Have you ever had salt rising bread? I remember the first time I had it. A bakery in Paducah had it and apparently they don’t have it often because it’s such a big deal to make it so I figured it was worth buying. Vince knew about it and he was so happy when I came home with it but when he opened that bag and it smelled rather pungent, I was thinking . . you can have it! Butthen I tasted it and I loved it and that’s when I began searching for recipes and trying different ones.
Salt Rising Bread
This blog post, with the recipe, was written back in 2009. I would pretty much only make it in the winter . . definitely not in the summer, because I kept the oven on low . . off and on . . to get the starter going.
This morning I kept wishing for some salt rising bread and then I remembered my proofer! I normally use it in the winter when the house is cold and the outside is cold and there’s no warm spot for my bread to rise. In this proofer, by Brod & Taylor, I can control the temperature, as well as the humidity, without using the oven. Perfect for getting the starter going for my salt rising bread.
Proofer
That was all I needed to cut up my last two potatoes and get my starter going.
Salt Rising Bread
Tomorrow, my husband will be a happy man when he comes home from work and we have salt rising bread ready to have with our dinner.
Starter
On the other hand, I may not be so happy because my kitchen will smell like stinky cheese for several days. This starter gives off a bad odor and the bread toasting smells like stinky cheese too but . . we still like it.
Sherrill says
Oh my GOSH, Judy, I cannot believe ALL the gadgets you have for cooking and other stuff (mostly cooking). Never heard of the proofing thingy OR the salt rising bread but the fact that it stinks made me not even wanna try it (even though you guys like it!). Enjoy as I know you will! HA
JudyL says
I do have a lot of gadgets and I use them all or I don’t keep them. It’s hard to get bread to rise when we keep our house so cold in the winter and the proofer helps so much. The bread smells like some of the more “fragrant” cheeses that my Italian husband loves. The bread is delicious . . despite the smell.
Regina says
yumyumyumyumyum… now I want some. Very popular in Appalachia – my dad grew up with it and we did as kids. When I can find a bakery that makes it -I buy as much as they have and freeze it. I haven’t mucked around with making my own starter yet… but I should.
Dar in MO says
I have never heard of salt rising bread. I will have to check out our area at the bakeries and see if any of them make it. I’m curious as to what it tastes like with it smelling like stinky cheese.
Bon says
My grandma used to love that bread. There was a bakery between my house and hers (a distance of 70 miles) so I would stop and get her some on my way to her house BUT it went in the trunk. I couldn’t stand the smell. I’ve never tasted it either.
Terry says
I just bought that exact proofer this week. I will use it to make my yogurt and homemade bread!
Terry
JudyL says
Terry, you will love it. I love how it folds to almost nothing when not in use. Recommendation: Use a thermometer and check the temp. The proofer isn’t real accurate but once you figure out where you need to set it, it’s good. For 97 degrees, I set mine at 102 and that works well.
Kathleen says
I love salt rising bread. I have made it and the only warm place I had for it to rise was in the bathroom which has no windows. We have recently remodeled our kitchen and we purchased a wolf range which has a proofing temp on it. I had forgotten all about that bread. I love it toasted. We used to buy it all of the time (60 years ago) from the Manor bread man who delivered bread to the house (you know, like the milkman). I will be trying it again soon.