Is Sourdough naturally gluten-free?

Sourdough is not naturally gluten-free. Traditional sourdough bread is made from wheat, rye, or barley, all of which contain gluten. However, gluten-free sourdough bread can be made using gluten-free flours such as rice flour, buckwheat flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Here's how you can make it gluten-free:

1. Choose Gluten-Free Flours: Start with a base of gluten-free flours. Common choices include brown rice flour, sorghum flour, and teff flour. These provide structure and flavor similar to traditional wheat flour.

2. Use a Gluten-Free Starter: A sourdough starter is a fermenting mixture of flour and water that contains natural yeasts and bacteria. To make gluten-free sourdough, you must begin your starter with gluten-free flour and maintain it by regularly feeding it with more gluten-free flour and water.

3. Add Binders (if needed): Gluten-free flours lack gluten, which acts as a binder in traditional bread. To improve the texture and structure of the bread, consider adding natural binders like xanthan gum or psyllium husk powder.

4. Adjust Hydration: Gluten-free flours often absorb more liquid than wheat flour, so you may need to adjust the amount of water in your recipe to achieve the right dough consistency.

5. Extended Fermentation: Gluten-free sourdough might benefit from a longer fermentation time to enhance the texture and flavor of the bread. This also allows the natural enzymes more time to break down the flours, improving the nutritional profile and digestibility of the bread.

By using these tips, you can create a sourdough bread that's gluten-free and still enjoys the distinctive sour flavor and chewy texture characteristic of traditional sourdough.