Bread Machine Sourdough Bread (No Oven)

The tips below are designed to help sourdough & bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years. This page contains many tips because working with a sourdough starter takes more time and effort when compared to regular bread machine yeast.
Bread machine sourdough bread is an advanced bread machine recipe. It is more difficult to make than regular yeast based bread machine sandwich breads. This recipe is not recommended for absolute beginners! Beginners are more likely to make a mistake because sourdough starter takes days to grow and the starter must have the right consistency (not too wet or dry) to use properly. Beginners are better off starting with basic bread machine recipes such as white bread, oatmeal bread, whole wheat bread or cinnamon raisin bread in order to gain experience in how to use their bread machines. Once, they have the basics down, they can progress to this little more advanced bread machine recipe.
Number #1 Recipe Error – Using an overly wet sourdough starter to make this bread. The starter should NOT look like runny pancake batter when added to the bread pan. You do not want the sourdough starter to be mainly liquid.
Number # 2 Recipe Error – Using starter straight from the refrigerator (a cold & resting starter) and not a bubbly & active starter. See below for further details on this problem.
Why does this recipe include whole wheat flour? The natural bran and germ contained in whole wheat flour can help to increase the starter’s “sourness & tanginess”. In contrast, bread machine sourdough bread made with only white flour often has only a VERY mild or nonexistent sourdough flavor.
Optional – Right after removing the bread from the bread pan (while the bread is still hot), brush on 1 tablespoon of melted butter on the top crust of the bread. This creates a more buttery top to the bread. Use a pastry brush to brush on the butter.