so often.
My experience is with Sandor's onion 100% rye sourdough bread that I have been making for years. It's fantastic.
If you want sour,let it ferment in a warm place. I ferment Sandor's onion rye for up to 36 hours and with the caramelized onion it gets quite a pungent aroma by the time the sponge is done.
As far as recipe volumes of sourdough starter, I have found that using cold sourdough starter gives you a better volume measurement than using a freshly fed starter that is warm because that would be growing in volume and not be as accurate a measurement.
I hope this helps.
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Re: Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

Postby KittyJ on Sat Apr 23, 2016 7:29 pm

It does help. Thanks....

I don't understand the fridge bit either, but both Michael Pollard and another baker online say to do that if you want a long fermentation. Just didn't seem right to me.

So, I'll follow my instincts (and your confirmation) and leave it out, see how it goes. Need to get my own copy of Wild Fermentation, when I get the $$.

Many thanks!
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Re: Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

Postby Christopher Weeks on Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:30 am

It maybe what they're saying is that if you have to leave the live dough longer than you're "supposed to", do so in the fridge to decrease microbial action. Is that possible?
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Re: Sourdough ferments, room temp or fridge?

Postby KittyJ on Tue Apr 26, 2016 2:18 pm

Anything's possible! But I don't think so. Mostly they all call for longer fermentation, but say to do it in the fridge. Maybe that's just covering their behinds, since they are all published recipes. ;)

I'll leave mine out overnight -- the room is cool anyway. Should be fine, should hopefully be sour.
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