Sourdough English Muffins
I’ve posted about these muffins before and here is the recipe. Winter time when the cook stove is going is the time for these – since they turn out so well. Summertime, electric stove – not so good. Wood heat is wonderful, it enlivens our hot water, and does wonders for my recipes!
I mix the dough and allow it to rise overnight. Once the morning chores are done, I add salt and soda and stir down the dough. Add additional flour and knead until the dough is not sticky. For you bread bakers, this dough is silky smooth and feels good to knead. Just thought I would throw that little tidbit in… .
Pat the dough out to about 1/2″ thick. I use a regular mouth canning lid for a biscuit cutter. A drinking glass or a tuna can with both ends removed would work fine too if you want larger muffins. And a novel idea – a real biscuit cutter!
The look on his face is too funny 🙂 I know what he is thinking.
I imagine this is the dog’s eye view.
These rise nicely in the warming ovens on the stove.
Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes per side.
The smell while they are cooking is heavenly.
Let cool, and store in a plastic bag. If they last that long!
Throwback at Trapper Creek 
I have never thought about making english muffins and never knew they cooked in a pan!! You make it sound so easy, so I am fired up to try it… let’s see how they turn out with electric cooking.
By the way, I love love love the recipe you shared for those sweet/savory rolls. The family loves them and I love the ease of having dough ready to go in the morning!
Oh and that popcorn recipe? evil!! I’ve made it twice already and both times they lasted less than 2 days!!!!! SO good!! :o) Thanks for sharing those recipes. :o)
Jenny, like you need more recipes! Glad you liked the rolls – it sure does make it super easy to break up the job doesn’t it!
I have some sourdough bubbling in the kitchen and I was going to make some bread today or biscuits but you’ve changed my mind – English Muffins it is. I’ve never made them before so I appreciate the recipe. Thanks!!
I see from reading your recipe that at that time you are were using a yeast free starter. Haven’t read about it yet but I’m going to since I’m curious as to what that refers to. I have two starters I keep in my refrigerator. One was started from California grapes and was given to me years ago. The other dates back to the late 1800 and was started by a miner. I’d guess it was from potatoes as that was common for that era. Unfortuneately I was feeding them both one day and moved the bowls and now I don’t know which is which. I’ve still kept the two different starters going. My experience with yeast starters is that they have a much stronger, more bitter taste, where as my grape or potato sourdoughs are mellow and slightly sweet. Thanks again for the recipe. I’m always wanting to expand the uses for my sourdough starters.
Holly, that’s a great story about the starters! Amazing. My DH isn’t really supposed to eat much wheat or any yeast breads so I don’t make these too often. I made these the other day for a late Christmas gift exchange – so I just used a yeast based starter. But you are right – the yeast starters have that alcoholic bitter taste even when the liquor is poured off.
Yummm. I sometimes really miss wheat flour.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Linda, yeah I know these smelled so good, but they where for a gift so we couldn’t really be too tempted.
yum, even the husband stopped in front of the photo and said “those look good” love the dog’s eye view
Lorena, they are good – lots of people like them because they don’t have any fat in them. They are pretty tasty!
I would love to hear more and more about your stove and how you use it. I have read a few of your posts about your stove and can’t seem to get enough. Our farm is currently for sale and we are going to build our dream home…an off-grid, strawbale house. We are always thinking of heating/cooking alternatives and a stove like yours is very attractive to us. Thanks for sharing!
John, that is pretty exciting about the new house/farm plans. I love my old stove, due to the provenance, but in my next life I would seriously look at something like this:
http://www.kitchenqueenstoves.com/kitchenqueenstoves/index.html
Of course, maybe in my next life I may be living in warmer climate! But until then I still love my stove and how useful it is. Wood is a good heat source for us, since trees grow here like weeds.
Wonderful! I have had a no-yeast sourdough going on the kitchen counter for about a year now – make “something” once a week (pretzels were a hit but some work) so this week it will be English muffins – it looks like about a teaspoon of salt (love that Real Salt!) and also soda?
Marcia, pretzels sounds pretty good 🙂 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 soda.
Liz and I are going to give these a shot. They sound fantastic!
TC, I bet Liz can work her magic on these – you better make a double batch!!
I’m scarfing my carbs vicariously through your posts of your awesome bread. These look wonderful!
Robbyn, these were for a gift, and one fell in the wood box during the transfer from pan to platter – I beat the dogs and swooped it up. So we did eat one, although the dogs did not think that it was too fair 😉
I make these as well and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I make mine with buttermilk (from my buttermaking) and half freshly ground whole wheat flour. We just love them. That reminds me that I need to make a batch soon.
Susy, they sure do taste good, especially with some summertime jam. I use buttermilk too, but only in the summer when I am making butter. It really lends a great flavor!
Gosh, I haven’t made english muffins in forever. 20 years or more. If I just hadn’t started curtailing carbs again…
Rats.
Peggy, ooh I know, these went out the door as soon as they were cool. Too tempting!
I really want to try your recipe. I have never made english muffins but we all love them. We have a cold spell coming and the cook stove will be fired up all day. I’m going to find time for this….I really am 🙂
Debi, trust me if you make these once, they will be a hit. Stay warm!!
Sounds good……..fried biscuits!
Linda, yep, but no fat!
What a timely post! I just posted about my accidental sourdough starter and my first success after failing miserably at it years ago. What I need is recipes and yours looks like a keeper. Especially since we love English muffins. 🙂
Leigh, you won’t be sorry, they are pretty tasty!
I gotta tell you that I laughed out loud when I saw the dog’s expression before I read your caption! I’ve seen that expression around here as well!
Paula, they are stinkers. Half the time I think they are underfoot just to cause me to spill or drop something!
Yes, I do know what he is thinking: “I’m gonna get me some of those!” 🙂
YDavis, yeah in his dreams. They are never far when food is around 🙂
Even though I have gas I gave these a go – to try and compensate a bit after heating the pan I turned the gas right down, and increased the cooking time a minute or two on both sides. They turned out really well!! Thanks as ever for sharing another fab recipe
Margo, they turned out so well. That’s a good idea to turn down the heat and increase the cooking time. BTW, I checked out your post and thought the muffins were beautiful, but I have one complaint! Your thermometer in the sidebar reads 95 degrees! I am thoroughly missing the warm!!
Well, once again, Margo, you and I are on the same wave length. My husband got a bread cookbook for Christmas from our daughter. (Bread of all kinds is his favorite food!) And, I started some sourdough “stock” yesterday. I think these muffins will make a fine winter breakfast with scrambled eggs … all done on the wood fireplace. We learned how to cook there last year when we were without power for about four days and the generator would not work either. Then I blessed my mother again for not allowing me to get rid of my iron pot and skillet. I don’t hate iron cookware anymore!