I have been experimenting more with sourdough breads and have made a few more variants of the spent grain sourdough. I think this is a bit simpler. I have been baking every week or every other so the 2 step starter feeding is not necessary.
When choosing your grains for the sourdough, consider that the bread will get baked and brown further. I tried one with the steeping grains from an Imperial Stout and that was too dark. Edible, but almost burnt tasting when toasted.
Today, I am using Briess Caramel 40 malt. This was from a Dead Ringer IPA extract kit (one of my favorites).
Starter
~3/4c of saved unfed starter
2c Bread flour – King Arthur
1 1/2 c – 1 3/4 c warm water.
Mix and set aside, covered for 24 hours. The starter should be a bit wetter than bread dough, but not runny. It will loosen up as it ferments as well. After 24 hours it is “gloopy”. Think of your kid / grand-kid’s container of Slime but stickier.
Bread dough
Fed starter – 1/2c which goes back in the crock in the fridge
2 -2.5c spent grains – well drained
1c bread flour – start with 3/4 c and see what the consistency is like
1/2 tsp baking yeast
Mix for 2 min
Rest for 15 min
Mix for 5 min
Add 1 tsp salt
Add 5 tsp cooking oil
Mix at medium speed until the oil is incorporated. Then slow down 2 2nd lowest setting on the Kitchenaid mixer and mix for another 10 min. Add flour as necessary to have a slack dough that pulls away form the sides of the bowl while mixing.
Cover with damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. Then fold several times adding flour if necessary. Let rise for another hour. Fold several times and work into a ball. This dough needs support from a pan. So, place in an oiled dutch oven. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
Baking
Preheat the oven to 425F . Place a sheet pan in the bottom.
When the oven is hot, heat 1 c water in the microwave until boiling.
Working quickly, uncover the bread, slash the top and place the bread int he oven . Then pour the hot water on the sheet pan and close the oven. This bread completely filled the dutch oven with no room to rise (I may have let it rise a bit extra long while working inthe shop). Set timer for 15 min. At 15 min insert thermometer probe and cook until the internal temp is 195-205F depending on how brown you like the top.
A view inside
We have started taking the spent steeping grains and placing 2-2.5 c measured portions in the freezer so that the spent grains are available between brew days as I bake a lot more often than I brew. 1lb of grain will yield about 6-7c of well drained spent grains.