Last updated on April 15th, 2020
Salt Rising Bread is uniquely delicious. I love its heady aroma, chewy crumb, and crackling crisp crust. And would you believe all this goodness comes not from yeast, but from the bacteria in fermented potato water? Here’s how to make this long-forgotten Appalachian awesomeness:
Salt Rising Bread: A Brief History
Early settlers in the Appalachian Mountains developed Salt Rising Bread. The title is a misnomer — the bread contains almost no salt. Far less salt, in fact, than ordinary bread. To maintain a warm environment for the bread’s potato-based starter, which was made in an earthenware pot, the clever pioneers buried the pot up to its rim in an insulating bed of rock salt. Hence the name “Salt Rising.”
Recipes for Salt Rising Bread have been passed down from generation to generation. My version is based on one published by James Beard in his enormous tome American Cookery (1972; Little, Brown and Company). I’ve simplified the recipe to good effect.
Blah, blah, blah. Let’s make this long-forgotten bread!
Making the Potato Starter
To make the starter, slice a well-scrubbed russet potato into 1/4-inch rounds.
Put the slices in a clean, quart-size mason-type jar, filling the jar only halfway.
To the potatoes, add 1 tablespoon sugar…
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda…
1/4 teaspoon table salt…
And 3 tablespoons all-purpose (a/k/a “plain”) flour.
Now add enough boiling water to cover the potatoes…
And stir the works as much as you are able to with the handle of a soup spoon. Add more boiling water, if necessary, to insure the potatoes are fully submerged.
Then place a piece of cling film over the jar, and cut a slit in the film so that gasses can escape.
This potato starter requires 8-12 hours in a warm, 100°F – 105°F location in order to become active. A proofing oven is ideal. Otherwise, consider a heating pad or a warm water bath in a crock pot to provide steady warmth.
The starter is ready when it foams to the top of the jar, and it emits a smell that I can only describe as downright disgusting. James Beard said the aroma can be quite…”startling.” And he wasn’t kidding. But this foul-smelling starter is responsible for what, in the end, will be a delightfully scented bread.
Making the Potato Water Sponge
Pour the starter’s foam and liquid into a sieve set over a large bowl. Discard the potato slices.
To the bowl, add 1 cup of warm (100°F) water.
Then gradually whisk in 2 cups of flour until a pancake-like batter develops. This batter is the “sponge.”
Cover the bowl with a towel, and let the sponge rise in a warm location until doubled in volume and quite bubbly — about 2 hours. (Psst: If you can make a pancake batter, then you can make my uber delicious English Muffins. Here’s the recipe.)
Making, Kneading, Forming and Baking the Salt Rising Bread Dough
To the bubbly sponge, gradually stir in 2 cups of flour until a thick, shaggy dough develops. The dough will be very sticky at this point.
Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface, and sprinkle additional flour (1/2 cup or so) on top of the dough.
Gently knead until the dough becomes flexible but still quite soft — about 5 minutes. Knead only by hand — a machine will overwork the dough and press out its leavening gasses.
Now cut the dough into 2 equal pieces…
And press each piece into a 9-inch long rectangle.
Roll up the long edge of the dough as if rolling a cigar…
And place the cigars in 2 greased, 9-inch-diameter bread pans.
Cover the pans with a towel, and let rise in a warm location until the dough expands all the way to the top of the pans — about 2 hours.
Bake at 400°F until the bread is brown and it emits a hollow sound when rapped with knuckles — 35-40 minutes. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Salt Rising Bread is absolutely delicious. The crust on my 2 loaves remained crackling crisp even after the bread had achieved room temperature. Amazing!
Think you’ll give this traditional bread a try? You can let me know by posting a comment below. Also, kindly let me know if Salt Rising Bread is a part of your family’s history.
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Here’s the printable:
Salt Rising Bread
Ingredients
For the potato starter
- 1 large russet potato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Boiling water to cover
For the potato water "sponge"
- 1 cup warm (100°F) water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the dough
- 3-4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
For greasing the bread pans
- butter, shortening, or vegetable spray
Instructions
Making the starter
- Put the potato slices in a clean, quart-size mason-type jar. Use only enough slices to reach halfway up the sides of the jar. Add the sugar, baking soda, salt, and 3 tablespoons of flour. Then pour on enough boiling water to cover the potatoes. Use a chop stick or the handle of a spoon to lightly mix the ingredients. (Don't worry if clumps remain.) Add additional boiling water, if necessary, to insure potatoes are fully submerged. Cover the jar with cling film, cut a slit in the film, and place in a warm (100°F-105°F) location until the jar fills with foam -- 8-12 hours.
Making the sponge
- Strain the starter liquid and foam into a large bowl. Discard potatoes. Add to the bowl 1 cup warm (100°F) water. Then gradually whisk in 2 cups of flour to achieve a pancake-like batter. Cover the bowl with a towel, and keep warm until the sponge doubles in volume -- about 2 hours.
Making and Kneading the Dough
- Generously flour a work surface.Gradually stir in 1 or 2 cups of flour into the sponge to create a rough, sticky, or "shaggy" dough. Scrape the dough onto the prepared work surface, and sprinkle more dough -- 1/2 cup or so -- onto the surfuce of the dough. Knead by hand just until the dough softens and becomes less sticky -- about 5 minutes.
Forming the loaves
- Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Take one piece, and pat it out into a rough 9-inch rectangle. Roll the long edge into a cigar shape, and place it, seam-side-down, in a greased 9-inch bread pan. Repeat for the remaining piece of dough. Cover the pans, and let rise until the dough reaches the rim of the pans -- about 2 hours. About 20 minutes before the loaves are fully risen, center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Baking the bread
- Bake in the preheated oven until the bread browns attractively, and it emits a hollow sound when rapped with the knuckles -- 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Sherri Gallant says
I’m really looking forward to making this recipe very soon. I’ve been dabbling in sourdough for a few months now and I’m really enjoying the science and the process. I’ve never heard of salt-risen bread and cannot wait to try it! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and story.
shirley welch says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, my grandmother baked salt rising bread this was a reminder of that delicious bread. Will be baking for my grandchildren very soon ~
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sherri – I’ve enjoyed your sourdough creations via Instagram. Beautiful work! If you make this Salt Rising Bread, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Hi Shirley – So glad this recipe conjured up a pleasant memory for you. Enjoy!
Blair Rumney says
My grandmother used to make this bread too!! Oh wow, do I remember the foul smell of that starter!!! Whew! She must have made it from memory as I have never found a written recipe from her. Thank you for reminding me of her….
Cat says
Salt rising bread makes the best toast. My Amish Neighbours make it for me and it is unparalleled! Thanks for sharing the recipe and the story!
Linda Kalbler says
Good morning Kevin
I definitely will be trying the salt rising bread. I too have been making sourdough lately. I love bread of any kind when made from scratch. Thanks for the recipe
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Blair – If you make this bread, let me know how it turns out for you!
Hi Cat – SR bread DOES make the best toast!
Hi Linda – Glad you plan to give the bread a try. Enjoy!
Mary W says
I’m one of seems like the whole world that doesn’t like the taste of sour dough bread. I LOVE yeasty bread above all tastes and sour dough just removes everything I love about bread. SO, my QUESTION does this taste like sour dough? About 75 years ago we ate potato ‘spudnuts’ donuts in Madison, Wisconsin from the Spudnut Shop and that was an amazing tasting dough. I have no idea if they used a salt dough recipe but it was different from regular donuts in that they used potatoes so maybe I’ve eaten/heard about this before. Just know those spudnuts were like nothing I’ve tasted since. Delicious! I may try this but sure hate to cover up the delicious smell in my home right now from the pineapple vinegars I’ve got brewing.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mary W – SR bread is totally different from sourdough bread, as it contains no yeast. Taste is uniquely delicious, texture is sublime.
Lynda says
I am going to make this bread! My high school biology students are learning about fermentation -what a perfect and looks to be delicious example!
Linda M. Oliver Hughes says
Hi Kevin, do you think this would work with gluten free flour?
Thanks
Michelle Roch says
I’m going to try this with 100% whole wheat flour.
Kip Morrissette says
There is a bakery in Sparta MI that makes Salt Rising Bread only on a given day. When I visit there I always bring back their delicious SR Bread. As others have said, ‘it makes delicious toast’.
Heather says
Kevin, do you think this recipe would work with whole wheat or sprouted wheat flour? I’m trying to stay away from plain flour, but I can’t give up my bread. Maybe even going halvsies on the flour?
Darla Metro says
I have never had any luck making bread but I think I’m going to give this a try. Wish me luck!!
Phyllis says
Please let me know what a “proofing oven” is. I would like to make this recipe, as i LOVE bread. Thank you.
Carol H. says
Thanks for a trip down memory lane. This takes me back to my childhood in the ‘50’s when Van de Camp’s bakery, in Southern California, made salt rising bread! It was delicious toasted and slathered in butter! Yum-my! Can’t wait to give your recipe a try, Kevin.
Marsha says
I’m looking at buying a gas new range and I want the proofing feature. Can you tell me what brand you have? Do you like it?
Grazie!
Jean says
Hi Kevin i want to try this recipie but im from Ireland and im not familiar with the term cup? Can you clarify this measurement please?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Lynda – What a delicious project for your students!
Hi Linda Oliver Hughes – Wish I coul
d provide an answer for you. I’ve never made this bread with gluten-free flour.
Hi Kip – Nice to hear from you!
Hi Heather – From reports I’ve read, Salt Rising Bread is always made with white flour. Still, the bread might (might!) work with half whole wheat/half white flour.
Hi Darla – Good luck with your project. Let us know how the bread works out for you!
Hi Phyllis – A proofing oven is an oven that can maintain a steady 100°F temperature. Most modern ovens come with this feature.
Hi Carol H. – So happy this recipe conjured up a pleasant memory for you. Hope you’ll report back after you’ve made the bread!
Hi Marsha – When we redid our kitchen a couple of years ago, I selected double wall ovens from General Electric. These electric ovens are equipped with a “proof” button. When this feature is selected, the oven heats to just 100°F. (Previously, I used an electric heating pad to proof my dough.)
Hi Jean – Happy to help: 1 cup flour weighs 120 grams.
Karen says
My grandmother supported the family as a baker in the Great Depression, and my mother used her recipe to make this bread for us in the fifties. The fermenting potatoes smelled so bad that all five kids and our dad would scatter to the winds the day she would make it (I would spend the whole day at the library). Maybe that was her plan, to get the entire day to herself. But, boy, was it ever delicious! Grandma’s recipe included cornmeal and 2 cups of warm milk. Can’t wait to try yours!
Betty Martinez says
Thank you so much for this recipe. As a child (many decades ago) we always had Salt Risen Bread at the family get togethers. Have found it occasionally in bakeries but am on my way to baking it now, thank to you. It is wonderful with B-B-Q and wonderful toasted.
julie hemming says
I will try this recipe and use my yoghurt insulator to keep potatoes warm. That should work!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Karen – What a great story!
Hi Betty – Yay! Do let me know how the bread turns out for you.
Hi Julie – If your yoghurt insulator can maintain at least 100°F , then it ought to work just fine for the potato starter. Hope you’ll post your review after you’ve made the bread!
badger gardener says
Oh my gosh Kevin, you own my heart forever. I have been wanting to try this and you always make recipes more doable somehow. I have heard of bakers raising their starter just by turning the light bulb on in the oven. I will have to try out my oven thermometer and see what temp my oven reads with the light on and whether I can use that.
Curious to know how long your kitchen smelled from the starter. I’ve had salt rising bread shipped and just making toast has my family complaining so wondering what kind of complaints I’m in for if I manage to get a starter going.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Badger Gardener – In the video (embedded in the printable recipe above), I give a “hat tip” to you for inspiring me to make this bread. As for aroma of starter, it dissipated quickly. The baked bread smelled terrific!
Samantha Gray says
I always keep the water from any potatoes I boil for use in my bread. It really makes a difference in the loaves. Thanks for this recipe and the interesting history lesson. AND… I was looking for a special dessert to make for a reunion of three friends/colleagues/former college classmates – we all began our nursing career on 1/12/78 in the same hospital. The Panna Cotta looks wonderful, and seems just the thing! Thanks once again.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Samantha – Panna Cotta is too wonderful for words. Just the thing for a reunion with friends!
Danni says
But how much liquid to start? You drain the potato water, but it is very vague how much that should be… I guess I’m looking for the amount of liquid you need total with the starter water and added water to make the sponge.
I really want to make this, at the office there are bread haters and I love to prove them wrong. Managed with sourdough, would like to try this!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Danni – This is one of those old-time recipes for which there are no exact measurements. Just use enough boiling water to cover the potato slices when you make the starter. And be sure to watch the video in which I make the bread in “real time.” The video might provide useful visuals for you. (Since you’ve already had good success with sourdough, I suspect you’ll have good success with Salt Rising Bread!)
Danella on the Canadian west coast says
My potatoes are fermenting as I type. Disgusting smell is a understatement! Ugh! Will make the bread later and will let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, I’ll take your word that it will taste better than it smells.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Danella – On the plus side, the aroma indicates that your starter is becoming active. Kudos to you!
Danella on the Canadian west coast says
Well, it smelled really bad but didn’t foam up at all. Down the garburator! It might have been too warm and killed the bacteria. Trying again! I’m determined.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Danella – Yes, do try again! My starter, maintained at 100°F, did not foam until 11 hours had passed. It foamed all the way to the top of the jar during the 12th hour.
Karen says
Any suggestions from readers on keeping it warm overnight? A quart jar is too tall for my crockpot, and the oven temp starts at 175. I make yogurt in the crockpot by heating, then cooling and wrapping it in a down comforter to stay warm all night. Would putting the potatoes in a warm crockpot (the small size) and wrapping it work?
Danella Farrell says
Made it! Finally got foamy. Out of the oven and looks kinda like yours. House still smells funky. Tastes better than it smelled.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Karen – I think your crockpot/down comforter idea just might work. Alternatively, you might check the temperature of your oven when only its light bulb is turned on. If the temperature there achieves 100°F, you’re good to go!
Hi Danella – Thanks for following up. How’d you manage to keep your starter warm?
Danella on the Canadian west coast says
This time instead of the oven, I rested the tea towell wrapped jar on top of a couple of potholders placed on top of the inverted lid of my crockpot filled part way with hot water and turned on low.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Danella – Brilliant!
Susan Brown says
It is wonderful of you, Kevin, to write about salt rising bread. I grew up eating it and loving it when my grandmother would make it every Saturday for our family in West Virginia. You might enjoy the book that a colleague and I wrote about salt rising bread in 2016. It is entitled “ Salt Rising Bread: Recipes and Heartfelt Stories of a Nearly Lost Appalachian Tradition”
Kind regards, Susan Brown
Joseph William Galusha says
The bread turned out beautifully, my first try. Thank you for providing the recipe and instructions with pictures. I also watched the youtube video. It’s incredible! I have not had it for years. My father used to buy it at a little bakery in Angelica, New York. I will continue to make it. I am so happy, thank you!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Joseph – I’m so happy!
Jon says
The dough is rising as I type. The starter was difficult to get started. I used the potato and flour version. I set the jar over a slow cooker on warm but overnight nothing happened so I set it on Low. It then took most of the day to bubble up. When I poured out the water I noticed it was pretty viscous and slimy looking, but it did have a smell. I’d describe it as a cooking cabbage kind of a smell. That dough is super sticky! My hands were covered and I had to scrape off with a butter knife. A pastry scooper is essential but I didn’t have one so I used a giant Chinese cleaver to scrape up the dough as I was working it. I also forgot to add salt so we’ll see how it tastes.
Jon says
The bread is done and it rose beautifully, although I had to wait longer than two hours. I think I have to find a better way to keep things warm as everything took longer than expected. The taste of the bread is pretty good. The crumb is nice and moist while the crust is crisp and crackly. The smell remains in the cooked bread and I would describe it as a little funky as opposed to cheesy. The taste with butter is very good and I didn’t really miss the salt, although next time I’ll remember to add it just to try. I’ve never had a bread quite like this. It’s bread with some cake or muffin qualities. Overall it was well worth making. Thank you for sharing the recipe and your enthusiasm, Kevin!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jon – I’m so glad the bread worked out for you. I’ll admit the sponge (starter) can be a challenge. Kudos to you on your success!
Roxy Lentz says
I tried the bread yesterday, and the ferment did well in the instapot on yogurt setting. the sponge did well in the oven on proof, but, when I made the loaves, after at least 5 hours, they did not raise a smidgeon. I think I may have kneaded a bit too long, and I did that by hand. Also, the taste was like paste. BUT will try again. I made mine with corn meal.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Roxy – Yes, do give the bread another try. I’ve never made the bread with cornmeal. Maybe use your oven’s “proof” feature as I did — for the starter, the sponge, and for the rising of the loaves. Good luck!
Mindy King says
I grew up with my father baking bread. He made both Alaska style sourdough and Salt Rising. We kids hated the smell of the later so he took advantage of the warm boiler room in the basement of the church he pastored on Saturday mornings when there were no church office hours. Once in a while a member of the congregation would drop by, smell that awful odor and call to report that some critter must have gotten into the church and died. Once baked however it was heavenly!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mindy – What a great story. Thank you for that!
Amy Layman says
Hi Kevin, my started didn’t rise in 12 hours so I’m wondering if I can continue to let it ferment longer or will it be a failure?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Amy – You can give the starter a couple extra hours. If it still doesn’t foam, I’d dump it and start over. Or just ditch this recipe. Although the procedure works great for me, it seems many other readers/viewers are having terrific trouble with it!
Jackie Jones says
Loved this bread and much easier than other salt rising recipes I’ve tried. I did not have russet potato so I used Yukon gold, worked perfectly. Also I do not have a proofing oven so, I tuned on my oven light and it brought temperature to 100 degrees. I used an oven thermometer also to keep eye on temperature, works perfectly!
I will be making this recipe again. Thank you so much!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jackie – I’m so glad the recipe worked out for you!
Cindy says
Your video was easy to follow. My ‘cigars’ are proofing currently. This is my first attempt at a potato starter, which did ferment nicely for me. But, I’ve tried many times, without success, to get a cornmeal starter to ferment, trying different methods for keeping it warm. Have you ever had luck with a cornmeal starter? Thanks!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cindy – I’ve only used potatoes. I hope the bread turns out well for you!
Mary Ann Flow says
In response to Cindy’s dilemma with cornmeal starter, the cornmeal must NOT have preservatives of any kind. If you know someone with a home grist mill, that’s your best source.
Kelly says
How can I make the final result more stinky?
Norman says
Thanks Kevin for your clear worded recipe and your easy-to-follow video on YouTube. I’ve made Salt Rising Bed in the past but had mediocre success, with failures often at various stages. Watching your video gave me the confidence to try again.
I could not “grow” the starter in my house or even the garage because of the odor. I had to use a separate storage shed in the backyard. I did purchase a Brad & Taylor proofer from my previous attempts which I set up for all the stages in the storage shed, except the baking.
I put my potato starter in the proofer at 6pm and checked it at 7am the next morning. Very little foam. I let it go until 10am, 16 hrs and it had a “head” on it. It’s in the oven now and can’t wait to taste it.
One question: if I wrap the loD in plastic food wrap, how well does it freeze?
Norman says
Kevin, just a follow-up on my last comment……my two loaves came out wonderful. They didn’t rise in the pans as much as yours, but after baking and slicing the bread had lots of “air” pockets. I might let the dough rise in the proofer for a full 2 hrs. I took them out about 20 minutes early.
I toasted it and spread butter on it. It had a wonderful flavor and it didn’t give off too pungent an odor to have everyone move out of the house. It brought back flavor memories from 60 years ago of my mother buying Van de Kamps salt rising bread when we lived in Altadena in SoCal.
I wrapped 1 and 1/2 loaves in plastic wrap and freezer bags but kept 1/2 a loaf in the fridge to parcel out for the next few days.
Thanks again for your detailed video and recipe.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Norman – So glad the bread turned out well for you!
Jim McMinn says
Why does my starter not foam as in the video? I follow precisely the recipe and place at almost precisely 100 degrees in my oven with the oven light on for 12 hours. On my first attempt with a half recipe I got no foam but a few white bubbles, a brownish liquid on top, and white liquid on the bottom. I went ahead and made the sponge and it did double in size after 4 hours not 2. The bread was good. On my second attempt with a full recipe, I got no foam and no increase in bulk with the sponge. I used russet potatoes and King Arthur plain flour for starter. I have not found a consistent recipe.
Christine says
Hi Kevin,
I put my starter in oven around 10:00 last night, this morning I just have about an inch of brown looking water. Could this be because my oven light wasn’t warm enough?
Christine says
Ps.
I also hear people talking that they make up to 8 loaves out of 1 starter. Is this a good idea or by adding more water, does it cut down on flavor?
Jeff P. says
Hi, Kevin,
Any suggestions as to doubling this recipe? 2 potatoes and a larger jar, and double all measurements? Thanks.
Katherine says
I had a very difficult time getting my starter to foam. On the third try and after 16 hours it finally foamed. I guess sometimes it just takes as long as it takes.
Katherine says
After an exhausting starter my sponge never rose up and bubbled at all. I am defeated and I give up. It was stinky to clean up. Going back to good old yeast.
dawn says
Can this be baked in a dutch oven?
Deborah Rotman says
I’m from western NYS. My great-grandmother, born in 1874, made salt-rising bread. She had a wood stove that, alas, the family did NOT keep. My father told me that her bread was delicious. I made it years ago, using potatoes. I now live in AZ so I think I’ll wait until it’s warmer so I can let it work on the back patio.
Norman M Stoddard says
I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned this in the comments. I used an “organic” potato today and followed your recipe and video very closely. This is the first time I’ve had great success in having the starter foam in 12 hours. It usually takes me 16 hours. I checked at 12 hours and there was a one-inch head so I decided to have a cup of coffee and come back in 1/2 hour. Well, the foam was overflowing by that time and the same thing happened with the sponge stage. The pancake batter was pushing up the towel in an hour and a half. My loaves turned out great. Thank you for posting this very clear to understand recipe!
Betty W. Horn says
I am 92 years old and no longer cook. Is there any place one can buy a loaf of your salt rising bread? In Nashville my Mother regularly bought salt rising bread from our ‘bread man’ when I was young. Not until I was grown and had a family of my own was I able to find a grocery store that sold the same kind. That store eventually closed and I wasn’t able to find the bread until I moved to Franklin, TN and discovered an individual who made and sold loaves. Unfortunately, he didn’t continue that. I have ordered loaves twice from a bakery I found online hoping to find the same bread, to no avail. The bread I received is extremely dense, does not have the characteristic strong aroma, and has only a small taste of real salt rising bread that I remember. Yours looks more porous. I wonder if yeast was added to what I used to eat?
Jennifer Bladine says
I grew up in Los Angeles, home of the amazing Van de Kamp bakery. In the beginning, I thought the salt rising bread smelled much like vomit; but after I tried it–toasted, of course–I was hooked. They also sold molasses cookies and a coffee cake called a Swedish Twist. It was the very best bakery; what a shame it’s no longer in business. I’ve made salt rising bread a few times–and experienced some epic failures–but eventually found success with the James Beard recipe. I can’t wait to venture into the mysterious world of salt rising bread.