6 months into the YS you're out of yeast...or very very low...what to do?!

[ChefTessBakeresse]

Potato Starter "Everlasting Yeast"


Potato starter around here is basically a yeast replacement that means, quite literally, you never have to purchase yeast again. Did that hit. What is the main expense usually when you make bread? That dang yeast packet right? What if that expense went away forever? Not that it's a huge amount of money, but if you only spend 50$ a year on yeast packets...I'm just saying. Potatoes are way cheaper. This is also an invaluable thing to know how to make if you are faced with the huge responsibility of providing delighting nutritionally healthy bread for several years on end without the ability to get your hands on comercially pre-made active dry yeast. How will you make bread?! It takes a scant 1/8th tsp of dry yeast to get a potato starter going...and forever out, you have yeast. Forever...as long as you feed it more potato starch every couple of days and don't let it get too hot.
Now...on to the yeast.

Potato Starter (basic everlasting yeast)
4 oz cooked potato, mashed smooth (about 3/4 cup packed) Cooled to room temperature.
1 cup water
1/8 tsp active dry yeast

Combine all in a one quart plastic container (or larger depending on how much you want to make) and keep at 75 degree room temperature for 2-3 days. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent boogie bugs from getting in there. Don't use metal. I don't reccomend it, in case you do take your sweet time using the start and it goes into the depths of sourdough. Eeek that would make a mess of a metal container.
I like to puree mine in a blender to start it really going. After the first puree you don't have to puree it every time, but I like to make the smooth stuff. It just morphs better into the dough. Morph...is that the right word? That's like what superheroes do when they go from their secret identity plain self into the Mega dudes, right?
I'll check back with this so you can see how it should look, along with giving out some amazing recipes and ways to use that starter from here on out. Isn't that amazing? Now, if you're interested is joining along, get your potatoes cooked, mashed and started. Can you use instant mashed potatoes? Yes...just use 4 oz prepared (about 3/4 cup dry to 1 cup water) ...but don't use the butter or milk, just water.

Get that starter going. I dare you.
My next post will be how to use that in place of yeast in real bread. Are you excited?!

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[sspadp]

Excited to try this and just happened to have bought 50lbs of potatoes this past weekend!

[ChefTessBakeresse]

sspadp...Hey, Idaho is the perfect place to use this starter! Ha! I lived on potatoes for a long time at Ricks...well I guess it's BYU Idaho now. Love the spuds!

[Angela]

What if there is no place in your house where the average temperature is 75? We keep our house pretty cool and even cooler at nights. Will it mess up the process or just slow it down?

[AZ Prepper Lady]

Ok, this thread is really interesting. Thanks Chef Tess!! I am definitely going to try it. Looking forward to the coming recipes.

[ChefTessBakeresse]

What if there is no place in your house where the average temperature is 75? We keep our house pretty cool and even cooler at nights. Will it mess up the process or just slow it down?

Anglea, it works at any temperature under 120 or so. The cooler you keep it the less frequently you have to use it or rotate it to keep it from going sour, so even better. It won't slow it down too much if you have it around 60...but your bread will raise a little slower. I'll be posting that bread recipe pretty quick so you can see what I mean.