Yeast Free Bread Starter

There are not too many ways out there to make your bread rise.  You can probably count the ways on your fingers.  When I heard a fellow Gluten Free friend used predominantly quick breads because of a yeast allergy, I decided I was going to find a suitable method to put a rise back in Gluten and Yeast Free breads.  After all, Gluten Free breads can sure use a lift!

I learned all I could about yeast free starters.  I learned alot of very interesting information.  They are very healthy.  Did you know that Dry Yeast is acidic, but the yeast free starter is alkaline?  People whose bodies are an acidic environment bread disease and illness, like Cancer. An alkaline body is healthy and disease cannot thrive there.  Yeast free starters also flourish with natural probiotics and enzymes which assist in digestion and help the immune system.  The most important piece of information I read was any grain could be used to make it. Which meant IT COULD be Gluten Free.


Every Gluten free post had a very complex recipe for making their starter and most of them required multiple ingredients and most required milk ingredients.  I could not believe the extra stress and work that these individuals went through to get their 'starters'.  After reading their posts, I felt like it would likely be a long haul.

After learning, I sought out to make one.  I used Oatmeal first and it was a flop.  FLAT out.  Did. Not. Work. Simply put!  I thought it did not work because oatmeal loses some of its natural qualities once it is rolled (the hull falls off), hence not TRULY a 'whole' grain. I chose not to try any starches, because they are starches; no protein. So is it really a whole grain?.  I felt since starch is only a piece of say, wheat or sorghum, it would likely flop just as bad as the oatmeal. I also used my oven, which could have been too warm and prevented it from growing.   So my second attempt I tried Sorghum on the counter while in a sub zero climate outside.  BEAUTIFUL!!  And EASY!  Seriously, all you need is a place free of drafts, a container, water, and some whole grain flour.

Yeast Free Starter

To start:

1 cup Sorghum Flour (or other whole grain flour)

1 cup water

1 container (I use a quart sized canning jar, you could also use a 1 gallon ziploc bag)

**Do not use any metal components (jar lid is OK), metal will kill it.

1) Combine ingredients in your container and set in non drafty/warm area in your kitchen (not in stove). It needs to breath, so if you are using a lidded container, leave it slightly open.  I just don't twist my jar lid all the way shut.  If you are using a peanut butter or mayo jar, poke a hole in the lid. Mix every 12 hours (I just gently shake mine in its jar.  If you choose to do this, make sure you close the lid all the way before shaking). 

2) At the end of its first 24 hours, you need to feed it.  Pour out half (or put half in another container to have two times as much, or give away to a friend once alive).  Feed the starter by adding 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. Mix well and let sit, stirring every 12 hours.

3) At the end of 48 hours it may appear spongy and smell yeasty or beery.  This is great! you are live. Live or not, we need to feed it again.  So again, pour out half and add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water.  Mix well and set aside, stirring every 12 hours.

4) After feeding it one time while it is 'alive', you can leave it on the counter. On day 5 of being alive, you can refrigerate it to prevent it from 'growing' anymore, use it in a bread, or just feed it. If refrigerating it, feed it only 1/2 cup flour and a 1/2 cup water.  If using it in a bread, feed it 1 cup of each before adding it to your bread to replenish what you use. 
5) IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY starting the starter, then add the juice of 1 or 2 fresh grapes to the water and flour.  Don't put the grape in it, it will likely mold.

- At day 5 You don't have to dump out half anymore unless you don't want that much.  It is strong enough now, that it will hold through its feedings.

- On day 10 it is ready to be used in an Amish Friendship Bread.

- At one point, the sponginess appearance will go away and you will feel like you killed it.  Keep it, more than likely you did not kill it.  After about 12-24 hours you will see swamp-like bubbling has replaced the sponginess.

- It is VERY hard to kill this stuff.  The only thing that can kill it is a high temperature.  Like the temperature of the oven when you bake it in your bread.  So even if you forgot to feed it, it is more than likely still alive, so just feed it when you remember to.

- Just keep mine on the counter and use it every 5 days for regular breads.  This way I don't have to worry about a faulty rise from a dough that was too cold.
-The smell will vary.  I notice it smells more yeasty after doing a feeding for Amish Bread, because of the sugar used.  While when I use it for regular bread and do not feed with any sugar the smell is not so much a yeasty smell.  If the smell gets too strong for you, then pour out the liquid that forms on the top and replace with an equal amount of water.  I just started to do this.  On the same day I am going to feed the starter and use it for bread, I will change the liquid before feeding.